Mazda’s chief of design is considering launching a Mazda Design line of things that are not cars. The non-automotive product line would have strong tie-ins with the design of Mazda automobiles but would stand on its own.
Mazda has been making much headway of late with a striking new portfolio. The latest iteration of the Mazda 6, Mazda 3, CX-5 and Demio (soon to be Mazda 2) are each some of the best looking cars in their respective classes. The man who spearheaded the propagation of this so-calle Kodo — Japanese for “soul of motion” — design language is Ikuo Maeda, Mazda’s current head of design (and son of the first-gen RX-7′s designer).
Now Maeda wants to extend the Mazda brand with a line of goods that will help set it apart from the bread-and-butter image of its competitors. According to Automotive News, Maeda’s idea has the blessing of CEO Masamichi Kogai.
The concept has worked for luxury names such as Porsche, whose Porsche Design’s range includes everything from sunglasses to electronics to handbags. Bentley and Ferrari have also developed a strong line of apparel and other branded items.
However, Mazda would be the first mass market marque to attempt such an endeavor. The ultimate goal, however, is to sell more cars, but in this case Mazda’s smaller relative size and lack of ubiquity compared to brands like Toyota or Chevrolet might work to its advantage.
It’s not certain whether Maeda’s project will ultimately be green-lit, but last year at Milan’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile, one of the world’s top furniture shows, Mazda unveiled a Kodo lounge chair which combined elements of sculpture and motorsports.
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