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Masamichi Kogai new Mazda president and CEO

There's some executive rearranging going on in the top suite at Mazda Motor Corporation in Japan, with current CEO Takashi Yamanouchi telling reporters there "I'd like to hand over the work to younger people" now that the company has returned to profitability. Yamanouchi became CEO on November 19, 2008 of an independent Mazda that had to fight for its future in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis. What followed was four years of losses before finally getting back to black last year.
Masamichi Kogai (pictured) will be appointed the new president and CEO on June 25, pending approval at the company's annual general shareholders' meeting. Kogai assisted Seita Kanai with the production-efficiency initiative that Mazda called Mono Tsukuri Innovation, which worked to give export-dependent Mazda the best chance at profitability in spite of a rising yen. Kogai, lately in charge of production and purchasing, has been with the company since 1977 and worked in areas from R&D to logistics.
Kanai, who headed the Mono Tsukuri effort and was among the leadership on Skyactiv, will be promoted from executive vice president to vice chairman. Akira Marumoto will become executive VP of Mazda and assistant to new president Kogai. Yamanouchi will remain Chairman of the Board. There's a short press release below to make it official.

Mazda6 diesel engine delayed over low performance, still coming

Oh Mazda... we had many hopes for the promised diesel four-cylinder in the Mazda6, but those have remained largely unfulfilled, as the oil-burning powerplant has failed to appear on dealer lots following its 2012 LA Auto Show announcement. Despite engineering issues that forced the company to announce that the program was delayed back in September 2013, Mazda remains adamant that the 2.2-liter Skyactiv-D is still coming to our shores. "We're still very much committed to diesel," Mazda's North American CEO, Jim O'Sullivan, told Automotive News. "We are still working on getting the performance aspects up to where we want them, and we do have a plan – an engineering road map – to get it done." According to AN, Mazda's initial plan with the 2.2-liter diesel was to build an engine so clean it could get by without an aftertreatment system, which generally accounts for the price premium of diesel engines versus their gas counterparts. The new system has come with performance issues, though, necessitating the delays. "If [we were] a commodity brand and didn't care about that, it would be on the market right now," O'Sullivan told AN. "But I know the people were expecting something from us, expecting certain drive characteristics and performance, and I didn't want to disappoint them." While O'Sullivan's defense of the diesel Mazda is admirable, the exec stops short of giving us an indication of when the new engine will finally arrive.

Mazda's slick new CX-4 crossover is sadly only for China

Mazda just unveiled the CX-4 crossover at the Beijing Motor Show, introducing the sleek new crossover exclusively for the Chinese market. The CX-4 rides on the same wheelbase as the CX-5, and is just as wide. It even packs the same powertrain options: 2.0- or 2.5-liter inline fours from Mazda's Skyactiv-G series, mated to the same six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. It measures a little longer from bow to stern than the CX-5 (albeit shorter than the CX-7), but the key part here is that it's shorter in height – shorter even than the smaller CX-3 – thanks to its sleek coupe-like roofline. The resulting impediment to interior space may make little sense from a practical standpoint, but it sure does make it look good. Consider the CX-4, then, to bear a similar relationship to the CX-5 as the BMW X4 does to the X3, or the Coupe versions of the Mercedes GLC and GLE to their conventional counterparts – albeit with styling more similar to the Infiniti QX70, particularly at the back. The question is whether the US market is ready for a more budget-oriented five-door crossover coupe in the same way that it has embraced those more upscale offerings. Mazda doesn't seem to think so; at least not for the time being. For our part, looking at the CX-4, we're not so sure. What do you think? Related Video: Mazda Unleashes New Mazda CX-4 Crossover SUV - On display now at the Beijing Motor Show, sales in China start in June - HIROSHIMA, Japan—Mazda Motor Corporation has unveiled a new crossover SUV, the Mazda CX-4, at the Beijing Motor Show (Auto China 2016).*1 The latest edition to Mazda's new-generation lineup adopts SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY and KODO—Soul of Motion design throughout and goes on sale in China in June. The CX-4 was made to exceed existing categories and stereotypes. The dynamic design is unmistakably KODO in form and the planted stance and sleek, coupe-like cabin combine to give the model an outstanding presence. Customers will appreciate the exceptional functionality and user-friendliness, including the ease of entering and exiting the vehicle and the flexible cargo space. With SUV-like ground clearance and Mazda's i-ACTIV AWD*2 all-wheel drive system, the CX-4 is ready to take on a wide range of road conditions and offers a combination of outstanding environmental and safety performance (Sustainable Zoom-Zoom) and a Jinba-ittai driving feel with excellent handling thanks to its low center of gravity.