[Masamichi Kogai, Representative Director and President and CEO]

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for taking time to come to the Mazda stand today. Our theme this year is: “Mazda is committed to enriching people’s lives through ’Celebrate Driving.’” You’ll see evidence of our determination to turn our vision of the future into reality.

With the new-generation products featuring SKYACTIV technologies and KODO design that we launched in 2012 as a driving force, our structural reform has been a success and we have embarked on Structural Reform Stage 2, focused on achieving qualitative growth from development through to sales and enhanced brand value. As you saw in the film earlier, as part of this process we are working to be a brand that has a connection with its customers and that continues to offer driving pleasure and the “brilliance of life.”

In order to sustain our growth, in August we announced our long-term vision for technology development, Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030. In light of the rapid changes taking place in the global automotive industry, we have taken on the challenge of solving problems facing the earth, society and people through driving pleasure, the fundamental appeal of the automobile.

In terms of the earth, we have pledged to build a future in which we can coexist with the bountiful, beautiful earth by applying a well-to-wheel philosophy to achieve substantive cuts to carbon dioxide emissions. In order to do this, we believe we must take a multi-solution approach that addresses electrification by offering a mix of combustion engine, hybrid and electric vehicles in view of each region’s energy circumstances and power sources. As part of that, our exhibits at this Tokyo Motor Show focus on our quest to perfect the internal combustion engine, which will have the biggest impact on global environmental protection in the foreseeable future. In terms of society, by building cars and a society that offer peace of mind and safety, we will create a way for people to live more contented lives. In terms of people, we aim to offer the satisfaction that comes from protecting the earth and enriching society with a car that offers true driving pleasure.

At our stand we are exhibiting the technologies and design that will pave the way for the realization of this vision. First is our SKYACTIV-X, an engine that realizes a long-held dream of the global automotive industry. Employing a proprietary combustion technique called Spark-Controlled Compression Ignition, SKYACTIV-X is set to become the first mass-produced gasoline engine to enable compression ignition of a lean air-fuel mixture over a wide range of driving conditions.^* SKYACTIV-X combines the high-revving performance of a gasoline engine with the superior fuel economy, torque, and response of a diesel engine. It features both outstanding environmental performance and uncompromised power and acceleration, fully supporting the Jinba-ittai driving experience Mazda aims to provide.

Now let me touch upon design. Take a look at our Mazda Vision Coupe, which represents our vision for the design of the next generation of Mazda cars. Based on our KODO design philosophy, the styling of our next generation will be more elegant and premium, expressing a more natural vitality. By stripping away needless elements, we have revealed beauty and created a vehicle design that expresses Japan’s unique aesthetic.

Now it’s time for the debut of the concept model that will usher in the next generation of Mazda cars. This compact hatchback features our next-generation SKYACTIV-X gasoline engine and SKYACTIV-Vehicle Architecture, next-generation technologies which applies the human-centered design philosophy to optimize every function. The styling is also more refined thanks to our maturing KODO design language. Take a look.

With our future technologies and design, this Mazda Kai concept heralds a new generation of cars and demonstrates Mazda’s commitment to continue making cars that offer true driving pleasure.

Mazda wants to inspire people through the value inherent in automobiles. We aim to make Mazda Premium a reality, but that doesn’t mean selling expensive luxury cars. Rather, it means forging a strong connection with customers and becoming an essential part of their lives. As we have shown with this Kai concept, we want to spoil customers with cars that always exceed their expectations.

You can look forward to more great things from Mazda as we tackle new challenges. Thank you.

* As of August 2017, according to in-house research