Mazda to end US production by 2013, cancel Ford joint venture

Reuters (Tokyo) - Mazda Motor will cease production in the United States by around 2013 and cancel its joint venture with Ford as the automaker is reviewing its global production system, the Nikkei business daily reported on its website on Friday.

Mazda is in talks with Ford to sell its stake in the car production venture AutoAlliance International to Ford, the report said.

Mazda will stop production of Atenza, which is sold as the Mazda 6 in the U.S. by 2013, the report said. The next version of the Mazda 6 will be made in a factory in Yamaguchi prefecture in Japan, the report said.

From 2013 Mazda export sell cars made in Japan and Mexico to the United States, the report said.

Mazda made 45,000 cars in the U.S. in the year ended March 2011, less than half of Mazda's capacity at the venture after the financial crisis hit U.S. car sales, it said.

Mazda said it had not made such an announcement.