The Mazda BT-50 Thread

Well if they starve the market of spares and critical parts as the other models then it's best that they be gone.
 
Mazda SA boss sounds warning to imported bakkies

With the BT-50 gone, Mazda SA’s boss has warned that other imported bakkies trying to compete with locally built stalwarts will continue to face “immense” challenges…

Back in March 2024, Cars.co.za broke the news that the Mazda BT-50 nameplate had been discontinued in South Africa after an 18-year run, with the Japanese firm’s local division citing “an extremely challenging landscape for imported vehicles competing directly with locally manufactured products”.

And now the head of the Mazda brand in Mzansi has hinted that other imported double-cab bakkies could follow suit. Craig Roberts, Managing Director at Mazda Southern Africa, was speaking to Cars.co.za during a podcast interview at Naamsa’s South African Auto Week 2024 in Cape Town.

“I’m sitting in the [Cars.co.za podcast] booth here and I’m looking across at a Mitsubishi Triton – just using that as an example. So, in that [light-commercial vehicle] space, we have a number of importers that are bringing in a competing vehicle in, let’s say, that double-cab space,” said Roberts, gesturing towards the new Triton exhibited just outside the booth.

“I’m looking at Mitsubishi Triton and Stellantis has got a Peugeot Landtrek on display here this week. The challenges in that segment – which is 30% of our total market – are immense, in terms of local versus imported product,” he said.

 
cr@zydude said:
This was my thinking when Mazda complained about imports having it hard. Why didn't Mazda strike a deal with Isuzu to build the BT-50 in SA, right next to the D-Max?
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It's a fair question. The possible likely answer is to do with numbers & projections.

It would make sense if they shifted decent units in SA OR for export but the Thailand plant sorts that out. That's my 2c at least.
 
FiestaST said:
It's a fair question. The possible likely answer is to do with numbers & projections.

It would make sense if they shifted decent units in SA OR for export but the Thailand plant sorts that out. That's my 2c at least.
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There's probably a huge amount of complexity which we don't see. I remember wondering why Isuzu built KBs in SA while GM imported Trailblazers from Thailand, when they have the same underpinning.
 
cr@zydude said:
There's probably a huge amount of complexity which we don't see. I remember wondering why Isuzu built KBs in SA while GM imported Trailblazers from Thailand, when they have the same underpinning.
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That + also we assuming there is/was plant capacity in the first place.

XX amounts of BT 50's need to be sold to offset the opportunity cost of not making the D-Max.
 
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