Is Mazda Owned By Ford? The Complete Story Behind Their Partnership

For years, there has been a common perception that Japanese automaker Mazda is owned by the American automotive giant Ford. This isn’t surprising, considering the two companies have had a very close partnership spanning decades. Many Ford models share platforms, engines and technology directly sourced from Mazda.

But is Mazda actually owned by Ford? The short answer is no, Mazda is not owned by Ford as of [current year]. However, the story behind their relationship is quite fascinating and impacted the product lineups of both automakers.

In this detailed blog post, we’ll dive deep into the history of the Ford-Mazda partnership, exploring Ford’s past ownership stake in Mazda, the key technologies shared between them, the reasons behind Ford’s divestment, and where their partnership stands today. We’ll also provide an overview of other major automaker partnerships and answer frequently asked questions.

Table of Contents

Is Mazda Currently Owned by Ford?

Let’s start by directly addressing the main question – no, Mazda is not currently owned by Ford. Mazda is an independent Japanese automaker that has been owned by the Mazda Motor Corporation, headquartered in Hiroshima, Japan, since its founding in 1920.

However, Ford did previously own a controlling stake in Mazda for several decades until relatively recently. We’ll explore the history and implications of this ownership next.

The History of Ford’s Ownership in Mazda

The relationship between Ford and Mazda began in 1979 when Ford acquired a 7% stake in the Japanese automaker. At the time, Mazda was facing significant financial troubles, and the cash influx from Ford helped sustain its operations.

Over the next 16 years, Ford gradually increased its ownership in Mazda. By 1995, Ford’s stake had grown to a controlling 33.4% share of Mazda.

For over two decades, Mazda effectively operated as a subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, with Ford having a major influence over its strategic decisions and product development.

However, in 2008, amidst disagreements about the future direction of the companies and a significant economic recession impacting the auto industry, Ford began divestment of its stake in Mazda. By 2015, Ford had sold off all its remaining shares, once again making Mazda a fully independent automaker.

The Decades-Long Ford-Mazda Partnership

Despite no longer having an ownership stake, the partnership between Ford and Mazda continues to this day, dating back to 1974 when the first collaborative project began.

One key reason their partnership has endured is a joint venture plant in Thailand called AutoAlliance. Established in 1995, this 50-50 joint venture produces vehicles for domestic sales as well as export under both the Ford and Mazda brands.

The partnership has also facilitated significant sharing of technology, platforms, and engines between the two automakers over the years, which we’ll explore in the next section.

Mazda Technology Used in Ford Vehicles

One of the major outcomes of the Ford-Mazda partnership was the extensive sharing and collaboration on engine designs and vehicle platforms. Many popular Ford models essentially used Mazda underpinnings during the period of Ford’s ownership stake.

Here are some key examples:

Engines:

The Ford Duratec 4-cylinder gasoline engines were derived from Mazda’s L-series engines
The Ford Duratec V6 engines originated from Mazda’s K-series V6 designs
Ford’s modern EcoBoost engines like the 2.3L can trace their roots to Mazda’s MZI and MZR engines

Platforms/Chassis:

The Mazda6 midsize sedan platform provided the foundation for models like the Ford Fusion
Ford’s Ranger pickup truck used a chassis architecture designed by Mazda
The previous generation Ford Focus and Mazda3 shared a platform developed jointly

This sharing of core technologies was facilitated by Ford’s ownership position in Mazda at the time and allowed both automakers to leverage each other’s strengths more effectively in their respective product lineups.

Why Did Ford Sell Its Stake in Mazda?

Given the long-standing partnership and sharing of technologies, Ford’s decision to divest its ownership stake in Mazda by 2015 may seem puzzling. There were a few key factors that prompted this move:

Disagreements about future strategic direction: As Mazda grew more competitive and capable of independent product development, there were increasing disagreements with Ford about the future technological roadmap and priorities.
Global economic recession: The late 2000s recession significantly impacted automakers worldwide. As part of restructuring efforts, Ford decided to streamline its assets and partnerships.
Desire for greater independence: Both companies likely wanted more autonomy and independence in their decision-making without the constraints of cross-ownership.

By selling off its stake, Ford was able to simplify its operations and partnerships, while Mazda regained full control over its strategy as an independent automaker.

Do Ford and Mazda Still Share Technology?

While the ownership ties were severed in 2015, the Ford-Mazda partnership continues to this day, though in a more limited capacity compared to previous decades.

The joint venture plant in Thailand remains operational, with both companies producing vehicles for their respective lineups at the facility. There are also some ongoing collaborative projects for specific vehicle components and technologies.

However, with each company now fully independent, the level of platform and engine sharing has diminished compared to when Ford had a controlling stake in Mazda. Each automaker now has more autonomy in charting its own technological roadmap.

The Impact of the Partnership on Both Companies

Despite the complex ownership changes, the decades-long partnership between Ford and Mazda had a profound impact on the product lineups and global competitiveness of both automakers.

For Mazda, the partnership provided a vital cash infusion during its financially troubled period in the late 20th century. It also gave the Japanese company access to Ford’s vast resources, manufacturing scale, and global distribution networks – allowing Mazda’s vehicles to reach more international markets.

On the other hand, Ford benefited immensely from Mazda’s expertise in designing compact, fuel-efficient vehicles and advanced gasoline engines. This allowed Ford to compete more effectively against Japanese rivals like Honda and Toyota, especially in the crucial small car segments.

Overall, the partnership was a strategic win-win for both automakers, enhancing their respective strengths and global footprints through shared technologies and resources.

Other Major Automaker Partnerships and Ownership

The Ford-Mazda partnership is just one example of the complex web of partnerships, joint ventures, and ownership ties that exist in the global automotive industry.

Such partnerships have become increasingly common as automakers seek to share the immense costs of research, development, and manufacturing operations required to remain competitive in today’s market.

Here are some other major automaker partnerships and ownership structures:

Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance: A partnership between the three automakers which includes cross-ownership stakes and shared vehicle platforms and technologies.
Toyota-Subaru: Toyota has a 20% stake in Subaru and the two companies collaborate on specific vehicle projects like the Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ sports car.
Hyundai Motor Group: The parent company owns the Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis brands under its umbrella.
Volkswagen Group: Owns Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, and other brands like SEAT and Skoda.
General Motors: The parent company owns Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac brands.

While the specifics vary, such partnerships generally involve sharing of platforms, engines, manufacturing facilities, and technologies to reduce costs and increase competitiveness in the global market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ford still own part of Mazda?

No, Ford no longer owns any stake in Mazda as of 2015 when it sold off its remaining 3.5% shareholding in the company.

What Mazda platforms/engines are used by Ford?

Some key examples include the Mazda6 platform used for the Ford Fusion, the Ranger pickup’s Mazda-designed chassis, and Mazda’s L, K, MZI, and MZR engines forming the basis for Ford’s Duratec and EcoBoost engine families.

Why did the Ford-Mazda partnership end?

The partnership did not entirely end, but the ownership relationship ended in 2015. Factors included disagreements about strategic direction, the global recession’s impact, and both companies’ desire for more independence.

What are the benefits of such automaker partnerships?

Partnerships allow automakers to share the immense costs associated with research, development, manufacturing, and global distribution of new vehicles and technologies. By collaborating and sharing resources, companies can reduce expenses while still accessing technical expertise from their partners.

Other key benefits include:

Leveraging complementary strengths: One partner may excel at designing compact cars, while the other specializes in trucks/SUVs. Sharing platforms maximizes their respective strengths.
Entering new markets: Partnerships provide access to manufacturing facilities, distribution networks and consumer insights in regional markets where one company may have limited presence.
Accelerating innovation: By pooling research efforts and intellectual property, companies can speed up development of cutting-edge technologies like electrification and autonomous driving that require massive investments.
Compliance with regulations: Meeting stringent emissions and safety regulations across global markets is challenging. Partnerships ease this compliance burden through shared engineering solutions.

Final Checkpoint

To summarize, while there was a period when Ford had a controlling ownership stake in Mazda, the Japanese automaker is currently an fully independent company owned by Mazda Motor Corporation as of [current year].

The roots of the Ford-Mazda partnership trace back to the 1970s when Ford acquired shares in the financially-troubled Mazda. This stake grew to 33.4% by 1995 before Ford began divesting shares from 2008 onwards amid strategic disagreements and the global recession’s impacts.

Despite severing ownership ties, the two automakers continue their partnership to this day through joint manufacturing facilities and sharing of select technologies, though at a reduced level compared to when Ford had a controlling stake.

The decades-long partnership profoundly impacted both companies – providing Mazda with a financial lifeline and global reach, while allowing Ford to access Mazda’s expertise in small cars and advanced engines to compete with other Japanese brands.

Such partnerships are vital for automakers to share costs, pool resources, leverage complementary capabilities, and maintain competitiveness in an increasingly complex and capital-intensive global marketplace.

While the specifics of the Ford-Mazda relationship evolved over time, it exemplifies the strategic value of such partnerships in the ever-changing landscape of the automotive industry.