Mazda's global sales continue to grow

Mazda Motor Corporation has set another record in the first half of the 2017 to 2018 fiscal year with global sales of 783,000 vehicles. That represents a slight increase compared to the previous year and is the third consecutive best-ever result in a row. Strong demand around the world for the new generation Mazda CX-5, a compact sport utility vehicle rolled out over the course of the year, underpinned Mazda's turnover.

The company achieved the strongest growth in China, where sales were up 12 percent year-on-year between 1^st April and 30^th September to 149,000 units - also a first-half record - followed by Japan, which recorded a four percent rise to 96,000 vehicles. In Europe, Mazda sold 119,000 vehicles. Global revenue during the period swelled by seven percent to ¥1.66 trillion ($20.7 billion), while net income increased 13 percent to ¥63.3 billion ($796 million). The operating profit came in at ¥76.5 billion ($962 million).

Beyond the CX-5, Mazda has recently revealed a number of highlights to help secure future growth. These include the Skyactiv-X, which is destined to be the world's first commercially available petrol engine with compression ignition. Meanwhile, the Mazda KAI Concept and Mazda Vision Coupe currently on display at the Tokyo Motor Show point the direction for next generation vehicle designs.