Quote:
Originally Posted by ford727
I am not following your 'sales numbers in decline' statement.
I believe the 2005 and 2006 Mustang sales averaged 160,000 units per year, I am looking for backup on that.
The Mustang numbers I can find online for 2002 are 142,404 units, for 2003 are 155,370 units, and for 2004 are 141,907 units.
GM killed Camaro/Firebird in 2002. Camaro returns seven years later (Pontiac terminated).
I was a high school kid in the 60s that could not afford any car. Now I can afford em' all.
I have driven the Challenger, ridden in the Camaro. They are great cars, but different from the S197 Mustang. It is to me, the 107wb, solid rear axle, and smaller package "hot rod' road feel. It seems you are saying something like that talking about the early history of these cars.
I don"t see Mustang as a sports car, to me they are hot rod platforms. The S197s are the best handling mustangs of the 48 year history.
Back to Camaro Challenger, they are not Pony cars by your definition. They are sedan based. The Camaro is an AUS-Holden Pontiac G8 reduced by two doors, two wheel base inches, substituting the 378HP pontiac engine with the Corvette LS3 (I think) engine, driving a Tremec 6061 trans. That is a great car, I find no flaws in that package nor do 300,000+ buyers.
The Challenger at 116" wb 4100# has a distinctive sedan feel. I have put 160000 miles on two Crown Vics nice riding cars, but sedans! You don't have to agree, but, to me the Mustang is more fun to drive. It is no where ride refined as Camaro with IRS, 600 additional pounds, and 112" whee;base. I don't want it to be.
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No one said sports car, the Mustang when created was a pony car creating that segment and a pony car was a small, inexpensive, and sporty car.
2007: 158,180
2008: 108,767
2009: 46,420
Yes the Camaro is based on a sedan platform, however if it still meets the low cost, sporty, 2+2 then it still fits into the pony car.
If you want the next Mustang to handle even better then you want it to have an IRS. Truth be told the Challenger probably fits the muscle car niche more then it does the pony car. Also there is less then 600 pounds between the Mustang and Camaro.....