TriShield

Muscle Cars Buck Downward Trend in Coupe and Sports-Car Sales


Chevrolet Camaro sales are red hot.

Published Dec 15, 2010

Just the Facts:

• Sports cars have made up about 2.9 percent of all car sales in 2010, down from a high of 3.1 percent in 2002.
• But the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang are selling well.
• Camaro sales alone are up 39.9 percent so far this year.

SANTA MONICA, California — Sales of sports cars and coupes continue to be in low gear, with three notable exceptions - the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang, according to Edmunds.com.

Sports cars have made up about 2.9 percent of all car sales in 2010, down from a high of 3.1 percent in 2002, said Edmunds.

But American muscle cars are accelerating past their competitors. Challenger sales have made a 43.5-percent year-to-year gain through November. Camaro sales are up 39.9 percent so far this year. Sales of the Mustang are up 13.6 percent through November compared to the same period last year.

It's not all good news on the domestic sports-car front, however. The Chevrolet Corvette continues to take a pounding, suffering a 9.7-percent drop in sales through November. Last year was Corvette's worst sales year since 1961.

"While the domestic coupes are bucking the strong downward trend, the other sports cars continue to endure significant declines," said Bill Visnic, senior analyst at Edmunds.com. "The Mazda RX-8 has seen a 50.3-percent drop from 2009, while the Mitsubishi Eclipse is down 52.8 and 60.9 percent for the coupe and Spyder models, respectively. Even the Mazda MX-5 Miata, which many consider the bellwether of the sports-car market, can't regain its footing."

Inside Line says: Even in a recession

RaggedRides

iTrader: (8)

It actually makes me smile reading this. Hopefully these three and continue to hold the attention of the masses for years to come. It's not surprising that people want them, rather that people buy them. We haven't had cars with this much charisma and character in a long time. Folks love it.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

I would hate to see the demise of the Corvette.

TriShield

The Corvette needs a radical makeover like the Camaro recieved. Being parked next to Camaros on dealer lots isn't doing it any favors and the Camaro is one big factor in it's big decline. The styling of the Sting Ray concept is a big step in the right direction IMO.

LS1LT1

iTrader: (16)

True...you get a guy with a young kid or two who wants something sporty/fast wandering around a dealership and he sees a 426hp $35k Camaro SS with back seats parked next to a 430hp $55k Corvette with NO back seats his decision (spelled: the wife LOL) could already be made for him.

$750 L98

iTrader: (7)

Seeing something like the stingray come out would certainly make me start saving pennies and living on ramen to scrape up a down payment. I'm not sure how I feel about it being a "corvette", I love the design, but the corvette always seemed to be a fairly simple exterior, just a wind cutting wedge with a big motor.

Regardless, I hope they are getting serious about making the stingray a real car. So beautiful.

Just glad to see we can still play the game even when times are tough, and I think once the "newness" and price mark up starts going away they will sell even better. Just too much demand and too little supply right now it seems.

Wnts2Go10O

iTrader: (12)

the 2012 vette is going to be VERY interesting

TriShield

Not just that but the styling of the Camaro inside and out completely destroys the Corvette which is still sporting the same basic look it's had since the C4 debuted.

ULTIMATEORANGESS

iTrader: (4)

im interested in what percentage are v8 purchases.


im not happy to see poor vette sales though. i think its as great looking car at a good price.

LS1LT1

iTrader: (16)

I don't know that it will be very different from the 2011 model actually...2013/2014 could be something though.






Ok, and?
The Porsche Carrera is still sporting the same basic look it's had since the 911 debuted in 1964 and they still sell nearly every one they build for over $80k.
And the new Camaro is damn sharp no doubt but I don't know that it completely 'destroys' the Corvette in anything other than sales.

taman86

iTrader: (19)

should of kept pontiac and built a new trans am

TriShield

And it obviously doesn't work for the Corvette especially with the Camaro (and Mustang and Challenger) here.

The Corvette looked much different and much better in the 1960s. GM needs to apply what Ford did for the Ford GT or what they themselves did for the Camaro to the Corvette to rekindle interest and make the car the head-turner it deserves to be again.

The Porsche didn't look different in the 60s and the styling has evolved little since then. What the Corvette looks like today is an evolved Corvette from the 80s. No bueno.

jmurray87

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, 2013/14 is when I bet we will see a C7 on dealer lots. I wouldn't doubt that the Corvette team has been working on designs and what not.

Corvette sales are down due to Camaro yes but also the economy doesn't help along with fuel prices that and its much easier to pick up a used base model now so most buyers are doing that as well.

WSsick

iTrader: (13)

Grinning from ear to ear. Corvette will rebound of the refresh (I'm betting). If not, I will be worried.

01ssreda4

iTrader: (96)

The Corvette is an icon for our country and our culture. It is THE "American" sportscar IMO.

LS1vazquez

The 55K MSRP's don't help either, nor do the 1200+ a month notes.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

Gotta say you are WAY off base with this one.

Corvette is underselling because:

- Camaro is the newest performance item from Chevy.

- It is considerably more expensive than Camaro, at a time when the economy is in a bad place. Additionally, Corvette, being a light weight 2-seater, is more of a luxury item and isn't really a car that can stand alone as a daily driver/sole transportation for many people in many places. When economic times are hard, people are less likely to buy a spare "toy" car, and Camaro offers an alternative that is still fun while being a better primary/sole transportation car.

Frankly, I couldn't possibily disagree more about your comments on styling. The C6 is possibly the best looking Corvette ever, and as nice as the new Camaro is, it can't even come close to "destroying Corvette" styling wise. One thing that GM has really done right in terms of styling over the last half-dozen years is the C6.

LS1LT1

iTrader: (16)

x 100%

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

What this comment fails to consider is the price disparity between the cars mentioned and the Corvette (compounded by current economic issues). Regardless of styling, many people who can afford a Mustang/Camaro/Challenger just simply can't afford a Corvette (or, can't live with *only* a 2-seater and can't afford multiple cars).

Because the Ford GT was such a hot seller? And because it had such a long lineage and extensive heritage to draw it's styling from?

Current Corvette styling traits can be traced back all the way to 1963 at least. I look at a '63 Corvette and a '10 Corvette and I see many similar cues; hood and front fender peak styling, sloped back glass forming a point and blending into the rear, the quad round taillights - to name a few quickly. To say that what Corvette is today is *only* an "evolved Corvette from the '80s" is pretty far off base, IMO (especially the interior - have you ever sat in an '84 Corvette? The only thing it shares with a '10 is the basic 2-seater low-ride sports car arrangement). A Corvette from the '80s drew some of it's styling from previous Corvettes as well, and you can still plainly see specific traits in today's Corvette going back almost 50 years.

TriShield

People probably said the same thing about the LS1 Camaro compared to the 60s original when it was new as well. Obviously, whatever cues were applied to it's look were weak at best as it looks nothing like an original Camaro. The 5th gen has addressed that and it's sales and ability to crane necks is the result.

It's no different with the Corvette. It has looked fundamentally the same since the C4 and any heritage styling the design might have are lost in the rest of the car. Park it next to a Camaro, Viper, Ford GT, etc and it becomes invisible. Drive it down a busy street, unless you paint it pink nobody will notice it. That's how vanilla the Corvette's look has become. That's one of it's major issues. The other is that it's not a well made car. Hopefully GM addresses these issues with the next redesign instead of making a C5.5 like they did for the C6.

Like I said the Sting Ray concept while not perfect is a big step in the right direction for the car. It deserves to have the type of looks that kids want to hang on their walls and turns everyone's heads when it's spotted on the road.