The Future of Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and Dodge Challenger
Spoiler alert: One pony dies.
First the SUVs came for our sedans. Now they're going after our sport coupes.
Two-door American coupes and convertibles with virtually unusable rear seats, usually referred to as pony cars or muscle cars and considered sports cars by some, have long been a hard sell in the U.S. market. Now with the Detroit Three offering SUVs like the Chevrolet Blazer RS, Ford Edge ST, and even the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, the future of this segment is in grave doubt.
Consider: In calendar year 2015, when U.S. auto sales hit 17.4 million for the first time (followed by two more record years), the combined sales of the Ford Mustang, the Chevy Camaro, and Dodge Challenger were 266,216. In 2018, the U.S. market held on to 17.3 million total sales, but the three ponies totaled just 193,134. That's a collective 27.5 percent drop.
Since at least the 1960s, constant design and performance updates have been key to the success of sporty two-doors. The thinking is that after the first model year of almost any expressive, aspirational car, everyone who wants one has one. Makers of the Mustang, Challenger, and Camaro work overtime to keep these models fresh, but sooner or later it becomes time for an all-new replacement. Here is everything we know about the future of these cars as we approach a decade in which electrification, autonomy, and car-sharing will do far more to upend the auto business than the proliferation of SUVs.
