MAZDA is in the late stages of delicate negotiations with Ford about the future of the two companies. Ford already has management control of Mazda, and owns a 33% stake in the Japanese car maker - the maximum share the Japanese stock exchange allows a foreign company to hold.
Speculation emanating from Ford has suggested it wants to increase its holding to 51%, but senior Mazda executives claimed to know nothing of such plans. They did, however, confirm that the two companies were co-operating closely on future model plans.
Tadahiko Takiguchi, senior managing director of Mazda, said: 'In the product planning areas we are working very closely with Ford, including open disclosure of our product plans.' Co-operation will be closest in the research and design departments, where the companies will try to avoid duplication of effort initially in environmental, safety and security developments, and later in platforms and engines.
Speculation emanating from Ford has suggested it wants to increase its holding to 51%, but senior Mazda executives claimed to know nothing of such plans. They did, however, confirm that the two companies were co-operating closely on future model plans.
Tadahiko Takiguchi, senior managing director of Mazda, said: 'In the product planning areas we are working very closely with Ford, including open disclosure of our product plans.' Co-operation will be closest in the research and design departments, where the companies will try to avoid duplication of effort initially in environmental, safety and security developments, and later in platforms and engines.
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