Mustang celebrates a decade as Number 1

Ford used ‘National Mustang Day’ (17 April) to announce that their evergreen pony car has been the world’s best-selling sports car for the past ten years combined, based on data from S&P Global Mobility light vehicle registrations.

With the Mustang due to turn 60 next year, and the new, seventh-generation version due for US release shortly, Ford adds that the ongoing success of the model is due to continuous investment in the car’s development and delivering what Mustang buyers want.

“We’re proud of the entire Mustang family, what it represents to Ford and especially our passionate Mustang owners and fans,” said Dave Bozeman, Vice President of Enthusiast Vehicles for Ford Blue and Ford Customer Service Division. “It’s our commitment to serving Mustang’s global community, from Atlanta to Adelaide and beyond, that has earned Mustang the honour of world’s best-selling sports car for ten years combined.”

Registration data from S&P Global Mobility shows, unsurprisingly, that the USA has been the strongest market for the Mustang in the past decade, accounting for 78 per cent of global sales over the measured period.

In Australia, Mustang sales started in 2015 and boomed initially, peaking at 9,165 units in 2017. Since then, Australian sales have been in decline, with only 1,887 sold last year, down from 2,827 in 2021. Expect that total to fall again in 2023, especially as potential buyers wait for the arrival of the Gen 7 version.

It’s been a more positive story in other markets, with sales in Germany increasing by 17.0 per cent last year, Swiss sales up by 14.9 per cent and UK sales up 14.0 per cent, while sales in the Middle East increased by 7.4 per cent in 2022.

The seventh-generation Mustang will arrive with a new look, but carry over familiar body styles, drivetrain options and other features, including the choice of a coupe or convertible, 5.0-litre NA V8 or 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engines and six-speed manual or ten-speed automatic transmissions, although both engines will produce more power in the seventh-generation version.

New tech will include a Remote Rev feature that allows the engine to be revved using the key fob, and an optional Electronic Drift Brake for rear wheel slides.

The Gen 7 Mustang will arrive in US dealerships in the Northern Hemisphere summer, followed by other markets worldwide, with Australian release expected in Q1, 2024.