- The Chevrolet Camaro grabbed the May muscle car sales crown, while the Ford Mustang suffered a 35.4-percent drop in sales versus May 2010.
- The Dodge Challenger took 3rd place in the muscle car race, but only fell 10.7 percent compared with May 2010.
- Ford told Inside Line that although Mustang sales were down in May, calendar year-to-date sales were only down 2.8 percent.
DETROIT — The Chevrolet Camaro grabbed the May muscle car sales crown, while the Ford Mustang suffered a 35.4-percent drop in sales versus May 2010.
The Dodge Challenger took 3rd place in the muscle car race, but only fell 10.7 percent compared with May 2010.
GM sold 9,451 Chevrolet Camaros in May 2011 versus 8,931 in May 2010. Ford sold 6,607 Mustangs in May 2011 versus 10,225 in May 2010. Chrysler sold 3,418 Dodge Challengers in May 2011 versus 3,828 in May 2010.
"Although May (Mustang) sales were down, calendar year-to-date sales were only down 2.8 percent," wrote Octavio Navarro, a Ford spokesman in an e-mailed response to an Inside Line query regarding the slide in Mustang sales. "Our focus, in combination with our other cars, is to continue to grow our car market share."
He would not say whether Ford planned to boost incentives on the Mustang. Ford is offering zero-percent financing plus $500 bonus cash or $2,000 cash back on the 2011 Ford Mustang GT, according to Ford.com.
The decline in Mustang and Challenger sales parallels a rise in the price of gasoline in May. The average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in the U.S. stood at $3.98 a month ago, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
Muscle cars are not the fuel-economy leaders in the domestic automakers' lineups. The base Chevrolet Camaro with a 3.6-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission returns 19 mpg in city driving and 30 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. The base Ford Mustang with a 3.7-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission returns 19 mpg in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA. The base Dodge Challenger with a 3.6-liter V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission returns 18 mpg in city driving and 27 mpg on the highway.
In an analysis of winners and losers in May monthly sales, Edmunds.com noted that consumers flocked to fuel-efficient domestic small cars, including the Ford Focus and the Chevrolet Cruze.
"High gas prices and production issues following the March earthquakes in Japan combined to create a ripe environment for domestic small cars to thrive," said Edmunds.com. "The Chevy Cruze had its best retail month ever, accounting for 10.3 percent of all GM sales. The Ford Focus had its best month since Cash for Clunkers. And Chevy Malibu sales shot up 18 percent as it led a midsize car segment that did not feature either the Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry in the top three for the first time in recent memory."
Inside Line says: High gas prices and economic jitters appear to have put the brakes on sales of some muscle cars.
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rockln says:
03:54 PM, 04/29/2012
Just test drove Camaro V6 with auto tranny. Nice ride, tight steering and decent mileage for the car of this size and weight. No auto climate control available... I will see if Ford Mustang makes it more hospitable. I am not a racer and intend to use this car for commute and fun trips with my family. How Chevy could have left out auto air conditioning, is mind bugging. I would rather drive a stick shift, but with the auto air conditioner.
appletime says:
03:46 PM, 07/12/2011
Hey wjtinatl..... Come to the dealer I work at(ford), and take your choice...we have at least 15-20 on the lot(that NEW ones). The Camaro is just kickin mustang's a- -.
appletime says:
03:21 PM, 07/12/2011
Look like the stang just can't beat that huge, heavy, big Camaro.......well IT CAN'T. Camaro outstyles the tangie big time, and when Chevy get the weight proportioned with the power,( and they will ) it will annahilate the tangie in performance.
motomarlow says:
01:20 PM, 06/10/2011
The mustang sales were way down because of the tsunami that happened in Japan. Mustang production is way down and the dealers are selling all that they can get which isnt many right now.
wikiwiki says:
12:11 PM, 06/06/2011
All three cars are pigs.
69johnny says:
09:56 AM, 06/06/2011
As far as styling, I'm just going to put my two cents in and also echo what I've heard again and again from others I know who own and appreciate new and old muscle cars.
The 2010 redesign of the stang messed up the back-end. The tail-lights look like an 80's toyota celica and the overall form from the back just looks...small and weak.
The 05-09 is so much bolder as a stang should be. I own an 05 but am waiting for a better, bolder design before I can move on to a new one, and I speak for others in this regard too.
I Love old Camaros but the new one looks too boxy and cartoonish. I've tried to get used
to it but it still strikes me that way after all this time. Just not my style I guess but I have seen some creative modifications out there that deserve respect.
Challengers look really cool from farther away (mostly the front-end and profile) but up close seem too big, are very heavy and are definitely over-priced.
belair007 says:
06:23 PM, 06/05/2011
I am glad to see Camaro beating Mustang in sales. since Mustang had problems with recalls and 6 speed transmission made in china.
higgsboson says:
11:24 PM, 06/04/2011
You have got admit a major reason for Mustang losing favour is Ford's insistence on creating a Mustang to fight every other car out there.
While Chevy builds Camaro and Corvette. Ford builds Mustangs #1 through 5.
Dodge offers Challenger and Charger. Ford gives you Mustang #6 through 8.
"Need a car to _____? There's a Mustang for that?"
tdiluv says:
04:30 AM, 06/04/2011
None of the muscle car sales numbers are stellar and they probably will be worst in the future. Fuel costs, a stagnant economy, jobs stumbling and overall the costs of ownership of these toys is very high! Sales of domestic and foreign small cars are where the sales are and will be and the companies with the big trucks must be getting a little concerned ! Small truck with a 4 banger direct injection engine or diesel anyone?
wjtinatl says:
06:01 PM, 06/03/2011
Wonder how Ford's early model year change (2012 S'tangs were out in April) might have affected the numbers. The local dealer has only had 2-4 Mustangs of any configuration on the lot at a given time.