Mazda to make an encore

"It is high time that Mazda established its own sales network here. There are signals that the economy is more buoyant, while the automotive market is developing. Establishing a representative office is an opportunity to expand the group of our clients in Europe," said James Muir, president and managing director of Mazda Motor Europe. The company plans to launch sales in May 2008, and according to analysts, the brand is well perceived in Poland. "The problem is that the company will have to rebuild customers' trust," said Marek Konieczny, president of PIM Consulting. He went on to say that shortly after starting sales, the Japanese concern could enter the top 20 market players, rivaling Nissan, but later it could enter the top ten to rival Honda. The main factor which will determine Mazda's success is establishing a dealer network, which will take up to two years. "The company must spend a lot on marketing and equipping showrooms, but it also has to set prices on the right level not to remain a niche product," said Arkadiusz Tomala, managing director of MMC Car Poland. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1, 12) M.M.