#Ford #Mustang Is Best-Selling Sports Coupe Globally

In its first year of global availability, Ford Mustang became the world’s best-selling sports coupe. Demand for the iconic pony car remains insatiable.

According to company analysis of the most recent registration data from IHS Automotive, Ford sold around 110,000 Mustang Coupes globally in 2015 – topping all other sports coupe competitors.

That record was achieved despite limited availability for most of the year in such key markets like China and the United Kingdom. Additionally, Ford sold around 30,000 Mustang Convertibles, for total nameplate sales of 141,868 vehicles – making Mustang far and away the best-selling two-door sports car in the world.

“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. “Global markets have responded in a huge way. Ford Mustang was the only sports coupe in the world with more than 100,000 units registered last year.”

Global data for 2015 suggests Mustang has room to grow overseas this year as many markets begin to take delivery of their full allotment. So far, Merkle notes, global customers are most interested in V8-equipped Mustangs.

“While much of the growth in Mustang demand in the United States has come from coastal markets – especially Southern California – and millennials opting for the 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine, buyers in other countries prefer the V8,” he says. “That unmistakable V8 warble is a hot commodity outside the U.S.”

Mustang in Europe, Middle East and Africa

To date, more than 16,600 customers in Europe have ordered a Ford Mustang, which went on sale there last summer. Shipments from Flat Rock Assembly Plant, exclusive production home to Mustang, began in the latter half of 2015. Of the 13,000 sold last year, 4,700 are now in customer hands.

Several significant markets, including United Kingdom, began selling Mustang in the fourth quarter. Total sales there top 3,500 cars, with the first 1,000 pony cars delivered to customers in March.

In Germany, Mustang was the best-selling sports coupe in March, according to data published by German Federal Motor Transport Authority, KBA. Despite relatively high gas prices, the 5.0-liter V8 is the No. 1 engine choice in Germany. The country also has the highest international take-rate for the convertible model, with one in three sales.

Mustang was the best-selling sports coupe last month in France, according to data from the Association Auxilliaire de l’Automobile. Ford sold 339 Mustangs in France in first-quarter 2016.

Incremental sales in South Africa, Cyprus and Malta are helping boost Mustang volume.

EcoBoost, V8 pony cars are big in Asia

In fourth-quarter 2015, Mustang was the best-selling sports coupe in China as exports made their way to dealerships in volume, according to IHS registration data. Buyers in China favor EcoBoost versions.

In its first three months on sale in Australia, Mustang ranks as the best-selling sports coupe. Demand is so strong, the pony car was initially sold out through 2017, but an additional 2,000 Mustangs are slated to ship Down Under by the end of this year.

More than 90 percent of buyers in Australia and New Zealand are opting for the V8 version.

Mustang maintains leadership in North America

In March, Mustang sales of 12,563 cars in the United States outperformed sales of 12,248 for the new Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger combined, according to published figures. Mustang was the best-selling sports coupe in the U.S. for all of 2015 and through the first quarter of 2016, according to industry-reported numbers.

In Canada, Mustang sales leadership is nothing new; it has outsold Camaro every year since 1985, according to data from the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association. Ford has the best-selling sports coupe in Canada.

And in Mexico, Mustang was the best-selling sports coupe last year, according to IHS registration data. Mustang sales were up 176 percent in Mexico in 2015 versus 2014.