The all-new Mazda 1 completes Mazda's small car line-up. With it's 658-cc 3 cylinder engine... Except that's not a real story.
With the Mazda 6 and the Mondeo based on the same platform, the Mazda 3 and the Focus on the same platform and the Mazda 2 and the Fiesta based on the same platform it would seem logical that the Mazda 1 should share a platform with the Ka... except that the Ka II is in cahoots with the Fiat 500.
The various platforms and models currently produced are:
Ford CD3 - Ford Mondeo, Mazda 6
Ford C1 - Ford Focus, Mazda 3, Volvo S40, Volvo V50, Volvo C70, Volvo C30
Ford B3 - Ford Fiesta 6 & 7, Mazda 2
Ford B1 - Ford Fiesta 3-5, Ford Ka I
Fiat Panda - Fiat Panda, Fiat 500, Ford Ka II
The problem for Mazda is that the car which they would have shared engineering with, no longer exists. Because Ka II is based off of a Fiat, where does Mazda go? They could in theory make their own negotiations with Fiat, however this isn't terribly likely.
What I'm wondering is would the theoretical Mazda 1 replace the existing Mazda Carol with currently is a rebadged Suzuki Alto? In which case, when the Alto changes over in 2009, would the corresponding Mazda follow suit? Also considering that the Suzuki Also would be built in India by Maruti Suzuki, would this give Mazda a foot into the Indian car market? The downside with this is that would the Japanese accept an Indian built car for the Japanese Domestic Market? So many questions.
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