The Industry’s Last Muscle Car Isn’t Doing So Hot

Ford Mustang stands alone

The Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger was the top of American muscle, however it appears these days have lengthy handed. Dodge pulled the Challenger from the market following the 2023 mannequin yr. Chevy adopted swimsuit and discontinued Camaro manufacturing after January 2024. That makes the Ford Mustang the trade’s final petrol based mostly muscle automotive – and it isn’t doing so properly, sadly.

Mustang Mach-E outsold the American muscle automotive

The Ford Mustang isn’t off to an important begin this yr, with gross sales down 31.6% within the first quarter. Ford offered 13,707 Mustangs within the first three months of 2024, however that quantity dropped to 9,377 models in the identical interval this yr. Gross sales are so dangerous that the Mustang Mach-E outsold the American muscle automotive with 11,607 examples leaving seller heaps within the first quarter.

Whereas the 2 autos are siblings by title, that’s the place their similarities finish. Whereas the Mustang is a rear-wheel drive coupe, the Mustang Mach-E is an electrical crossover. The Mustang begins at $31,920, whereas the Mustang Mach-E is a contact dearer, beginning at $36,495 earlier than any reductions or tax credit.

The relentless march of crossovers onto American roads continues, suggesting practicality is at present king. It raises the query: is the basic lure of an exhilarating drive, the sort a Mustang delivers, merely not resonating with patrons proper now? Worth and practicality all the time matter to a point, however possibly the present financial local weather (right here in April 2025) tells an even bigger story. With many people tightening their spending, maybe a automotive purchased purely for the enjoyment of driving appears like an indulgence few are keen to make in the mean time.

Positive, in the event you boil driving all the way down to a easy 0-to-60 dash, the electrical Mustang Mach-E Rally technically is faster than the V8 Darkish Horse. MotorTrend clocked the EV at 3.4 seconds, simply edging out the V8’s respectable 3.7 second to 60 time. Numbers on a web page, proper? However that fully misses the soul of the expertise. What these figures fail to seize is the visceral thrill, the intimate connection you are feeling when rowing the gears.

Related: US Electric Vehicle Sales Rise Year-Over-Year in March, Defying Tariff Uncertainty

A V8-powered Mustang will price you north of $46,000

The whole lot is getting dearer with every passing month, largely as a result of inflation, and vehicles aren’t any exception. On the intense facet, you will get behind the wheel of a Mustang in bodystyle and facilities for a bit underneath $32,000. Not all Mustang fashions are created equal, although. To get the true spirit of American muscle, you’ll have to go for the GT trim, which begins at $46,560, nonetheless a wonderful efficiency/price ratio that the Mustang has been identified for since inception.

If the Mustang fashion is all that you just’re after, the bottom mannequin will just do tremendous. It comes with a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that mixes efficiency with effectivity. The 315-horsepower engine comes paired with a 10-speed computerized transmission and is rated for a mixed 26 mpg.

A Mustang outfitted with a V8 is a wholly completely different automobile. The 5.0-liter V8 engine comes paired with a six-speed guide transmission (an computerized is offered) that places drivers extra in tune with the street. That powerhouse of an engine produces 480 horsepower and 415 lb-ft of torque. At that price ticket, nevertheless, the Mustang is in competitors with sports activities vehicles, together with the Toyota Supra. The Mustang Darkish Horse, which begins at $64,380, is even pushing into Corvette territory.

Last ideas

The Ford Mustang’s gross sales are a results of a number of elements, starting from value to practicality. The final American muscle automotive has been in steady manufacturing since 1964, however with gross sales declining, it may observe its muscle automotive opponents off into the sundown. Then once more, the Mustang’s sluggish begin in 2025 may merely be because of the colder-than-normal climate and financial elements. Ford’s different autos aren’t precisely off to an important begin both, so hopefully gross sales will enhance as hotter climate rolls in.