Shanghai--At Auto Shanghai 2005, the Mazda Motor Corporation will display fourteen vehicles throughout the show, including five that have never before been shown in public in China. Mazda will exhibit many of its successful global product models and a concept vehicle to indicate potential future directions to its Chinese customers.

The highlight of the Mazda stand at the Shanghai New International Expo Center will be the Mazda sports cars, both the four-door, four-seat, rotary-powered RX-8 and the all-new, third-generation MX-5--both are flagship models that embody Mazda’s Zoom-Zoom brand. The new MX-5 roadster debuted on March 1 at the 2005 Geneva International Motor Show and will be shown in Asia for the first time ever at Auto Shanghai 2005. It is already considered one of the most important new cars of the year.

Auto Shanghai 2005 will also host the Asian debut of the Mazda MX-Crossport, an advanced design concept created at Mazda’s main design studio in Hiroshima and revealed at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in January. The MX-Crossport--with its bold K2 Red paint--represents a new direction Mazda is considering as it works to expand its line-up of successful new-generation products around the world. It is a crossover-type vehicle--a very Mazda crossover that combines the strong, sports car styling motif of the company’s flagship RX-8 with the more practical packaging of sport-utility vehicle.

Additionally, Mazda will feature a high-performance version of its award-winning Mazda6 sedan, called the Mazda6 MPS. With its sophisticated and strong, direct-injection, turbocharged, 2.3-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, six-speed manual transmission and advanced all-wheel-drive system, the Mazda6 MPS highlights Mazda’s advanced technology capabilities. It is the highest performance sedan Mazda has ever produced.

Other key models will be shown in Shanghai including the award-winning Mazda6, named “Car of the Year for 2004 in China” by Auto Club-Motor Trend magazine. Three versions of the Mazda6--a sedan, a five-door hatch and a sport wagon--will be on display. The Mazda Tribute will also be highlighted at the Shanghai show.

Mazda has been making progress in developing its production system and sales network in China over the last year. Additionally in January, Mazda China Operations was established in Shanghai to oversee the company’s China ventures and to help better serve its Chinese customers.

Mazda will hold a press conference at Shanghai New International Expo Center in the morning of April 21.