Mazda Motor Corporation today held a ceremony to mark the start of production of its all-new Mazda CX-7 crossover SUV. Designed and engineered specifically for the North American market, all CX-7s will be built at the Ujina Plant No. 2 (U2) located near Mazda’s global headquarters in Hiroshima. Mazda’s President and CEO, Hisakazu Imaki, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) President and CEO, Jim O’Sullivan, and approximately 700 Mazda staff attended this event.

The five-seat CX-7 crossover SUV is produced on Mazda-derived platform architecture and will begin at $23,750 for the front-wheel-drive Sport model. Matching its sporty appearance, the Mazda CX-7’s performance is powerful and dynamic. All CX-7s will be powered by a turbocharged and intercooled 2.3-liter four-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine that produces 244-horsepower.

“The CX-7 wasn’t even a sketch on a cocktail napkin a little over two years ago,” said O’Sullivan at the ceremony. “The fact that I’m standing here today watching the first CX-7 roll off the line marks a milestone in Mazda’s ability to design and engineer vehicles for specific markets such as North America.”

CX-7 is offered in three trim levels – Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. All models come with six-speed sport-shift automatic transmission, 18-inch alloy wheels, four-wheel vented disc brakes, air conditioning, power windows, door locks and mirrors , cruise control, and six air bags. Also standard on all CX-7s is an A nti-lock Brake System (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) and a Traction Control System (TCS).

The all-new 2007 Mazda CX-7 will be arriving in North American dealerships in spring 2006.

Mazda North American Operations is responsible for the sales and marketing, customer parts and service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., MNAO has more than 700 dealerships nationwide.