It’s by no means coincidental that Mazda chose the Moscow show to showcase its Crossover Concept or ‘secret weapon’ as the company’s Russia MD Jorg Schreiber said.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The Kazamai hints at a future compact SUV – a segment of massive growth in Russia and one where the Japanese giant currently has no presence.
The Kazamai sits alongside a production line-up that includes the CX-9 premium V6 seven-seater, the largest vehicle in the range, which has been a big hit in the US and is expected to be a popular choice across Soviet states following its show debut.
Although locally-produced foreign brands continue to be the big sellers, the increasing aspiration of Russians coupled with their increasing brand awareness has been largely responsible for Mazda sales growing from 1,838 in 2003 to a 2008 estimate of 80,000 units.
Understandably, the dealer network has grown too – from three initially to 41 today. The most recently opened outlet is Major which, claims Mazda, is one of the largest in Europe.
Such is the confidence in the booming automotive industry that the purpose-built showroom, part of a $120m spend, is expected to make a return on investment within six years. Across the 15 franchises represented, monthly sales are currently around 2,500 vehicles.
The Kazamai is targeting Russia’s growing affluent growth market with its unique design and advanced powertrain. The engine, a new two-litre direct injection petrol unit, promises the ultimate in efficiency and performance.
A hundred kilograms lighter and 30% more fuel efficient than other class contenders, the Kazamai also boasts an array of advanced safety and security features, including blind spot monitoring.
Although design chief Peter Birtwhistle confirmed that any C-segment SUV crossover would more likely feature five doors, many of the design elements – including the curvaceous rear, front bumper, light clusters and distinctive panel lines – would be seen in future road-going production models.
The chief designer for Mazda Motor Europe added: “It’s two and a half years since we first introduced the Nagare design language and with it taking approximately three years from design to production, our customers will soon start to see our ideas in production cars, including the forthcoming 3.”
As the sixth largest market worldwide for Mazda, with 2.5% of all cars sold wearing its badge, Russia currently remains behind Germany but is expected to overtake very soon if current trends continue.
