Benefits All-Round, If You’re American

May 11, 2009 in automotive
Tags: automotive, commercial vehicles, mazda, motoring, sussex

So with the general debacle that is the big-name auto industry over in the U.S, Ford are looking to get rid a slice of their stake in Mazda. The Blue Oval has had a stake in the Japanese company since 1979 and it’s been growing ever since. But they’ve been looking to get rid of a 20% stake. 

This is a bit of a shame as both companies gained a lot from the deal – Mazda saved some $90 million a year in devopment costs and Ford even more. It also meant that Mazda have been able to produce this:

 

It’s the B4000 pick up, classified as ‘light duty’ but pretty hard-going for our standards in the UK. Not always known as the sturdiest of motors, Mazda use their relationship with the Blue Oval to produce something they can refer to as “built Ford tough.”

Granted, it’s a rebadged Ford Ranger, which we do get but – why don’t we got it here in the UK? My previously Mazda loving mate down in Sussex would love this – builder as he is – and would probably put brand-loyalty first and buy it over the Ford. 

It’s strange but when it comes to commercial vehicles it seems we don’t get all that many options over here. There’s plenty of vans but for things like pick-ups only few brands come to mind and Mazda simply isn’t that common a one. There’s plenty of call for them or is it a lack of mullets?