Congrats to Mazda USA! I'm once again impressed.

Chris
99BBB

"pws" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone ready for a discount Mazda?
>
> Posted on a local list:
>
>
> Mazda News Release: September 12, 2006
>
> No Mazda Vehicles on Car-Carrying Vessel Cougar Ace will be Sold as
> New Vehicles
>
> HIROSHIMA, Japan-- Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today
> announced that the Mazda vehicles aboard the car-carrying vessel,
> Cougar Ace, which ran into trouble on July 23, 2006, off the Alaskan
> coast, resulting in her listing some 60-plus degrees, will not be
> sold as new vehicles.
>
> "While we do not, at this time, know the full extent of the damage to
> vehicles on board, none of the Mazdas will be sold as new", said Jim
> O'Sullivan, president and CEO of MNAO. "Those beyond repair will be
> immediately scrapped. It is possible that those vehicles which are
> repairable would be made available for sale as used cars through
> Mazda's dealer network in the U.S. and Canada. We will only be in a
> position to decide on any used car sales once the vessel has been
> unloaded and each unit comprehensively inspected."
>
> "In the interests of transparency and customer peace of mind, we will
> post a listing of all vehicle identification numbers (VINs) on our
> consumer Websites, www.MazdaUSA. com and www.mazda.ca so that there is
> no confusion as to which vehicles were on the ship," stated O'Sullivan.
>
> The Cougar Ace sailed from Japan to North America with just over
> 4,700 Canadian- and U.S-bound Mazdas aboard. She became stricken when
> an issue during a routine ballast-water change caused her to list.
> Thanks to heroic efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard, all 23 crew members
> were transferred from the ship within hours.
>
> After the ship was stabilized, she was towed by her owners to
> sheltered waters in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where she was returned to
> an even keel. She is currently under tow to the Port of Portland,
> Ore., where she is expected to arrive on September 12 (the same date
> in local time). Upon arrival, her cargo will be further evaluated and
> unloaded.
>
>
>
> Pat
>