Did you know...
In the early 1990s Mazda almost created a luxury marque, Amati, to challenge Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus in North America. In Europe, the equivalent Xedos marque was launched, lasting just a few years.
The initial Amati products would have been the Amati 500 (which became the Mazda Millenia), and the Amati 1000 (a new rear wheel drive V12 successor to the Mazda 929). This never happened, leaving the near-luxury Millenia to the Mazda brand.
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Following in the success of Honda's Acura, Toyota's Lexus, and Nissan's Infiniti luxury car divisions, by the early '90s Mazda was laying the groundwork for its own luxury manqué: Amati*
Shortly before Amati was to be launched, however, it became apparent that the then-rising value of the yen and fierce competition in the luxury segment, combined with Mazda's worsening financial position, had doomed the brand before it was even launched. With two sedan designs nearing completion, Mazda decided to salvage the entry-level Millenia as a Mazda. Despite a bargain price (as an Amati it would have sold for thousands more) and innovative Miller cycle engine the Millenia was never a big seller and was dropped from the North American line-up for 2003.
Amati Logo
i didnt....interesting... wonder what would have happen if they went through with it? Stateside Cosmo? Amati 1000...v12 luxury sedan! It would have been nice..
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I'd love to have a VIP 929 but I'd rather spend that money importing a Cosmo.
