M

azda's top director in Indonesia has quite an ambitious sales target. Within three years, or starting from 2012 , his company plans to sell 10,000 Mazda cars per year in Indonesia, compared to the 2,200 units sold in 2008.

But Yoshiya Horigome, president director of Mazda Motor Indonesia (MMI), insisted he had every reason to achieve his ambitious target, because the Mazda2 (or Mazda Demio in Japan) that was elected the 2008 World Car of the Year would be available in Indonesia before the end of this year.

The car will enter the Indonesian market this year's fourth quarter.

The Mazda2 adapted to the Indonesian market will undergo a significant face lift to meet the demands of Indonesian buyers.

"The Mazda2 will definitely boost our sales in Indonesia," said Horigome last week.

He believes Mazda2 will compete against the popular Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz.

Ford Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation last week celebrated the official opening of a new US$500 million passenger car plant at their Rayong AutoAlliance Thailand (AAT) facility in Thailand.

The plant will produce the Mazda2 and Ford Fiesta sedans. The Ford Fiesta model will be available in Indonesia a few months after the Mazda2 hits the market.

Horigome's work experience with many firms might surprise a few Indonesians, as people widely believe the Japanese system produces employees who work their whole life for the same company.

The 40-year-old Horigome only joined Mazda Motor Corporation in 2004 and was appointed president director in March this year, after being in charge of sales and marketing in Jakarta since 2006.

The graduate from Waseda University began his career at Ford Motor in Japan in 1994.

About eight years later, he moved to BMW before joining Mazda.

"Now there are more and more young Japanese like me," said Horigome.

In 2006, Mazda split from PT Indomobil Sukses International. MMI is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mazda Motor Corporation.

Compared to other Japanese car makers such as Toyota, Honda and Suzuki, Mazda has sold very few cars in the local market, totalling 2,200 units in 2008, mostly in Java and Sumatra.

However this was major leap compared to its sales when it was still with Indomobil, believed to be at most 300 cars.

"In the last three years, *since 2006* our priority has been to rebuild the image and perception of Mazda here," Horigome said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the new AAT factory last Monday.

According to David Alden, the Ford ASEAN president, the Ford Fiesta and Mazda2 car models will compete head-to-head with the Toyota Yaris, Toyota Vios, Honda City and Honda Jazz.

But Horigome said the Mazda2 would mainly compete with the Toyota Yaris and Honda Jazz.