Mazda, Fiat to jointly produce sports car

csv8 · 23-05-2012, 09:05 PM

Mazda, Fiat to jointly produce sports car

AFP
May 23, 2012, 7:35 pm

TOKYO (AFP) - Japanese automaker Mazda Motor and Italy's Fiat said Wednesday that they have agreed to jointly produce a new two-seater sports car as part of a technology and product development alliance.

The vehicle, which will use Mazda's next-generation rear-wheel-drive technology, is to be sold under the Mazda and Alfa Romeo brands, the latter owned by Fiat, with some differences including an engine unique to each.

Both are to be made in the southern Japanese city of Hiroshima, with production on the Alfa Romeo brand car scheduled to begin by 2015, they added.

"Establishing technology and product development alliances is one of Mazda's corporate objectives and this announcement with Fiat is an important first step in that direction," said Mazda President Takashi Yamanouchi.

Automakers have been striking technical and financial tie-ups in recent years amid intensifying global competition and soaring development costs.

Nikked · 23-05-2012, 09:30 PM

New RX-7?

MethodX · 23-05-2012, 09:38 PM

At least Alfa get rear wheel drive again.

Fiesta God · 23-05-2012, 09:45 PM

That will be a first ... a well-built and mechanically reliable Alfa Romeo

MethodX · 23-05-2012, 09:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fiesta God

That will be a first ... a well-built and mechanically reliable Alfa Romeo

Like A Jap car with style huh? def a first.

Nikked · 23-05-2012, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MethodX

Like A Jap car with style huh? def a first.

RX-7 series 6.

NSX

Datsun 240

KGC10

etc...

Bossxr8 · 23-05-2012, 09:45 PM

Maybe Ford should start looking for another manufacturer to twin the Falcon platform with.

Nikked · 23-05-2012, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Maybe Ford should start looking for another manufacturer to twin the Falcon platform with.

Yep...

Nissan.

Ford gets an eski/capri

Nissian gets a new silvia.

But for the falcon, nissan could use it for a Laurel, or president type car.

jpd80 · 23-05-2012, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Maybe Ford should start looking for another manufacturer to twin the Falcon platform with.

Maybe a huge country to the North of us...

pmacc · 24-05-2012, 12:28 AM

Hopefully its a next Alfa Spider.

Dr Smith · 24-05-2012, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpd80

Maybe a huge country to the North of us...

Where a few Aussies are climbing the ladder and more to head there from Campbellfield.

Dr Smith · 24-05-2012, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

Maybe Ford should start looking for another manufacturer to twin the Falcon platform with.

Now that's an excellent idea.

nstg8a · 23-05-2012, 09:57 PM

mazda should do a re-fresh on the fd, imo, one of the most beautiful timeless designs to ever come out of japan. hard to improve on perfection.

Nikked · 23-05-2012, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nstg8a

mazda should do a re-fresh on the fd, imo, one of the most beautiful timeless designs to ever come out of japan. hard to improve on perfection.

One of the most timeless designs full stop!

Yellow_Festiva · 24-05-2012, 04:26 PM

[QUOTE=Nikked]One of the most timeless designs full stop!

image

Nice RX there, breast I've ever seen

FPV GTHO · 24-05-2012, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

image

Too much style over substance there for me.

drew`SEVNT5 · 25-05-2012, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV GTHO

Too much style over substance there for me.

Turbo Rotor, light weight, awesome handling, how much more substance do you want?

FPV GTHO · 25-05-2012, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew`SEVNT5

Turbo Rotor, light weight, awesome handling, how much more substance do you want?

Tyres with some ******* grip and none of this stretched poser boy ********.

Iggypoppin' · 24-05-2012, 12:37 AM

Give it a rest you two up there....
However I agree that the rx7 fd is one of the best shapes I've ever seen, definitely timeless and very very good looking.
I can only HOPE that whatever Mazda and Alfa pump out is half as good as the FD.

Nikked · 24-05-2012, 07:14 AM

Hope Alfa do one of these...

max_torq · 24-05-2012, 07:29 AM

A new X1/9; mid engined where the motor is meant to be.

nipper575 · 24-05-2012, 04:20 PM

I'd like to see a new GTV hatch that is RWD like the original. Or a proper 4 door saloon that is RWD. I owned a 75 3.0 and a GTV 2.0 so my opinion is heavily biased.

RASER · 24-05-2012, 07:45 AM

This could well be the first step in FIAT Group/Chrysler buying Mazda Co, Mazda are near broke, lost 2 billion, while Chrysler/Jeep are making HUGE profits, step by step this could well be Sergio.M's plan?

Coming to get you vw.......

drew`SEVNT5 · 25-05-2012, 01:03 AM

Restyled MX5 with 1750TBi with the new Giulietta GTA 224kw tune?

**Polyal** · 25-05-2012, 05:21 PM

FD's are awesome, but they are a bit riced just standard is fine. I find these partnerships interesting as to see who gains what.

No way the RX7 would ever be shared...so the question is what does Mazda get out of it?

Plain and simple..

I dont mind my GTV either

Nikked · 25-05-2012, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polyal

No way the RX7 would ever be shared...so the question is what does Mazda get out of it?

Seems odd, that Fiat would need to out source a sports car build, when they own ferrari.

**Polyal** · 25-05-2012, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

Seems odd, that Fiat would need to out source a sports car build, when they own ferrari.

Yeah it is weird, perhaps Fiat get the MX5 chassis and Mazda get some diesels? Although I thought the CX5 now has TDi, and the 6 has for a while too, unless they are just newer tech, EU seems to do TDi better.

Sorry for the late edit.

RASER · 26-05-2012, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nikked

Seems odd, that Fiat would need to out source a sports car build, when they own ferrari.

The days of Ferrari in Maranello painting FIAT tractor cabins are over!, besides Ferrari is running at full manufacture capacity [thanks to China], the only avenue would be the Maserati plant [But they have big plans, so no]

Mazda would already have all the correct special machinery in Japan to make the convert. why double up?

In any case it frees up the Italian factories to make more mainstream high volume cars

Besides Italian Unions are making it very difficult to do business in Italy, FIAT have often said they would soon leave Italy for other easier and more friendly countries, unions and workers

MethodX · 26-05-2012, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RASER

The days of Ferrari in Maranello painting FIAT tractor cabins are over!, besides Ferrari is running at full manufacture capacity [thanks to China], the only avenue would be the Maserati plant [But they have big plans, so no]

Mazda would already have all the correct special machinery in Japan to make the convert. why double up?

In any case it frees up the Italian factories to make more mainstream high volume cars

Besides Italian Unions are making it very difficult to do business in Italy, FIAT have often said they would soon leave Italy for other easier and more friendly countries, unions and workers

Didnt Marchione already close to Southern factories (where they used to sabotage the cars and never turn up for work) and move production to Serbia and Poland?

drew`SEVNT5 · 26-05-2012, 01:42 AM

Getting Ferrari or Maserati to develop a cheap RWD sportscar? Well out of there 'expertise'