RE: Ford Mustang is best-selling sports car on earth
Tuesday 23rd May 2017
The Ford Mustang has been an American institution for over half a century but it's only recently we've been able to officially join the fun and enjoy Pony Cars with the steering wheel on the right side of the car. Now figures released by Ford show that, by its definition, it's the biggest selling sports car on the planet, with 150,000 sold in the US, over 4,500 sold in the UK and a non-US market growth of 101 per cent in 2016.
The people have spokenAll very good. But the big question - and one we're interested in, given we love V8s and are running a 5.0 GT Mustang on the PH Fleet - is how many people are going the whole hog and how many are simply happy to have the look and a four-cylinder Ecoboost engine? Well, the good news is that here in the UK we're fully on board with the muscle car dream and 70 per cent of buyers - or 3,150 of the 4,500 so far sold - have been for the V8. Which is good news now and good news further down the line, when many of these cars will no doubt appear in the PH classifieds. Engine downsizing? Who needs it!
Ford Mustang is best-selling sports car on earth
Sports car? Argue the toss on that but it's got a big V8 driving the rear wheels and we can't seem to get enough of them
The people have spoken
Ford is keen to keep this sales pace moving forward, with Roelant de Waard, VP, Marketing Sales and Services, Ford Europe quoted "From the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean, the Ford Mustang has topped the sports car sales charts in markets across Europe." Long live the naturally aspirated V8 - a theme we'll be returning to in some detail in the not too distant.
Discussion
Great, none the less. It must be me, but 4,500 cars doesn't seem like a lot for such a big company, nor for a country of around 65 million people.
How do we compare with domestic US purchases on a per capita basis? I think with our high fuel costs, the figures are pretty low, and surprisingly low, considering we've had so much pent up demand for these cars with the steering wheel on the "right" side.
Frankly, I would have thought we'd have bought 10 times as many, considering how much noise and general carrying on there's been over these.
How do we compare with domestic US purchases on a per capita basis? I think with our high fuel costs, the figures are pretty low, and surprisingly low, considering we've had so much pent up demand for these cars with the steering wheel on the "right" side.
Frankly, I would have thought we'd have bought 10 times as many, considering how much noise and general carrying on there's been over these.
I think the definition of 'sports car' is very broad especially these days.
As I understand it the term came from when cars were designed with motorsports in mind. Over the years and generations of Mustangs some of them must have had motorsport design influence. Its one of those things that could be argued all night though.
Whether its the biggest selling sports car I don't know. Maybe last year but not over the last 10 years I would guess.
As I understand it the term came from when cars were designed with motorsports in mind. Over the years and generations of Mustangs some of them must have had motorsport design influence. Its one of those things that could be argued all night though.
Whether its the biggest selling sports car I don't know. Maybe last year but not over the last 10 years I would guess.
roland82 said:
I think the definition of 'sports car' is very broad especially these days.
More to the point it's also very vague. It's become more a marketing term, used to describe everything from hot hatches to super saloons, than a useful sector denominator. I wouldn't call the Mustang a sports car any more than I'd call the M4 one; but there's not really a "correct" definition.
Reinforcing what other respondents have insisted - maybe the Mustang is a sporting car, but it certainly isn't a sports car.
The world's best-selling sports car (two-seats, open top motoring, etc) is the Chevrolet Corvette, which has been on sale since ( I think) 1953.
The Mazda MX5/Miata, I believe, comes second.
The world's best-selling sports car (two-seats, open top motoring, etc) is the Chevrolet Corvette, which has been on sale since ( I think) 1953.
The Mazda MX5/Miata, I believe, comes second.
can someone explain to me why you can buy 2016 mustang convertible and coupe from $18,000 dollars plus $1,000 title /tax in the states ,that converts to £14,650 over here ,there are lots to choose, dont have leather seats i think its Lux pack ,, ,,,,,,,,,,,http://www.ebay.com/sch/eBay-Motors/6000/i.html?_from=R40&_dcat=6236&Model%2520Year=2016&_nkw=ford+mustang&_sop=15
The Crack Fox said:
Selling more than the MX-5?
Both great cars. Not that sporty, really, though.
I think with American cars it's often too easy to rule them out. Both great cars. Not that sporty, really, though.
Now while I agree the Mustang is not a sports car in the same sense as a TR6 was. But the reality is, in the market it was pitched to a similar demographic as many sports cars would have been. Just often with a lower price.
The original Mustang was also the inspiration for the Ford Capri. So is the Capri a sports car?
And on a modern theme, if people consider a BMW M3 to be a sports car. Then the Mustang is certainly the same sort of car.
Or further up the price ladder. An Aston Martin, often similar size and weight to modern Mustangs. So if the Aston can be a sports car, why not the Mustang?
And on a personal note. I did 1850 miles in an S550 last year. And the lingering thought was, it felt like a larger, faster MX-5. But certainly felt like the experience was cut from the same cloth.
leedsutd1 said:
can someone explain to me why you can buy 2016 mustang convertible and coupe from $18,000 dollars plus $1,000 title /tax in the states ,that converts to £14,650 over here ,there are lots to choose, dont have leather seats i think its Lux pack ,, ,,,,,,,,,,,http://www.ebay.com/sch/eBay-Motors/6000/i.html?_from=R40&_dcat=6236&Model%2520Year=2016&_nkw=ford+mustang&_sop=15
Import duty, VAT, transportation, EU homologation, warranty/training, support and marketing costs. Many of those are fixed so it doesn't matter if they sell 4, 4,000 or 4 million. Chevrolet and Cadillac brands were sold here in the past and I think the total sales were three digits? I'm amazed they are even trying, possibly everybody involved is viewing it as a curio/toy at the dealership to excite buyers of other models if nothing else.Edited by Gareth79 on Tuesday 23 May 21:55
big_rob_sydney said:
It must be me, but 4,500 cars doesn't seem like a lot for such a big company, nor for a country of around 65 million people.
How do we compare with domestic US purchases on a per capita basis? I think with our high fuel costs, the figures are pretty low, and surprisingly low, considering we've had so much pent up demand for these cars with the steering wheel on the "right" side.
Frankly, I would have thought we'd have bought 10 times as many, considering how much noise and general carrying on there's been over these.
I suspect that 4500 is more than total GT86 sales in the U.K. And a heck of a lot more than 370z sales. How do we compare with domestic US purchases on a per capita basis? I think with our high fuel costs, the figures are pretty low, and surprisingly low, considering we've had so much pent up demand for these cars with the steering wheel on the "right" side.
Frankly, I would have thought we'd have bought 10 times as many, considering how much noise and general carrying on there's been over these.
And going back in time, I think Honda used to sell 6-10 NSX's a year in the U.K.
And just think how many TVR's and Lotus' there are. 4500 annual sales is probably a lot for such a car.
E.g. It took TVR 9 years to sell 5200 Chims!
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