During the 1990s, Ford Motor Company went on an international buying spree snapping up small automakers around the globe. Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Aston Martin all were brought within the Ford fold, and Mazda, by default has become part of Ford's line up even though the Japanese automaker is "only" partly owned by Ford. Ford parts and Mazda parts are sometimes interchangeable as well as are some of their vehicles. Let's examine closely the relationship between the two automakers and how their synergies benefit both companies.
The relationship between Ford and Mazda has been growing over the years, but is well known by auto historians as having started in the early 1970s when the Mazda pick up truck was imported to the North American market by Ford and called the Courier. From 1972 to 1983, the Courier was part of the Ford line up, but in reality it was a Mazda.