The Mustang Is Beating Chevy's Camaro in Canada

Those of you who have been following the muscle car war between Ford and Chevrolet most likely already know that the Camaro is poised to out-sell the Mustang for the first time in 25 years. However the Pony is putting up a good fight in Canada, where customers are showing a preference for the Mustang, despite the fact that the Camaro is built at GM’s Oshawa, Ontario plant.

So far this year, Chevrolet has shifted a total of 75,685 Camaros in the United States, compared to Ford having sold 68,264 Mustangs. Chevy dealers are quick to brag about it, despite the latter not being offered in a convertible version yet, or a high-performance one, like the new Shelby GT500. However, the opposite is true in Canada, where Ford moved 4,935 Detroit-made Mustangs, compared to GM Canada selling 3,974 Canadian Camaros.

David Caldwell, a GM spokesman in Detroit, suggested that two factors are contributing to this turn of events: a lack of price incentives on the Camaro and the unavailability of a convertible model. While we might think of Canada as a wintry wonderland, about half of the Mustangs sold there were convertibles. By comparison, they account for only 15 to 20 percent of American sales.

Apparently, Canadian drivers view any high-performance rear-drive car as summer-only vehicle, opting to park sportscars in the winter instead of driving them. Their purchasing decision is reflected by that, opting for convertible models that allow them to fully experience the summer months with the wind blowing through their hair.