Auto Channel article about Mazda & the 5

[remarquian]

The Auto Channel has an article about the Mazda lineup and futures.

The money quote about the 5 is:

Mazda scored another surprise hit with its Mazda5, a kind of mini-minivan, offering 6-passenger seating and dual sliding doors, but with an un-minivan-like 28 mpg highway fuel economy. When we launched the Mazda5, many asked, Why? said Barnes. But we saw the move to smaller, more sensibly sized vehicles. The 5 had its best month ever in August, and thats with very little marketing support. We asked for and got another 10,000 allocated to the U.S. this year. A successor model is in the works.

The article never mentions who "Barnes" is, but assuming he's a NA Mazda guy, that means, the 5 could sell even more in 2009, and pretty much confirms that the limiting factor in past 5 sales has been production.

 

[coolmazda5]

Agree. I believe Barnes is the director of communications for Mazda NA

I still have the belief that Mazda was just lucky when Mazda5 launched in 2005

 

[MikesMazda5]

Yep, I snatched mine up in late 2005. Glad I got a headstart on most of ya'll.