Historic European sales results crown a positive year

Mazda Motor Europe celebrates setting two historic sales records for the brand in March. Brisk sales during the last quarter of its two newest models – the recently-crowned World Car of the Year Mazda2, and the new Mazda6 – pushed retails sales during the last 12 months (April07 through March08) to a record 327,000 units. This result was in part due to a record March result, when Mazda sold 45,000 units – the best single month ever for volume.

“Our model renewal programme is having a positive impact on our sales,” said James Muir, President and CEO at Mazda Motor Europe, “and we are only in the middle of this process, with more products to come. Brand awareness is at an all-time high in Europe and our organisation, more than ever, is working together as a team that can be proud of its achievements. Congratulations to all my colleagues for a job well done.”

March’s record comes in the wake of a record January and a 32 percent increase in sales in February. Fiscal Year sales records were set in three countries – Russia, the UK and Portugal – with a total of 14 countries achieving outstanding increases. A key factor in this success has been the new Mazda2. During the last three months, 20,400 Mazda2s have found owners in Europe, even though the car was still being rolled out in some markets in January. The second-generation Mazda6, which was launched even later than the Mazda2, has been just as successful, with a volume of 16,600.

“Our European dealers have been doing a great job for several years now,” said Philip Waring, Vice President for Sales at Mazda Motor Europe, “and our Fiscal Year results attest to this. We started this year with the strongest Mazda line-up ever. With the addition since then of our new-generation Mazda2 and Mazda6 models – both of them very popular – we are looking ahead with optimism.”