Ford says Mustang is now the world's top sports coupe
Ford, which revamped the current Mustang with foreign sales in mind, says the pony car was the world's best-selling sports coupe last year, based on new sales numbers.
About 19,000 out of a total of 141,000 Mustangs were sold outside the U.S. last year. Some of the hottest demand was in Europe, were 16,000 cars were sold. Despite high gas prices abroad, most customers are ordering the high-performance, but more fuel thirsty, V-8 engine.
“U.S. consumers have enjoyed interesting foreign sports cars for decades, so it was time for the Americans to return the favor with the worldwide launch of the new Mustang,” says Erich Merkle, Ford sales analyst.
Mustang is made in Flat Rock, Mich. About 110,000 of the Mustangs produced were coupes and 30,000 were convertibles.
The big foreign sales represent a big change for Mustang, which never was thought of a serious world car for Ford. Some of its features just weren't a good fit for world markets. But Ford made the changes despite the risk of alienating some of its loyal buyers. And now the payoff is coming in sales abroad.