Toyota and Mazda team up to make cars better
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Toyota Motor Corp and Mazda Motor Corp yesterday entered an agreement to build a mutually beneficial long term partnership.
A joint committee will now be set up to evaluate how best to utilise each company’s respective strengths, the companies said in a joint statement. The committee will encourage broad and meaningful collaboration across a range of fields, including environmental and advanced safety technologies.
“As evidenced by their SKYACTIV Technologies and KODO—Soul of Motion design, Mazda has proven that it always thinks of what is coming next for vehicles and technology, while still managing to stay true to its basic carmaking roots. In this way, Mazda very much practices what Toyota holds dear: making ever-better cars. I am delighted that our two companies can share the same vision and work together to make cars better. I can think of nothing more wonderful than showing the world – together - that the next 100 years of cars will be just as fun as the first,” said Toyota President Akio Toyoda.
Previous collaboration between Toyota and Mazda has included the licensing of Toyota’s hybrid technologies to Mazda and the production of compact cars for Toyota at Mazda’s plant in Mexico.
They said that this latest agreement will go beyond the traditional framework of cooperation, aiming instead to create a whole new set of values for cars through wide-ranging medium to long term collaboration.
“Toyota is a company that has shown steadfast resolve in acting responsibly on global environmental issues and the future of manufacturing as a whole,” said
Mazda President and CEO Masamichi Kogai. “I also have tremendous respect for Toyota’s dedication in its pursuit of ever-better cars through ongoing innovation. Furthermore, Mazda identifies with the way Toyota cherishes its roots and all of the communities it is involved in. It is no wonder they are held in great esteem in return. I hope that by working together to make cars better, we can raise the value of cars in the eyes of consumers while also enhancing the manufacturing capabilities of our home, Hiroshima, and all the communities we are involved in as well.”
