Auto News 5

One in three cars Mazda sells wears a badge that displays the number three. Coincidence? Perhaps. But maybe the compact 3's name has something to do with its popularity. A quick Web search netted the following enlightening information about the number three: the numeral raises the spirits of others, spreads optimism and cheerfulness wherever it travels, and possesses the ability to sell itself. That's a hell of a recipe for showroom success. And since the 3's predecessors - the GLC, then the 323, then the Proteg - weren't nearly as popular, clearly their names must be at fault. Mazda's in-house numerology team obviously agrees, since they're keeping the name unchanged on the new-for-2010 second-generation car.