Does anyone know the length of time from initial sketches to dealership delivery for the 350Z? And could you compare that to the RX-8? Mazda is taking a long time....guyz. I know what you are going to say...."The Z is a shared platform so it was developed sooner, the RX-8 is an entirely new car." Yeah I know, but Mazda is painstakingly taking it's time.

 

Theres development time but there is also marketing strategy. I'm sure Mazda did not want to jump in at the sametime as the return of the Z, as well as the MINI and some other significant cars. I'm sure marketing had a big part in this too. At the time the car will be released, what other significant vehicles will be debuting?

 

Just my 2 cents, but I doubt it's wrapped up in timing from marketing. I can see marketing pushing for a specific week or to coincide with a major show to get the most press. But would they really say "let's not sell it for 6 more months because there are other cool cars being released?"

In my opinion, no. There is only so much window of opportunity for any car and the opportunity to pay off the bazillions the company spent for tooling and development. Everything is scheduled out and development times calculated. If the company could be ready to release the car, they would.

If you do consider the timing of the intro of the Mini and the Z, they are quite far apart. In the next 6 months there will be other signicant cars being introduced. In fact, I bet there is not much time that there are not cars being introduced that everyone will be talking about.

Also consider, there is a benefit in releasing your car first. Would the Z get as much buzz, sales, and press if the RX-8 were released a week earlier? If I was Mazda, and if it was physically possible, the RX-8 would have beaten the Z to the market.

 

where is the marketing logic when they announce (launch) the car at detroit but don't have any to show at the rest of the smaller shows because they havn't built any. if if they just have the yellow one up on a dais where noone can touch it let alone sit in it i don't see how that will help them sell any.

 

Just a thought. The marketing logic is to announce as early as possible. This does a few things.

1. It's positive for Mazda. Anything cool they show is a good thing. Regardless of the potential sales of the RX-8, it's good for the company. Consider if they don't have concept cars and future models. Buzz is good.

2. It creates more excitement and teases the potential RX-8 buyer. All press is good. Even if it's early. I was sold on this car years ago.

3. People that MIGHT buy another car, when they see the new model coming out, might wait for the RX-8. It's not that long to wait and you can have the RX-8 instead of the Z for example. If they did not show the car, they would lose people who might later have said "damn... if I had only seen this car before I bought."

And if you are really smart, you show it and announce an optomistic date for release. As that date approaches, push it back a little. Those people a little irked by a few months slip will forget about that irritation and it's worth it because of the increased sales from people on the waiting list. Not a new marketing ploy.



Just some thoughts. Who knows what reality is. These come from my background running a product development company.

 

speaking for myself as a potential rx8 buyer, i feel as though i have been teased enough! and i am already irked by the continuously slipping release date. first it was sometime this year as a 2003. then it was "coming in 2003" as a 2004. iwas told that was going to be jan or feb. now it will be launched in jan at detroit, with the car not shipping until may. unless you read the mazda/ xmen2 press release which says the movie comes out in may with the car following a couple of months later. give us a date and stick to it already, i have been waiting for this car since it was the evolve and mazda announced they were going to build it as the rx8. (deep breaths, deep calming breathes)

 

Well of course. But you are still here. And your ire will be forgotten when they hand over the keys.

 

Its also Nissan can have certain problems with the Z and Mazda can then double check and make sure nothing is wrong.
Comes down to this which would you have.
A mediocur vehicle with so so quality and fit and finish

Or a superior product because Mazda took time and done it right the first time.

 

If you ask me, I think they released the Z a bit too soon. It looks like the interior wasn't full finished in the design phase, as it still wears that blank, and slightly unsettling look of a prototype. I dunno what's up with the odd exterior door handles as well.

I'd rather that Mazda polish off their development until it's done, rather than relase their product as soon as they can to make a quick buck off the newness.

 

There may be some technical issues as well as marketing considerations. The xmen2 movie is an excellent opportunity to launch a new car, especially if it is featured prominately in the film. Look how BMW released the Z3 and Z8 to correspond with respective James Bond films.

Mazda can ill afford any major technical issues with this car. They need nothing but good press and glowing reviews. This is a big gamble for a company that is commonly viewed as a 2nd tier manufacturer by the general public. By general public, I'm referring to those folks who blindly buy a Honda, Toyota, or other car simply because of Make and Model.

As others have said, get it right at time of launch and don't look back.

 

The salesman from dealership called me at the office Wednesday and he wanted to know if I wanted to take delivery of the first car delivered to their dealership (I am on their waiting list). He claims that Mazda Canada is telling them that they should expect their first shipment on or about January 15th. Isn’t that around the time of the Detroit car show?

He didn’t have anything new to report that I did not already know.

 

January 15th? Interesting that Mazda's website says a release in summer of 2003. Does that mean Canada will get the cars 6 months early? Or does it mean someone is getting bad data?

 

the cars won't be on sale straight from the dock... maybe the cars have to be distributed across the country before they'll officially go on sale??

 

I am not convinced that January 15th will be the first delivery date, but the dealership still believes it. Besides, I would like mine in early April.

 

I'm well used to this type of tradeoff... it's exactly what happens with open source software... if you ask somone when somthing will be released, the answer is always "When it's good and ready"... would YOU have it any other way?

 

Blizzard is a good example. They make games like Starcraft and Diablo, and keep pushing the date back, but when they release they are nearly bug free, which is quite an accomplishment for a company that doesn't really hold open betas.

 

ZoomZoom:

There will be no RX-8s availble in Canada in January '03.
Tell you what. Tell the salesman you'll pay double if he can deliver you one "over the curb" by January 31st, if he promises to give you one for free if he can't.
That will settle it.:o

 

Hehehe, I wouldn't do that.. who knows he steals one from MazdaUSA or something :P

 

I think maybe your dealer heard "RX-8" instead of "Mazda6". The 6 WILL be released in january in Canada and I highly doubt they would release both at the same time.

 

The RX-8 never made it to Canada ... Oh well...

 

wow...revived a six year old thread.