Ex-worker goes on rampage at Mazda plant, kills one

June 22 (Reuters) – A former Mazda Motor (7261.T) employee driving a station wagon smashed into Madza workers as they changed shifts at one of the car maker’s plants in Japan, killing one and injuring 10, the automaker said.

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The driver, Toshiaki Hikiji, was arrested less than an hour later a few kilometres away on suspected murder and other charges, Hiroshima prefectural police spokeswoman Takae Shiozaki said.

National broadcasters reported that Hikiji, a 42-year-old temporary worker, told police he had been fired two months ago and wanting to cause harm to Mazda, drove a Mazda Familia through the factory grounds intending to kill.

Mazda said Hikiji had started on April 1 but resigned eight working days later citing personal reasons.

National broadcasters showed swarms of police at Mazda’s Ujina factory in Hiroshima, where workers had been coming in and out of the plant between the night and day shifts at the time of the crime.

The Ujina plant builds the popular Mazda2/Demio subcompact and other models. (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

RPT-Ford to recall 236,643 sedans in China

May 31 (Reuters) – Ford Motor Co’s (F.N) three-way tie-up with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co (000625.SZ) and Japan’s Mazda Motor (7261.T) has applied to recall 236,643 sedans, China’s quality control office said on Monday.

The joint venture is recalling Focus cars made between Aug. 18 2008 and May 28 2010 due to engine failure under certain circumstances, according to the notice on the website of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (www.aqsiq.gov.cn).

The Chongqing-based joint venture makes Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and other sedan models in China. (Reporting by Michael Wei and Simon Rabinovitch; Editing by David Holmes)

Toyota, Mazda to hold joint briefing on green tech

TOKYO, March 29 (Reuters) – Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Mazda Motor Corp (7261.T) said they would hold a joint news conference in Tokyo about environmental technologies at 5:40 p.m. (0840 GMT) on Monday.

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Toyota Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada and Mazda Executive Vice President Masaharu Yamaki will brief media, they said in a statement.

Sources have said Japan’s No.1 and No.5 carmakers were discussing the supply of Toyota’s hybrid technology to Mazda, which wants to launch a gasoline-electric vehicle by 2015. (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim)

Mazda RX-8 RE hydrogen available in Norway

Mazda RX-8 RE hydrogen available in NorwayOslo – Mazda presented the RX-8 hydrogen at the Viking Rally, announcing at the same time that it will be available with European specifications to leasing clients on the Norwegian market in the next few weeks.

The Mazda RX-Hydrogen RE has been available to Japanese leasing customers since 2006 with a rotary engine that can be driven either by hydrogen or petrol.

In contrast to the Japanese version, the European edition has left-hand drive and is only available in manual transmission.

The successor to the current model, the RX-9, is planned for 2012 with the styling and other features orientated closely to the Taiki concept car first revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2007, according to the Japanese manufacturer.

Mazda is sticking to the Rotary concept with the RX-9 despite higher consumption figures compared to competing models. (dpa)

Oz motorist fined after being caught ‘in the act’ with girlfriend

Melbourne, May 23 (ANI): An Aussie man has been slapped with a fine of 1400 dollars after police stopped his swerving car on the road, only to find him having sex with his girlfriend while driving.

Bradley Dean Milne, 33, and his girlfriend claimed that they couldn’t resist their temptation and started making out in the car before they reached their destination.

Milne was charged with not wearing his seatbelt, driving without due care, and drink-driving when a witness called the police after seeing his car swerving all over the road.

Judges at Darwin Magistrates Court heard that the couple were planning to drive to East Arm Wharf in the Mazda ute to have sex.

And Police prosecutor Leigh Cahill said tjat Milne “became aroused” and the woman gave him oral sex while he was driving, until they reached the traffic lights at the Berrimah Rd intersection.

Milne was swerving from one side of the road to the other until police stopped the car, and found a blood alcohol concentration of .097 per cent in his body.

“Come on, mate. What would you do? We were going to the wharf but we didn’t quite get there,” the Northern Territory News quoted Milne as saying at that time.

His lawyer Ian Rowbottam said that he was too embarrassed to speak about the incident again.

Rowbottam also said that Milne not been paying attention to his intoxication, and had been surprised at the reading.

“He wasn’t concentrating on that – he was concentrating on his amorous situation,” he said.

Magistrate Hugh Bradley said that he would not focus on things that were not unlawful, but warned that Milne needed to be more careful when driving.

“If these things are going to happen, you need to stop driving,” he said.

Milne was fined with 1400 dollars and was disqualified from driving for six months. (ANI)

Phelps seeks Chinese fans’ forgiveness for pot smoking via online video

Washington, Feb 14 (ANI): Golden Olympian Michael Phelps has apologizes to his Chinese fans for the photos showing him smoking pot.

The swimmer, who won eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, has released an Internet video seeking forgiveness from the Asian country.

“As many of you know, I recently engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and not what people have come to expect from me,” Usmagazine.com quoted him as saying in the video.

His apology helped save his relationship with Mazda Motor Corp, for the company agreed to continue sponsoring him.

Phelps signed a seven-figure contract to represent the carmaker in China, which was the biggest deal for a Western celebrity in the nation, Bloomberg reports.

“To the young people of China, please learn a lesson from this,” Phelps said in the video.

“Be positive in life, and do the right things. I’ve had so many great experiences in China over the past few years, and have enjoyed learning about your culture and your history,” he added. (ANI)

Honda Accord Euro wins Australia’s top motoring award

Melbourne, Jan.20 (ANI): The Honda Accord Euro has won Australia’s most prized motoring award being named Wheels magazine’s car of the year.
The car was today declared the best new release of 2008 with the judges saying it delivered an exceptional package of driver satisfaction, passenger comfort and all-round user-friendliness.

According to Fox Sports, the judge started with 35 eligible models, short listed 18 for a week of final evaluation, including tests at Ford’s You Yangs proving ground near Geelong.

“Dynamically, the Honda Accord Euro is outstanding. It has satisfied our exhaustive criteria better than any other contender and the judging panel has referred to the vehicle as Euro sophistication at just 60 per cent of the price,” Wheels editor Ged Bulmer was quoted, as saying.

The judging panel tested the finalists according to a range of criteria including function, technology, efficiency, safety, and value.

The final shortlist of cars included the Honda Accord Euro, BMW X6, Chrysler Grand Voyager, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus LX570, Volvo XC70, Audi A4, Volkswagen Tiguan, and Mazda 6.

The cars to make the final four were the Accord Euro, Audi A4, Volkswagen Tiguan and the Mazda 6. (ANI)

Michael Phelps getting $1M to endorse Mazda in China

New York, January 6 (ANI): After winning a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics last year, ace swimmer Michael Phelps has now entered the largest single sponsorship deal for any Western celebrity in Chinese history.

According to reports, Phelps is getting more than one million dollars to be a spokesman for Mazda in China.

Dynamic Marketing Group”s DMG Entertainment unit has revealed that the swimmer will be endorsing the Mazda 6 car in TV and print ads.

Phelps will also be making public appearances as part of the deal to promote the car.

“The people of China have been very supportive of me and my efforts to help promote swimming. I am excited to begin 2009 with my first return trip to Beijing since the Games,” the New York Daily News quoted Phelps as saying.

Mazda Motor Corp. — Japan’s fifth-largest carmaker that had abandoned its goal to sell 300,000 cars in China in 2010 due to lack of demand — hopes that Phelps’ endorsement will help increase its sales. (ANI)