Muscle Cars Buck Downward Trend in Coupe and Sports-Car Sales
#1
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Muscle Cars Buck Downward Trend in Coupe and Sports-Car Sales
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, 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
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.
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
#2
12 Second Club
iTrader: (8)
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wilkes-barre
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
#4
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
#5
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.
#6
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (7)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Round Rock, Texas
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
Trending Topics
#8
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
#10
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.
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.
#12
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
#13
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.
#16
The 55K MSRP's don't help either, nor do the 1200+ a month notes.
#17
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
Posts: 32,359
Likes: 0
Received 1,789 Likes
on
1,276 Posts
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.
#18
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.
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.
#19
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
Posts: 32,359
Likes: 0
Received 1,789 Likes
on
1,276 Posts
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.
Last edited by RPM WS6; 12-17-2010 at 01:35 PM.
#20
TECH Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ Hometown: Aberdeen, SD
Posts: 4,231
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
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.
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.