The Mazda MX-5 may be the best-selling roadster in history, but when in comes to the sports car as a whole, the primordial pony car takes top honors. Sales numbers are in, and unsurprisingly, the Mustang still is the best-selling vehicle of its kind on the planet.
Global sales for the Ford-built vehicle without Blue Oval badges were up 6 percent over 2015 in 2016, with exports doubling with each and every year. More than 150,000 examples of the breed were spoken for last year, with approximately 45,000 units sold outside the ‘Stang’s domestic market.
Since its introduction, Ford produced more than 395,000 units of the S550 Mustang at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant. Of the total, 98,000 were exported, which is reassuring news. Before the current generation, Mustangs weren’t available outside the U.S. But now, the model is available in 140-plus markets.
The Mustang also happens to be the most-liked vehicle on the social network everyone uses, gathering 8.4 million likes ever since the model’s dedicated Facebook page went online. And considering Ford’s appetite for globalization, I’m betting my two cents on an upward social media trend from here on in.
“The legacy of Mustang continues to grow, and in places it never reached before,” said Mark Schaller, marketing manager for the Mustang. “We continue to make it available in new markets, and drivers in those markets continue to respond with resounding approval.” About that, the 2018 model year will see the ‘Stang become available in six new countries. Three of those markets are the Palau Islands (Pacific), the Ivory Coast (Africa), and Brazil.
Other than the redesigned face, the 2018 refresh sees the V6 phased out from the range. On the other hand, Ford worked its magic on the 2.3-liter EcoBoost and Coyote V8. On the cog-swapping front, the old six-speeder has been replaced by the 10R80 10-speed automatic co-developed with GM.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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