How to Sell the Great New Mazda3?

[MrH]

Everyone is doing it.  Mercedes is big on it these days too.  It's the flavor of the week in dash design, but I have no idea why.  I think it looks pretty tacky too.

[TBR]

1. It cost more.
2. You can only get an auto with the larger engine. For now anyway.
3. Diesle version not out yet.

With all that said I'm still surprised that it's not selling as well as the last one. That thing was ugly as shit and had one of the worst interiors I've ever seen Mazda put out.
Mazda's Mexico plant is up and running so that will help them. And as it's been pointed out the car hasn't got to sell like a Toyota or Honda, it's just got to make them money.
But the 3 is Mazda's most important car, so they better make sure it's profitable or Mazda's fucked up the ass without lube.

Yeah, so there's no way that moved the needle.

[ifcar]

Everyone is doing it.  Mercedes is big on it these days too.  It's the flavor of the week in dash design, but I have no idea why.  I think it looks pretty tacky too.

I think it's so the rest of the dashboard doesn't have to be designed around the screen, not because people think the screen looks good just perched there.

[MrH]

I think it's so the rest of the dashboard doesn't have to be designed around the screen, not because people think the screen looks good just perched there.

Oh, that's it.  I never saw a picture of any of these vehicles without the navigation screen.  I just looked up the Mazda3's.  Yep, they stick a cheap, smaller radio in it's place if you don't get the navigation screen.

Both the Mazda3 and the Mercedes products using this tablet screen style navigation screen have a cast skin instrument panel (basically, polyurethane "dust" is mixed against a hot tool in the shape of the dashboard.  When the particles hit the tool, they melt and form the shape desired).  The cost for a full car width, cast urethane tool is hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Also, there are less tool changes then if you're just producing the same main instrument panel for all variants.  Tool changes on cast skin systems is not an easy process.  I can see why they do it, but man, it really kills the styling.  Not worth it to save <$1m IMO.

[2o6]

I think it can look really nifty when it's not jutting out of the dash, or when it's saddled with a good-quality looking screen. The Citroen C4 Cactus would look awkward with a more integrated IP or gauge pod. They'd have to go back to the drawing board.


The Mazda 3 looks like crap with the garmin on the dash. It's too high, and makes no pretense to being integrated to the dash. I also don't think that everything needs to be integrated with the dash to look good, this isn't 1996.




I feel like the process MrH described can be used on more variants with a few more visual tricks to make the Infotaimnent screen more integrated.

[ifcar]

I don't know if it's even about manufacturing cheapness so much as design flexibility. That is to say, they can do a lot more with the dashboard shape if there isn't a screen stuck in the middle of it. It's more constraining.

[Mustangfan2003]

Here's an issue I have with the new Mazda3.  The Mazda3s, with the higher horsepower engine, comes only in automatic.  Really?  And it's not cheap.  23-25K starting based on trim.

I just saw an ad on tv from a Ford dealer where they have Fusions for $19k.  For a daily driver I think I would take the bigger and cheaper car. 

[2o6]

I don't know if it's even about manufacturing cheapness so much as design flexibility. That is to say, they can do a lot more with the dashboard shape if there isn't a screen stuck in the middle of it. It's more constraining.

Not necessarily.

[r0tor]

Everyone is doing it.  Mercedes is big on it these days too.  It's the flavor of the week in dash design, but I have no idea why.  I think it looks pretty tacky too.

The CLA is equally disgusting beyond belief with its dumbass screen

[Catman]

Yeah, it looks like they superglued a Nexus 7 to the dashboard.

LOL

[Byteme]

Maybe, just maybe the public is catching on to Mazda goodness.  In March Mazda sales advanced 9% as the company sold just about 1,800 fewer cars than Volkswagon.  Of course VWs aren't exactly flying out the dealership doors though.   Still, it's progress.

[ifcar]

Maybe, just maybe the public is catching on to Mazda goodness.  In March Mazda sales advanced 9% as the company sold just about 1,800 fewer cars than Volkswagon.  Of course VWs aren't exactly flying out the dealership doors though.   Still, it's progress.

Main gains were from the CX-5 (understandably) and the Mazda2 (which sporadically has good months but almost never rallies). Mazda3 and Mazda6 just held steady, though the 3 sales are still decent considering the price.

[12,000 RPM]

Maybe, just maybe the public is catching on to Mazda goodness.  In March Mazda sales advanced 9% as the company sold just about 1,800 fewer cars than Volkswagon.  Of course VWs aren't exactly flying out the dealership doors though.   Still, it's progress.

Sales of the Jetta n Passat increased significantly (I want to say doubled) when they replaced the artisinal kraut with KMart.... so if Mazda is moving that kind of metal they gotta be doing pretty well

I think somehow Mazda would do better to chase profitability over outright volume though. Definitely a lot of fanbois who have bought into the dream that the 3 transcends its economy car roots. It's pretty and its a dynamic beast... for a FWD economy car. But thats too big of an asterisk to discount IMO.

[Laconian]

If they focused on profitability then the cars would be less interesting. The Mazda3 would be just a Corolla if they allowed the bean counters have at it. Instead we have light chassis made of $ high strength steel, 13:1 compression ratios on 87 octane, heads up displays because LOL why not... Too many companies are in business to play it safe and make profit. Let's not wish away the few remaining manufacturers that demonstrate some passion and a willingness to take risks.

[2o6]

The Mazda 3 is all about profitability....


The platform is a cut down Mazda 6 that can't really be optimized for a car this small. The sedan and hatch share the same doors to keep costs down - but makes the design look awkward from certain angles.

There's not much of a risk being taken here; at least no more than other companies. It's a nice car, don't get me wrong, but I don't understand the hype behind it.

[Xer0]

Sales of the Jetta n Passat increased significantly (I want to say doubled) when they replaced the artisinal kraut with KMart.... so if Mazda is moving that kind of metal they gotta be doing pretty well

I think somehow Mazda would do better to chase profitability over outright volume though. Definitely a lot of fanbois who have bought into the dream that the 3 transcends its economy car roots. It's pretty and its a dynamic beast... for a FWD economy car. But thats too big of an asterisk to discount IMO.

IIRC, Jetta and Passat sales are in the tanker right now and have been declining for about a year or so.

[ifcar]

IIRC, Jetta and Passat sales are in the tanker right now and have been declining for about a year or so.

Sales are high, just not continually increasing. Passat sales are holding roughly steady at 10k per month, which is an improvement of about 9,500 per month over the last generation. They're not so new anymore, but a car's sales slipping as it ages doesn't mean that it wasn't done right at the start.

[12,000 RPM]

Sales are high, just not continually increasing. Passat sales are holding roughly steady at 10k per month, which is an improvement of about 9,500 per month over the last generation. They're not so new anymore, but a car's sales slipping as it ages doesn't mean that it wasn't done right at the start.

Yep

http://www.goodcarbadcar.net/2011/01/volkswagen-passat-sales-figures.html

I was wrong, Jetta doubled, Passat sales increased tenfold from the low point. Damn shame as the B6 is the best of the breed, outside of the carbon build up thing.

[Xer0]

Sales are high, just not continually increasing. Passat sales are holding roughly steady at 10k per month, which is an improvement of about 9,500 per month over the last generation. They're not so new anymore, but a car's sales slipping as it ages doesn't mean that it wasn't done right at the start.

Oh.  I recall reading somewhere that VW sales were down a decent amount and that was due to lowered Jetta and Passat demand. 

Still, I don't think Mazda doing the VW is smart for them.  Hell, even VW is adding things back into their cars that they originally took out for price.

[ifcar]

Oh.  I recall reading somewhere that VW sales were down a decent amount and that was due to lowered Jetta and Passat demand. 

They're down a bit after jumping a lot to reach a peak, which makes sense as the Jetta and Passat age.