Tag Archives: Media

Guyton New Mazda North American Ops President

Guyton

Appointed Mazda North American Operations (NAO) president and CEO, Jeff Guyton replaces Masahiro Moro effective June 24th. Recalled to Hiroshima, Moro becomes the newly-minted Chief Communications Officer.

Guyton’s oversight includes North America, Canada, Columbia, and Mexico, along with US and Mexican vehicle production.

Moro will handle public and investor relations, social responsibility, human resources, government affairs, and other functions.

“Mazda has invested in new products, manufacturing facilities, and an enhanced dealer experience,” Moro said.

“Jeff led Mazda’s growth in the US, strengthening the business. In his new roll, he will collaborate across the regions and continue to grow our brand.”

President of North American Operations since joining Mazda in 2019, Guyoton guided the company to year-over-year sales growth in 2020.

Guyton orchestrated Covid response programs, Mazda Financial Services launch, and Retail Evolution dealer program expansion. He served as Mazda Motor Europe president and CEO prior to joining Mazda NAO.

At Mazda Motor Europe, Guyton was executive officer and general manager of the cost planning division, before becoming the VP and Chief Financial Officer.

Starting his automotive career as a Ford financial analyst in Japan, he relocated to Dearborn, Michigan as finance manager.

Achieving a B.A. in chemistry and Asian studies in 1988 from Wittenberg University, Guyton received his MBA and masters degrees from the University of Michigan.

Mazda NAO, headquartered in Irvine, California, oversees Mazda sales, marketing, parts and customer service support in the United States and Mexico through 620 dealers. Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City manages sales in Mexico.

[Image: Mazda]

Toyota’s Akio Toyoda Chosen 2021 World Car Person of the Year

Toyoda

Selected 2021 World Car Awards Person of the Year was Akio Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) president and CEO.

Toyoda

“Akio Toyoda is the charismatic President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation. He has spent years successfully remaking his company. In 2020 despite COVID-19, under his leadership Toyota remained profitable, protecting jobs worldwide. He has maintained Toyota’s steady pace of development in the connected, autonomous, shared and electric (CASE) era. He has also initiated construction of the Woven City, an exciting, real-life prototype city of the future. All while actively participating in motorsports himself, as a driver,” said the World Car Awards in a statement.

Toyoda said, “At Toyota, we are very fortunate that we were able to protect the employment of our team members during COVID-19 and continue our work to meet the future challenge of our industry. Creating new ways to support the well-being of our planet and people everywhere is our commitment. This has been a difficult period in the history of the world. But it has also reminded us that people are what matters most. And if we at Toyota can contribute some measure of happiness to their lives, it will be my never-ending goal to do just that.”

Toyoda

Toyota joined the company in 1984, after graduating with a law degree from Keio University. He also received a masters in business administration from Wellesley, Massachusetts’ Babson College. Toyoda served in different areas of the business in Japan and overseas, before becoming a member of the TMC board of directors in 2000. He held other senior and executive vice-presidential roles until becoming TMC president in 2009.

Toyoda The World Car Person of the Year award was established in 2018 to acknowledge the contributions made by an individual in the auto industry during the previous year. The World Car Awards program hands out six awards annually, which they started doing in 2003. A group of more than 90 journalists, none of whom are a part of TheTruthAboutCars.com, made the selection.

[Images: Toyota, Babson College]

2022 400Z HP Revealed?

400Z

According to Project Cars 3, a video game from Slightly Mad Studios distributed by Bandai Namco, the new Nissan 400Z is shown in their latest downloadable content (DLC) power pack to possess some very serious horsepower.

400Z

In its interpretation of the Power Pack, thenewnissanz.com flaunts the numbers shown in the video, such as 445 horsepower and a weight of 3,251 lbs. When it compared the 400Z to the powertrain in the last Z, the 2020 370Z, the numbers they found were 332 hp with a curb weight of 3,333 lbs. If that wasn’t impressive enough, they then pitted the new Z versus the 2021 Toyota Supra, whose inline-six produces 382 hp while weighing in at 3,400 lbs.

400Z

We’ve previously chronicled what we know so far about the 400Z’s powertrain and its design. With no official word from Nissan, there is more speculation than usual, and thus far no spy photos taken here or in Japan.

400Z

Project Cars 3’s power pack is referenced in a trailer, which can be viewed on Yahoo! Entertainment. In the trailer, there are numerous examples of 400Zs, modified for motorsport competition.

400Z

Not having played Project Cars 3, I had to admit the trailer gave me the urge to go out and buy a Playstation4. I wonder if there’s a Gamestop nearby where I can go and try it out?

[Images: Slightly Mad Studios]

Xperi’s DTS Connected Radio the Next Big Thing in Infotainment

Xperi

Xperi’s DTS Connected Radio is the next evolution in multimedia, if you turn on the radio while starting your car like millions of others do worldwide.

Xperi

Let’s face it, over the years, terrestrial radio has taken a beating, as has the record industry and how we consume music and information. Despite that, or maybe because of it, we still turn to the radio in our vehicles to give us an update on traffic, weather, sports, and what’s new in music.

Xperi

Xperi Holding Corporation, the owner of HD Radio and DTS Connected Radio Brands, along with pay-TV service TiVo, is using their technology to deliver digital radio in-vehicle infotainment via DTS and HD Radio. Concentrating on improving the source, Xperi offers broadcasters HD Radio, TiVo, AIM (all in media), and Arctic Palm, tools needed to deliver better listener experiences. DTS AutoSense is an advanced in-cabin monitoring system that includes driver monitoring, occupant monitoring, iris identification, and advanced biometrics. After all, who better to invite along for the ride than Big Brother?

Xperi

Utilizing what Xperi calls the largest and deepest broadcast and music metadata set, DTS Autostage is a global hybrid combining linear broadcast with IP-delivered content for a more personalized in-cabin infotainment experience. DTS Autostage adds internet connectivity to deliver on-air radio program information, and features such as artist, album, song, lyric, and station details, related events at nearby venues, internet-only content, podcasts, and more. DTS Autostage is currently compatible worldwide with analog FM, DAB+, and HD Radio formats.

Xperi

In-car DTS Neural Surround and Neural:X technology will surround you in music and movie entertainment, provided that you’re not watching while driving, now are you? Autonomous driving portends to things like this happening and is supposedly okay despite all the warnings about distracted driving, and that autonomy and inattention are a recipe for disaster. Of course, if we’re talking about keeping the kids entertained in the back seat with DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD for streaming, and DTS Headphone:X, that’s a moot point.

The best part? DTS Connected Radio is being incorporated into new vehicles from many OEMs, so it may already be included. For older vehicles, the technology will likely find its way into head units from all the major car audio companies, another reason for me to upgrade the system in my daily driver in the coming months.

[Images: Xperi]