April 17 is a special day for fans of the Ford Mustang. It was on this day in 1964 that Ford first unveiled the pony car to the world, and to mark the 56th anniversary of that occasion, the Blue Oval is touting the Mustang’s success as the world’s best-selling sports car. The sixth-generation 'Stang officially went global in 2015 with left-hand and right-hand-drive versions, and it’s currently available in 146 countries. Ford says 633,000 sixth-generation cars have been sold all total.
The number certainly sounds impressive, and there’s no denying the Mustang’s popularity. Obviously, those sales stats are tremendously influenced by purchases in the U.S., which accounts for a vast majority of Mustang buyers. Ford says 102,090 cars were sold globally in 2019, but 72,489 – 71 percent of total Mustang sales – were in the U.S. market.
All Things Mustang:
That’s not to say Mustang’s popularity isn’t spreading in other regions. According to Ford’s announcement, Germany saw a 33 percent increase in Mustang sales for 2019, with Poland and France logging approximately a 50 percent increase. All total, Europeans purchased 9,900 Mustangs in 2019, an overall increase of 3 percent. However, Mustang sales in the U.S. declined slightly last year, dropping 4.4 percent.
Gallery: 10 Millionth Ford Mustang
Unfortunately for Ford, 2020 will almost certainly mark a sharp decline in Mustang sales, not to mention overall sales for pretty much every manufacturer. The Coronavirus pandemic has automakers shut down around the world; Ford production in Europewill be delayed until at least May 4.
The Mustang is built at Ford’s assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan and at this time there’s no estimate as to when the plant will open up. Michigan is currently a Coronavirus hot spot in the U.S. with nearly 30,000 confirmed cases according to the April 16 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mustang's Future:
There are some bright spots to look forward to for Mustang’s future, however. We’ve spotted camouflaged prototypes that appear to be a new Mach 1, which could replace the Bullitt as a new specialty model in the Mustang lineup. The Mach 1 last appeared in 2004, using a naturally-aspirated version of the supercharged 4.6-liter DOHC V8 from the SVT Mustang Cobra. It’s unlikely the new Mach 1 will share a mill with the current Cobra-badged Shelby vehicles; leaked documents suggest it will feature a Coyote 5.0-liter V8 but total power output is unknown.
Source: Ford
MUSTANG EARNS WORLD’S BEST-SELLING SPORTS CAR TITLE
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The Ford Mustang – today celebrating its 56th birthday – was the best-selling sports car in the world last year, and the world’s best-selling sports coupe for the fifth consecutive year
Since sixth-generation Mustang global exports began in 2015, through December 2019, Ford has sold 633,000 Mustangs in 146 countries around the world – including 102,090 Mustangs in 2019
This Mustang Day – the nameplate’s 56th birthday – Mustang can now celebrate two global sales crowns, earning world’s best-selling sports car and its fifth straight best-selling sports coupe title. Mustang is also America’s best-selling sports car of the last 50 years.
“We’re proud of our growing Mustang stable and performance variants,” said Jim Farley, chief operating officer, Ford Motor Company. “From Sweden to Shanghai, more and more driving enthusiasts are enjoying the feeling of freedom and the American open road in these new Mustangs. We are honoured to serve our owners, enthusiasts and fans for 56 years and counting.”
Two global sales crowns
Mustang sold 102,090 units, according to the most recent new vehicle registration data from IHS Markit, making it the best-selling sports car in the world in 2019. During this period, Mustang sales in Germany increased 33 per cent, in Poland sales rose by nearly 50 per cent, and in France, they nearly doubled.
The year 2019 also marks the fifth consecutive year that Mustang was the best-selling sports coupe in the world. Sports coupes, as defined by IHS Markit, include two-door and convertible models.
Ford sold 9,900 Mustangs in Europe during 2019, a 3 per cent increase year-on-year.*
Performance line-up
Mustang is offered for customers in Europe in fastback and convertible body styles, with a choice of 449 PS 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine with 10-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmissions, and 291 PS 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and six-speed manual transmission.
The special edition Mustang BULLITT featuring an enhanced 460 PS 5.0-litre V8 engine is offered in fastback body style with a choice of Shadow Black or classic Dark Highland Green exterior colours, and unique exterior and interior details.