Blog: RALPH MORTON

What is Mazda-ness? That was a concept brought up by engineer Hideaki Tanaka when I attended the press conference for the new Mazda CX-5 compact SUV.

Tanaka was trying to describe all the elements that had gone into the new car, of which he was clearly proud: the SKYACTIV fuel and CO2 reducing technology; the interaction between car and driver – what Tanaka calls “Jinba Ittai” or ‘oneness between car and driver’; the fact that the car had an engineering soul rather than being built by numbers.

It’s also a point of differentiation. Saab – sadly, RIP – used to talk of the Saabness of its cars that made them different – the sometimes quirky, but logical and thoughtful design features that made the Scandinavian brand so refreshingly different.

And maybe Mazda too. Over dinner that night, we quizzed Tanaka about Mazda-ness, particularly given the company’s potential financial frailty. Would bean counters come in and decide that the engineers, who have brought us such great technology such as the rotary engined RX-7 and RX-8, and the brilliant Mazda MX-5, be reined in?

“But without the engineers what would you have?” came the measured reply.

And I guess that’s the point. Whereas once Honda was the pre-eminent Japanese engineering force where everything was built around the engine – motorbike, car, lawn mower, motorboat – Mazda is now taking up that mantle as uncertain Honda retreats under its shell.

So what was Tanaka’s vision for Mazda? And when through his interpreter came the reply, “Our ambition is to exceed Audi and Porsche,” we nearly choked on our bread rolls.

Tanaka explained that Mazda wasn’t considering a 911 rival,  but that he wanted Mazda to exceed Audi and Porsche in customer satisfaction.

His choice was interesting don’t you think? Not Lexus, king of the customer satisfaction charts. But Audi and Porsche. Two engineering led companies.

“I think we can do it, but I believe the branding of Mazda will take a long  time to achieve. But we are starting,” said Tanaka.

Mazda – a strange mixture of excellent but largely faceless cars – could be finding its voice. And the Mazda-ness holding them all together could well be the engineering glue of SKYACTIV technology.

And in the CX-5 – with its company car appeal – it’s an interesting place to start.