New Domestic "Muscle Car" sales
 

It's interesting to follow the sales of the new generation muscle cars and the talking heads who report why the sales are what they are. First the published sales numbers for 2021. Camaro= 21,893 Corvette = 26,216 Mustang = 52,414
Challenger = 54,313 Combined GM = 48,109. My first observation, total sales very low. Second observation, One very outdated, very old chassis, based on an old Mercedes, outsold both performance models from GM combined by 6,204. Observation three, GM talking heads say the "chip shortage" was the only reason the Camaro sales were so low and GM prioritized chip delivery to the Corvette plant to prop up their sales. Observation four, Mustang sales, even with a cool high tech engine, and many improvements, is outsold by a much smaller dealer group, selling an ancient, outdated product, almost a throwback car. Your thoughts and observations?

I think the constant television Ads for Dodge combined with the several levels of Challenger options (ironically the only one with no convertible) and the availability of product is part of the reason behind the sales numbers. Most of GM’s current marketing is for vehicles you can only wait in line for.. And hell, they just look good!

Chryslers in-your-face, not politically correct ads work.
I know how much horsepower a Hellcat makes but have no clue what you can get in a Camaro or mustang.

Eric

A guy at work bought a 2021 Corvette. He tells me that all of the 2022's are already sold. So those numbers reflect production capacity and not lack of demand.

Eric

Are the Fiat Mopars still a lot cheaper than the GM products? I know they were several years ago.

Murf

Dodge keeps adding new options to keep interest active. Kids want those cars. Chevy will let the Camaro die just as in 2002 by not creating cool options and promoting electric future. Mustang was on top but Ford is now promoting the Mach E. and allowing the Stang to become stagnent. Corvettes are niche cars and have always had low production numbers.

You nailed it- Dodge has done a great job marketing their image.

The Challenger is the easiest to drive due to visibility.

I was shopping for one of these last year and ended up buying a 2016 mustang for my daughter. The challengers were too expensive and the V6 has a history of letting go at 120k. The mustang was my next choice being reliable and safe,

The Camaro is actually just a terrible car to drive. I had one as a rental for two weeks when my truck got stolen. Zero visibility- no way I would allow a new driver in a Camaro. Also- there is no room. There was literally nowhere to put your phone, keys, wallet, etc. I had sh!t sliding all over the car. GM can say it was demand (this year) but if you drive all three back to back and are not GM loyal…. The Camaro is the last choice.

I bought a new Challenger last year. Ordered a Scat Pack Wide Body Shaker with a 6 speed. Put about 6,000 miles on it so far. Drove it to Montana and back last year which was a lot of fun. My previous late model muscle car was a '14 Camaro SS with a 6 speed... The Camaro was fun... but the Challenger is just a cooler looking car and easier to get in and out of... I have an in at the Dodge dealer and got a deal..

We had to go over to the Houston area yesterday and passed a number of new car dealerships going and coming. Almost no vehicles on any of the lots. I bought a new f250 last August and it was that way then. You can't sell cars if you don't have them.

It's because the Challenger is by far, hand down, the best looking of the bunch by far. Combine that with the image it portrays, the array of options and package levels, and it's no wonder why it leads the pack.

GM absolutely sucks when it comes to marketing a modern sports car. It's hard to order the Camarob in a way that'll give you the high HP V8 while keeping a tight budget, but you can order a Challenger or Mustang with big power and not much else, and stay well within budget.

In terms of ride and drive, the Challenger is not impressive. The Camaro and Mustang have it beat by leaps and bounds. Yes, even with the slab sides, and gargantuan dimensions the Challenger will win a styling award. The handling for a modern vehicle is mediocre. Heck, my '77 T/A drives and rides better. I babysat this one for a week and was glad to give it back.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...1&d=1533392111

Yes, it has over 700 HP on tap, but overall it just didn't do it for me. By comparison, my measly 300 HP T/A is more fun and nimble and definitely gets the thumbs up from a lot of people..

The wide body handles a lot better.

I think Dodge has done a great job of keeping these cars fresh and relevant. They do a great job of advertising. GM does not ever advertise the Camaro. Have you ever seen a Camaro commercial? I am not sure what all of the complaining about the Camaro is, it is a coupe. Most coupes are harder to see out of. My wife has had 3 Camaro's since 2012. First was 2010 V6 automatic, second was a 2013 2SS L99 automatic and the current one, 2017 2SS with an LT1 and automatic. This thing is amazing. She absolutely loves this car. She smiles every time it is started with the NPP exhaust option. I don't think it is that bad to see out of even though I only drive it occasionally.

Dodge has cancelled the V-8 and hemis.... at least in trucks, its back to a inline 6, and 3 liters and turbos.

New Fords got 3 & 4 CYLs, 6 being rare, and i think the V8 is na.

It was a really really really bad sign that after the merger between Fiat and Stellantis happened (new Dodge brand ownership), the almost immediate result was the disbanding of Dodge’s SRT group!

I don’t think the looks have a whole lot to do with the Challanger sales success against the Mustang or Camaro. Looks are pretty subjective, generally speaking anyway, I think they all great looking cars compared to the other modern cars.

Even though the majority of the Challanger’s sold have always been V6 cars, the cool V8’s have definitely been a major ingredient to the challenger’s success. While some complain the challenger feels big, I think the extra room on the interior of the Challenger, particularly in the back seat is overall what set’s the Challenger apart from it’s competitors. The Charger’s and 300’s have a 5” longer wheelbase, and are roomier yet. You can knit pick about some of the handling or cheap feel of all the plastic in the Dodge and Chrysler cars, definitely better cars out there in those categories. But when it comes to interior room, the difference is night and day against most of the competition. The Challenger likely has a bigger demand base to pull from just from the full size feel of the interior, versus the pony car interior feel of the competition. My thoughts anyway.

I have a 2010 Camaro I bought new and I love it.....an instant classic car harking back to the styling of the 69 Camaro. All Chevrolet has done with each change they have made since then is screw up a great design......no way I would ever own one of the ones they sell now. The Challenger still has that
great retro vibe going for it, unlike the current Camaro which looks like a train wreck. Speaking of train wrecks, all Mary Barra has done is wreck General Motors from the moment she took over.....they won't be around much longer if they don't get her out of there and hire a car person to run the company.
I really think GM is about done and don't believe they will be around in ten years.

The single biggest reason right there. At least what I see around here.

Most Challenger buyers literally can't get into (or out of) a Corvette, Camaro or a Mustang.

I may be 68 years old, but I can still get into and out of the current Corvette and Camaro. Don't know about a current Mustang, I haven't driven a Mustang since the early 90's.

Styling is subjective and often prejudiced by other factors. Personally, I think the Challenger looks like a beached beluga whale and it handles like one. Yes, you can get if with a big motor with lots of HP. But it wallows in the corners, takes much longer to stop, but it does have a bigger trunk, if that matters to you...

"In terms of ride and drive, the Challenger is not impressive. " Not sure I agree with this either. One of my best friends bought a "Trans Am" Challenger last year( He has a 68 Charger with Hilborn Stacks EFi) Great seats, al kind of different "modes" for chassis,transmission. Can time the 1/4 in the computer runs and handles well s pretty darned good.