Mustang World’s Best-selling Sports Coupe for 4th Straight Year; Ford Dials-Up Celebrations For Pony Car’s 55th Birthday

As Ford Motor Company marks Mustang’s 55th birthday on National Mustang Day on April 17, enthusiasts everywhere are celebrating the world’s best-selling sports coupe for the fourth consecutive year. 

From Australia to Peru, Mustang reigns as the best-selling sports coupe in the world for 2018, selling 113,066cars, according to data from IHS Markit. 2018 not only marks the fourth-straight year of Mustang’s global leadership as the world’s best-selling sports coupe, but also as best-selling sports coupe in the United States, where Ford sold 75,842 Mustangs last year.

“We broke the mold when Ford launched the Mustang 55 years ago,” said Jim Farley, Ford president, global markets. “Nothing says freedom, the wind in your hair and the joy of driving like Mustang; it’s an icon. The roar of its V8 on a spring day, there’s nothing better. No wonder it’s the most popular sports coupe in the world.”

Mustang was available for purchase in 146 countries in 2018, based on worldwide Ford sales data. More than a 500,000 sixth generation Mustangs have been sold worldwide since 2015, with the pony picking up an additional half point of global share last year to capture 15.4 per cent of the segment. This was fueled in part by the new Mustang Bullitt, which exceeded its global sales forecasts by 25 per cent.

“Mustang continues to lead its segment not only in the United States, but around the world, and especially here in the Middle East,” said Jamie Rae, marketing director for Ford Middle East. “Its design and engineering continue to connect with our customers wherever they are across our diverse markets. More than half a century later, Mustang is still the dream car for people all over the world and the lineup continues to raise the bar year after year.”

Mustang’s popularity in the Middle East is underscored by continued success in showrooms around the region. Sales of the Mustang grew by eight per cent in 2018 compared to 2017, and were up a staggering 41% in Q1 2019 over those for the same period last year.

Mustang 55 celebrations in the Middle East

In the build up to April 17 – the date in 1964 that the first Mustangs arrived in dealerships across the US – Ford Middle East invited Mustang owners and enthusiasts to celebrate 55 years of the iconic pony car.

In Dubai, more than 250 owners from five dedicated Mustang clubs, gathered to mark the occasion at Mina Rashid – with live music, competitions and activities for the entire family. Ford worked with media partners ArabGT to host the event.

Al Tayer Motors, Ford’s UAE importer-dealer, provided various Mustang models to test drive and display – including a Mustang GT, GT convertible, Shelby GT350, Shelby Super Snake and a Roush-tuned special edition Mustang. LEGO® brought along a pop-up stand with free giveaways for children, plus a freshly sourced supply of the extremely popular Creator collector kits – based on the 1967 Mustang GT – which had sold out just days after their release. Popular streaming music service, Anghami was also present at the event to prelaunch the app ahead of its official release via Ford SYNC® AppLink in May. If you missed the action, you can see a video of the event here.

“It’s clear, from our anniversary event, that love for the Mustang is as strong as ever in the Middle East,” Rae added. “It’s obvious that Mustang owners simply love their cars – and that Ford continues to inspire new generations of drivers to get out and enjoy the thrill of driving with every generation of Mustang we have made.”

Driving for pleasure

Aimed at the fastest growing leisure pursuit in American motoring in the 1960s – the desire to drive for pleasure – Mustang combined the styling and features of expensive European cars with the economies of American mass production and traditional Ford build qualities.

Those values have held true throughout the past 55 years – with more than 10 million Mustangs finding homes around the world since its launch in 1964. With legendary names such as Carroll Shelby, Jack Roush and Mickey Thompson helping to cement the car’s performance pedigree, and drivers like Parnelli Jones, Scott Pruett, John Force and Dan Gurney underscoring its race dominance, the Mustang has a rich legacy.