Mazda

Mazda was founded in Hiroshima, Japan in 1920 as the Toyo Cork Kogyo Company, initially producing machine tools before pivoting to three-wheeled trucks and eventually cars. The company was devastated by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 but recovered to become a symbol of the city's resilience. Mazda is the only automaker to have successfully commercialised the rotary engine, which powered its legendary sports cars from the Cosmo to the RX-7 and RX-8. The company's Jinba Ittai (horse and rider as one) philosophy defines its human-centred driving approach.