Mazda Motor Corp. expects to expand its procurement of large V-6 gasoline engines from its parent firm, Ford Motor Co. of the United States, company officials said Thursday.
The two carmakers hope to streamline their operations through division of labor strategies, with Mazda producing midsize engines and Ford making large engines, the officials said.
Mazda, in which Ford holds a 33.3 percent stake, currently produces 2,500cc V-6 engines and installs them in the Bongo Friendee minivan and Millenia luxury sedan.
Mazda will stop using its V-6 engines for the Bongo Friendee at the end of August but will continue to use them for the Millenia, the officials said.
The automaker started procuring V-6 engines from Ford in 1999. It currently installs Ford 3,000cc engines in its MPV minivan and expects to install them in its new model, the Mazda 6, which will be launched in the U.S. this fall.
Meanwhile, Mazda will develop midsize in-line four-cylinder engines ranging between 1,800cc and 2,300cc.
It aims to produce 1.5 million of these engines annually at four global production plants operated by the the two firms.