Save the Mazda Navajo!

[vq5speed]

Why would you put a Mazda Navajo in Ford museum

 

[Rick]

Speaking for myself, I would say it's important to show the collaboration between Mazda and Ford on the Explorer/Navajo. Here's an article from "back in the day"

Mazda to Sell Ford-Built Explorers in Bid to Enter Fun-Truck Market

February 09, 1990|From Staff and Wire Reports

In a bid to capture a piece of the growing market for so-called fun trucks, Mazda Motor of America said Thursday that it will begin selling its version of Ford Motor Co.'s new Explorer sport-utility vehicle this fall.

Mazda's announcement marked the first time a Japanese auto maker will buy an American manufacturer's vehicles and then sell them under its name in the United States.

Generally, U.S. car makers buy Japanese- or Korean-built cars for sale under their names.

The deal underscored the global melding by auto makers as they forge partnerships to cut costs and remain competitive into the 1990s.

It also marked another association between Ford and Mazda Motor Corp. The two have been financial partners since 1979 when Ford bought 25% of Mazda. The two recently began collaboration on new vehicles. Mazda produces the chassis shared by the Mazda MX-6 and the Ford Probe and builds the Probe for Ford at its plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

Ford's all-new Escort and Tracer subcompact cars, which will debut later this year, are heavily based on Mazda subcompacts already on sale.

The new Mazda sports utility vehicle, to be called the Navajo, was shown Thursday at a preview for the Chicago Auto Show that starts a nine-day run Saturday.

The truck essentially is the same vehicle as the Ford Explorer that will go on sale this spring as a 1991 model to replace the Ford Bronco II.

Fred Aikins, a spokesman for Mazda Motor of America, the auto maker's Irvine-based U.S. marketing and distribution company, said the Navajo's front end and interior will be different from the Explorer's, however.

Aikins said the Navajo will sell in the $13,000-$18,000 price range--about the same as Mazda's wildly successful two-seat convertible, the Miata.

He said the company expects Navajo sales to hit only 15,000 to 18,000 units a year.

Mazda decided to use a Ford-designed and built sports utility vehicle rather than developing its own, Aikins said, "because developing any kind of vehicle was quite expensive and Ford had a vehicle that was ready. We've been looking into a sport utility truck design for several years now."

Auto industry analysts say that the fun-truck market for Jeep-like sports utility trucks and for small pickup trucks is about the only one that is doing well in the current depressed auto market.

The vehicles often are priced less than comparably equipped sedans and have a definite identity in a market that increasingly is offering consumers look-alike vehicles, said Jim Hillson, senior analyst with Phase One, an advertising research firm in Los Angeles that specializes in automobile marketing.

Mazda is in particular need of a new truck model because its truck sales have been falling since 1986.

One potential problem Mazda faces with the Navajo, several analysts said, is that it will market only a two-door version, while the Ford Explorer will come in both two-door and four-door models.

Two other Japanese auto makers, both headquartered in Orange County, already sell two-door sports-utility vehicles in the United States.

Daihatsu America, headquartered in Los Alamitos, markets the Rocky, while American Suzuki Motor Corp. of Brea sells the Samurai and Sidekick models.

http://articles.latimes.com/1990-02-09/business/fi-396_1_ford-explorer

 

[vq5speed]

Even though Ford made the Navajo it was not sold by Ford Dealerships. The Henry Ford Museum already has the a Ford Explorer in it. My self I wouldn't care to see a Mazda Navajo in there

https://www.flickr.com/photos/skinnylawyer/15976002702/

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Thanks for your help Rick seams like we keep getting hit with the negative sides. Even though this was when Ford purchased heavy in Mazda to pull them out of bankruptcy. This was the first Ford built vehicle with the Mazda name badge. It is part of Ford history!!! To deny what happened in the 90s with Ford and Mazda is not telling the whole history of Ford and that is why a Mazda should be in a Ford museum.

 

[vq5speed]

Well i'm sure if Ford was such an important part of Mazda corporation there would be some sort of mention of that already in the Henry Ford Museum. Do you know there's not already a Mazda Navajo in the museum already. Just expressing my opinion but good luck in you adventure with this.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

The board of the museum is reviewing this vehicle for donation.

 

[ZWilson07]

Finally got a chance to.

Donated $20.

 

[toypaseo]

-nated...

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Well the time has passed on the time to donate. Sadly we couldn't even raise enough to cover the shipping. We are now looking how to refund the money that was donated for this.

 

[Rick]

It's really a shame this didn't work out.

 

[Anime]

If the seller REALLY wants that amount of money for the vehicle, they should be patient and understanding enough that it's going to take several months to raise it, plus the extra for transportation costs.

Maybe a longer term for the campaign would be a good idea.

Interest might be higher and donations might pick up if/once the museum approves the donation request.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Anime, sadly from day one i felt there was so much negative response from day imone we stalled out with in the first week. Sadly no support only raise $555 at that rate it would take over 2 years to raise money to make it happen.