Nobody buys a Mustang because he or she needs a Mustang.
People buy Mustangs because they want a modern version of an automotive icon. Mustangs make drivers feel good, there’s not much else to it. They certainly don’t offer much in the way of transportation for large families.
Industry analysts happen to know that the automotive market is doing quite well when people buy Mustangs, along with other cars they don’t need. When sales of performance cars and other discretionary models start to dip, a slow-down in the rest of the market probably isn’t far away. It’s like the Farmer’s Almanac of the auto world.
Guess what’s starting to happen?
Muscle-car sales have been steadily increasing over the last few years, signaling a healthy car market on the whole. The first half of 2016, though, shows a concerning dip. Is this the beginning of the fall of the muscle car?
Automotive News says,
In 2015, muscle-car sales shot up 22.6 percent for the first seven months. In 2014 and 2015, the three cars handily outperformed the overall car market.
But sales of all three cars have dropped this year: Mustang down 5.5 percent to 72,530; Camaro down 15.4 percent to 42,354 and Challenger down 5.5 percent to 39,998.
While sales are indeed down, it’s pretty safe to say that our muscle-car-loving friends will have plenty to brag about in the coming years. Having all three cars on the market at the same time fuels competition, and every few years one of the cars one-ups the others and forces them to play catch-up. There’s nothing better for staying power than healthy competition.
While overall sales numbers might be down, it could just be a sign that we’ve finally reached the saturation point for muscle cars.
Others might argue that the muscle-car craze is already dead, and that the cars we know today have completed their evolution into full-fledged sports cars.
Whether the decline in muscle-car sales is reflective of market saturation or a precursor to a larger industry trend remains to be seen, but we’re not in any danger of losing our beloved muscle any time soon.
Do you have any plans to purchase a muscle car?
-tgriffith
Used Ford Mustang
Used Chevrolet Camaro
Used Dodge Challenger
Owned several of these beautiful machines. I love the classic look with the modern turn the key and go. For many this may be a sin but I have owned all three of these modern muscle cars, Dodge, Chevy, and Ford. They each have their own style and performance pros and cons. Sales may be down due to the economy but these modern muscle cars are instant classics.
Nice article. I have a car service and I also try to share useful and interesting information, keep on.