Mazda, revitalised by its new-generation Zoom-Zoom models, has been rapidly increasing sales since 2000 with retail deliveries jumping from 27,505 to 53,217 last year, an increase of 93.5 per cent.

The June result, which gave Mazda 5.7 per cent market share for the month, was the sixth month of record sales this year.

Mazda is the country’s biggest full-line importer of passenger cars. Year-to-date it has outsold its closest import rival by 3437 cars or 18.4 per cent.

Overall Mazda has sold 28,813 vehicles to the end of June, an increase of 2747 or 10.5 per cent on 2003. Mazda has 6.1 per cent market share.

With such a strong start to the year Mazda has revised its retail sales target from 55,000 to 56,000, an increase of almost 3000 on last year’s record.

Mazda’s sales gains have been spread across its range with the Mazda2’s half-year total of 2285 retails up 12 per cent on a year ago

Mazda 3, which has only been on sale for five full months, is up 12.3 per cent on the superseded 323 with 11,028 sales, while Mazda 6 has maintained its 2003 performance despite increased competition. Mazda 6 has averaged 1021 sales per month, 70 per cent more than Mazda’s planned volume.

The commercial range has also enjoyed success with the B Series up 16.2 per cent on the first six months of last year (3129 retails) and the E Series up 15.6 per cent with 719 sales.

Mazda’s June total was up 190 sales on the same month last year, which had stood as Mazda’s best monthly performance since the brand arrived in Australia in 1959.

As expected the Mazda 3 sedan and hatch topped Mazda’s sales, recording its best month to date with 2236 retails.

The Mazda 2 also had its best month since arriving in late 2002, retailing 567. Mazda 6 continued to shine with 1116 sales, while Tribute accounted for 612 sales and the B Series 650.

Mazda Australia, managing director, Doug Dickson, said: “Mazda’s sales momentum continues to gather pace with six out of six record months this year.

“The strength of our range and the outstanding introduction of the Mazda 3 will deliver another record year”.

Mazda Motor Corporation was the world’s fastest-growing car maker in 2003. Based in Hiroshima, Japan and founded in 1920, Mazda sold 1,068,400 vehicles in 140 countries last year. Driven by new-generation models that reflect its Zoom-Zoom brand focus Mazda is the world’s most award-winning automotive brand for the second successive year, having won more than 140 prestigious automotive awards since June 2002.