• Source: Mazda Millenia

The Mazda Millenia (officially written as millenia) was an automobile manufactured by Mazda in Japan from 1993 to 2002. The Millenia was originally planned as the one of the first models for Mazda's proposed luxury brand Amati.
At the time of its release, it was the first and only production car in the world to employ a Miller cycle engine, a design which Mazda would not use again for six more years until the second generation Mazda2.
Having been developed for a separate market from typical Mazda customers was engineered to far greater levels of perceived quality than existing Mazda cars, such as interior plastic quality, panel gap and thicker paint coating, with Mazda claiming this attention to detail was intended to set "standards for at least ten years".




Plans for Amati


See also Amati Cars
The Millenia was originally intended to be named the Amati 500 and was to serve as the first model to launch Mazda's new luxury brand Amati, which itself was announced in February 1992 for a planned launch in 1994. In June of the same year, Amati produced a logo and announced plans for a $75 million marketing campaign with Los Angeles-based Lord, Dentsu & Partners planned to start at the end of 1993. Mazda expected to sell 20,000 a year in 1994 and to double that by 1995.
The recession caused by the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble led to the cancellation of Amati by October 1992, and by November 1993 it was decided to sell the Millenia as a Mazda instead.




Branding post-Amati


As the company's finances dwindled due to the collapse of the "bubble economy", Mazda scrapped the launch of the Amati brand. Instead, the car was rebadged underMazda's various sub-bands with differing model names depending on the market. There was no equivalent version offered by Mazda's Ẽfini or Autozam.




= Europe

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Mazda of Europe sold the Mazda Xedos 9 between 1993 and 2002. There was also a smaller Mazda Xedos 6 offered at the same time.




= Japan & Australia

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Marketed as the Eunos 800 in Japan and Australia from 1993 through 1998, while the Miller Cycle-equipped version was known as the Eunos 800M. Yaw-sensitive four-wheel steering was available as an option in Japan; Mazda claimed that with this feature, the Millenia was capable of passing the elk test at speeds comparable to the BMW 850i and Nissan 300ZX.
Like in Europe, it was sold alongside the smaller Xedos 6, which itself was rebranded as the Eunos 500.
In July 1997, the Eunos 800 was renamed to Mazda Millenia when Mazda discontinued the Eunos brand.



Eunos 800M SP

Mazda Motorsport Australia released a limited edition Eunos 800M SP with improved suspension and larger alloy wheel and tire combination, but with no modifications to the engine.




= North America

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Launched in North America in 1994 (as a 1995 model year), the Mazda millenia replaced the Mazda 929 as the brand's flagship sedan offering in North America. While the 929 had been the last non-luxury rear-wheel drive Japanese import sedan in the US, the Millenia was front-wheel drive. Unlike the other markets, there was no equivalent version of the Mazda Xedos 6/Eunos 500 in the US or Canada.
The Millenia was available in three models: the base model, the mid-level millenia L with standard leather upholstery, power moonroof and remote keyless entry, and the top-of-the-line millenia S model which featured traction control, heated front seats, heavy duty wipers and the supercharged 2.3-liter V6 Miller cycle engine.
Reception was generally positive, with reviewers praising the vehicle's combination of interior quality, engine performance, and overall value as superior to contemporary competitors like the BMW 3-series, Infiniti i30, Acura TL, Lexus ES300, and Mercedes C280.



US Market Sales


(* Note: Monthly sales data could not be found for calendar year 2000, however the total sales for that year can be found in a year-over-year sales comparison table in the Automotive News Market Data Book for calendar year 2001)




Facelift


The vehicle received a minor facelift in 1997 primarily focused on cost-saving measures. For instance, the hood was downgraded from aluminum to steel. This first facelift was also accompanied by a name change from Eunos 800 to Mazda Millenia in the Japanese market.

The Millenia was more dramatically facelifted for the 2001 model year, with most modifications updating the front and rear bumpers and grille.




























Discontinuation


While production ceased in September 2002 with the final 35 units, in the United States there were still new Millenia sales as late as July 2004.
The Millenia did not have a direct predecessor or replacement in the Mazda product line. The end of production coincided with the introduction of the Mazda6 in 2002, which also served as replacement for Mazda's other, contemporaneous mid-sized sedan, the Mazda 626.




Specifications and performance






References

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