The boys over at the Mustang Forums did some math and figured out that combined, the Mustang, Camaro, and Challenger outsold all of the available hybrids, straight up in the month of May. Sure, the Japanese earthquake had some bearing on this, but a win’s a win and we’ll take ’em any way we can get ’em.
Choking gas prices would lead one to believe that the pony/muscle car segment would be in the toilet big time, or at least circling the drain, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. With Ford really hyping the performance and economy of the available V6 in the Mustang and GM, along with Chrysler soon to signing the same refrain, the models are stable.
Camaro won the battle of the pony cars again in May. with nearly 9,500 sold. That’s up from 2010 by about 5% according to the Mustang Forums story. 6,600 Mustangs drove off dealer lots and a shade over 3,400 Challengers were given new homes. These aren’t block buster numbers but they do show that there is some demand for these cars and, in the case of the Camaro, there’s gains to be made.
Even the V8 versions of these cars knock down pretty damned good mileage. Then again, we’re still of the mind that 25mpg is freaking awesome, so maybe our personal bar is set too low.
For the record, we think that hybrids suck. That is all.
. . . coming soon for many buyers of that chunky rolling-bunker of a “muscle car” sold by “Government Motors.”
Given that the 2011 Mustang has won virtually every published road test against the Camaro, and the Coyote V8 is already one of the greatest mills in Automotive history (most certainly in Boss 302 form), the May sales figures give new life to P.T. Barnum’s assessment that “There’s a sucker born every minute.”
And they congregate under the sign of the Bow-Tie . . . .
1. Government Motor’s per-vehicle spending on marketing is $800-$900 more per vehicle than Ford’s (according to Automotive News).
2. A Camaro convertible went on sale this spring for the first time in almost a decade, while Mustang has been selling convertibles every year since 1984 (and basically the same convertible since 2005)
3. GM slathers a ton of “cash on the hood” to move its bail-out-tainted iron: $550-$1000 down payment assistance, low-interest rate financing, discounts for military, college students and “owner loyalty.”
4. GM misleadingly touts its minimal “horsepower advantage” without mentioning that the power-to-weight ratio for Camaro (which is about as svelte as Kirstie Alley camping out at Krispy Kreme) is worse than Mustang.
Great news, whatever sold the most . Hybrids DO suck .
^^^^ is an awesome example of sour grapes.
this is easy to figure out.. the little cars minimum is meeting the bigger safer maximum and overlapping in mpg, has been since early 90s. why bother with the slob of what the little car is trying to be. I keep an eye on one brand, wonlt mention… it is looking at end of 2012 before its mileage is actually meeting its weight again. Last time it was there is literally 20 years ago. trying to be hot rods with slobs injection. These sales are just gonna keep climbing is my guess. Heck I’d be there too if I could.