Mazda icing Tribute for 2007
There will be no 2007 model year Mazda Tribute for U.S. consumers. The Blue Oval subsidiary's Escape/Mercury Mariner doppelganger will go on sabbatical from May on through the end of the year, though the move will reportedly not alter production levels (or employment) at the automaker's Claycomo, Kansas plant.
According to Ford sales analyst George Pipas, the Escape/Mariner/Tribute platform's 2007 model year run will be on the shorter side, as the company is readying a redesign for next January (to be designated a 2008 model). Mazda has opted out of the abbreviated schedule, but Escape and Mariner are to continue production.
[Source: The Kansas City Star]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sid 12:11PM (2/23/2006)
Good. Now with the CX-7 it doesn't need it. Only the MPV is an eye-sore in the lineup. But here in Canada it's very popular.
With the upcoming Mazdaspeed3, CX-9 and probably a MX-5 Coupe/Kabura-inspired sports car, Mazda will have an awesome lineup.
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Mr. Wankel 12:17PM (2/23/2006)
Mazda is not a Ford subsidiary, Ford owns 30% of Mazda shares and they collaborate, but it doesn't owns enought of it to call it a subsidiary.
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DJ 12:21PM (2/23/2006)
Does Mazda even need the Tribute anymore now that the CX-7 is coming on-line?
The Tribute was always something of an ugly duckling, it wasn't a Mazda based vehicle, never really looked like a Mazda and since it wasn't offered in hybrid form, it suffered in comparison to the Escape/Mariner twins.
The CX-7 fixes all of that. Besides, Mazda is Ford's sporty econo division and should be treated as such. I would even kill off the B-series pickup and replace it with the Ford Australia Falcon Ute to complete the sporty mix.
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Nathan 12:21PM (2/23/2006)
Good move. With the new, much more dynamic CX-7 on its way, who wouldn't choose that over the recladded Escape anyway?
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Mike O. 12:35PM (2/23/2006)
#1
As I understand it, under Japanese law, a foreign company can only hold so much stock in a Japanese company. 33.4% is a controlling interest.
#2.
The Escape was based off of the Mazda 626 platform so yes, it is a Mazda based vehicle.
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Kowell 12:36PM (2/23/2006)
The Tribute and CX-7 serve 2 different purpose. The Tribute, as unoriginal as it is, serves as entry SUV for the brand at a starting price of 20K. The CX-7 is a more sportier SUV with a more powerfull sportier engine and even though Mazda's US site doesn,t give it'S price yet, the canadian site starts it at 31 000$ canadian, so around 25-26K US.
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CrunchyCookie 12:37PM (2/23/2006)
Why does everyone think the Tribute was sourced from the Escape? All three are based on the old crappy Mazda 626, which would make both the Escape and Mariner Tribute clones.
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Joe 12:39PM (2/23/2006)
Wasn't the tribute first to market?
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DJ 12:41PM (2/23/2006)
"1. Mazda is not a Ford subsidiary, Ford owns 30% of Mazda shares and they collaborate, but it doesn't owns enought of it to call it a subsidiary.
Posted at 12:17PM on Feb 23rd 2006 by Mr. Wankel"
Actually it's 34% of the common stock, but 51% of voting stock. Ownership rules in Japan are different than those in the US and as a result, Mazda is a division of Ford, but not a wholly owned division like Jaguar, Volvo or Aston.
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Stone 12:47PM (2/23/2006)
I'm not surprised that Mazda would do this, especially with the CX-7 on the way. The Tribute and pickup do nothing for their brand identity, and I see themselves wanting to distance themselves from Ford marketing wise. Though I wonder if they might be working on a smaller crossover that would slot below the CX-7???
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TJF 12:53PM (2/23/2006)
They have a crossover under the CX-7.. The Mazda5. The only other known crossover coming to Mazda is the CX-9.
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Nathan 12:55PM (2/23/2006)
#6
The CX-7 will start at $23,750 US
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Steve B 12:57PM (2/23/2006)
Ford owns slightly over 1/3... they considered a 50%+1 majority ownership, but decided against it as more proved unnecessary. At the current time, they are the largest shareholder in Mazda Their collaboration is to a large enough extent that their vehicles are co-designed and share chassis, along with Volvo.
They are close enough that Ford Motor Co. lists Mazda as an equal along with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover. A bit of offhand math shows that the remaining shareholders would need approximately a 76% majoriy to overrule Ford in any matter.
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Robert Aitchison 12:58PM (2/23/2006)
Not sure what automakers (Ford being the worst in recent times) feel the need to sell two or three versions of essentially the same car with different badges & grilles and maybe a few different options. There is little point to the Mercury brand if every Mercury vehicle is just a Ford.
Mazda at least has it's own cars, with the SUVs & the B series being the only clones in it's stable.
Mercury should sell imports, that is Fords that sell in different markets around the world, so there should be a Mercury version of the StreetKa, the Focus C-MAX and/or the Galaxy from Europe, the Falcon (including the Falcon Ute) and Fairlane from Australia and maybe even the Courrier from South America.
If Mazda is going to sell a rebadged Ranger, at least let them sell the 4 door version.
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Doogs 1:35PM (2/23/2006)
"Not sure what automakers (Ford being the worst in recent times) feel the need to sell two or three versions of essentially the same car with different badges & grilles and maybe a few different options"
Ford being the worst?
Uh...GM...?
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Ryan 2:44PM (2/23/2006)
For what it's worth, the Claycomo plant that assembles these vehicles is in Missouri, not Kansas.
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all_that 3:10PM (2/23/2006)
Interesting that Tribute goes away long before CX-5 launched, but maybe Tribute and CX-7 are closer in size?
Merc has sold foreign Fords before. Insiders would probably tell you they've "been there, done that", but the real problem is Mercury gets a new (and generally horribly incomplete) strategy every few years. The Capri in the 70s is generally a respected car and perhaps the Merkurs of the 80s would have been more successful if they'd been badged Mercuries - dealers might have actually known what to do with them. Even the last Cougar was a decent and unique product and filled the Probe's shoes fairly well. Too bad they didn't build a brand aroud it or improve it. As with every other decent Mercury idea, it just withered away and everyone forgot about it.
The bottom line is that Ford has not made the proper investment in time and money to make Mercury into a brand with real meaning over the last 30+ years. It's cheaper and easier in the short-term to rebadge Fords, so it probably looks easy to the decision makers vs. real investments. Look where that policy has taken the brand...
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Robert Aitchison 4:18PM (2/23/2006)
Look at http://www.mercuryvehicles.com/vehicles/default.asp, EVERY vehile in the Mercury lineup is a rebadged Ford, you could say the same thing about GMC and Chevy but GMC has always been more of a sub-brand. Other than that every other GM division has at least some distinct vehicles.
I'm not complaining about platform sharing, which it a great idea if done right, ironically Ford has done an amazing job at platform sharing with the C1, producing 5 distinct vehicles for three different brands (non-US Focus, Focus C-MAX, Mazda3, Mazda5, S40/V50) and counting. I'm talking about taking a car, changing the grille, lights badging & a few options and trying to pass it off as entirely new.
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Mel P 12:36AM (4/08/2006)
Yes, under Japanese law, Fprd owns controlling interest of Mazda. That is why I bought my Tribute. Most of Mazdas vehivles are a Ford/Mazda collaboration....the 6, 3, and B series. If you say otherwise you need to do your research.Ford has owned stock, at lrast 25% since the 70s. The Escorts were Mazda based. Also, there is a Fourth Escape, Tribute, Mariner platform in Europe called the Maverick! The 3 and Focus share platforms , the 6 and Fusion share platforms, and the Ranger and Bseries do as well. Even the Mazda 6 Speed with that incredible 2.3 motor has a Ford based motor. By the way, all 6 's are made in Michigan except thr Speed made -made in Japan. Also, the Fusion is made in Mexico. My dad works for Ford and I get discounts on all Ford subsidary products. Autoalliance is a subsidiary. That is who makes some of your Mazdas. Some say Ford-Tribute in the door Jam, some say AutoAlliance-6 in the door jam. Depending on which plant built them. You can go under the Mazda history page for sme of this info or there is a Book called The History of Ford. Yes, Mazda is explained in it. Ford bailed Mazda out of Bankruptcy-so people should not bite the hand that feeds them. Also, Volvo just bought a chunk of Nissan-Ford already owned a small percentage (Quest/Villager-made in Michigan). now Ford solely owned Volvo bought a stake of Nissan....I wonder if you can add the Ford and Volvo stake up-probably not seperate entities. I bought a 2006 Tribute last month--does anyone know if I refinance after a month....the dealer will get charged? Someone said they would and that they didnt want to cause bad will since they plan on getting there vehicle serviced there? Well I want to refi, I got 6500.00 off in rebates, and I had to finance with Mazda 9.25%....We have scores above 850 beacon....although the finace lady said they like us to wait three months, my credit union is offering 5.30 now, and they consider the vehicle used at three months! Dont wanna cause bad blood, but man 9.25......the lady said there is no penalities for me to refi, so far, almost a month and havent received anything from Mazda Credit.....Dealership is great though!
Mel
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