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Table of Contents
Mazda
Foundation
Toyo Cork Kogyo Co. was formed on January 30, 1920, in Hiroshima, Japan. Initially, the Hiroshima-based firm produced artificial corks. 1)
Jujiro Matsuda
Jujiro Matsuda, a renowned Japanese manager and entrepreneur, resurrected it in 1927. He abandoned the failed cork production business and concentrated on vehicle manufacture, and the firm began to recover. 2)
First Vehicles
Initially, the plant manufactured tiny three-wheeled vehicles and motorbikes. 3)
Mazda Brand
After World War II, the Japanese company officially adopted the name Mazda and started to make products under its own logo. 4)
Mazda Name Origin
The Japanese carmaker carries an old and powerful name. The name Mazda is derived from Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian God of Life. Remember the Avestan name for the creator and solitary God of Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda or Ohrmazd, the next time you drive your Mazda. Interestingly, the name Mazda is also related to the name Matsuda, the company's founder. 5)
Beginning Of Making Bikes
During the 1920s, the firm developed limited-edition bikes, but the market rejected them. At the time, the Japanese firm mostly manufactured machine tools. 6)
More Successful Bike
The situation improved in 1930, when a motorbike produced by Toyo Kogyo (the term “Cork” was dropped from the official name in 1927) won a speed race, enhancing the car manufacturer's reputation and notoriety. 7)