Making the newest Mustang a global car was a wise decision for Ford to make in terms of sales. It’s in demand on a worldwide scale.
Of course, the S550 is a hit here in North America. The Blue Oval said, “Mustang was the best-selling sports coupe in the U.S. for all of 2015 and through the first quarter of 2016, according to industry-reported numbers.” In March alone, dealers moved 12,563 cars in the United States – more than the number of new Chevrolet Camaros and Dodge Challengers sold combined. The Mustang is also a hot-selling sensation north and south of the U.S. borders.
Globally, approximately 110,000 Mustang Coupes were registered in 2015. The Blue Oval sold roughly 30,000 Mustang Convertibles, bringing nameplate sales to a total of 141,868 vehicles. Erich Merkle, Ford sales analyst, said, “Global markets have responded in a huge way. Ford Mustang was the only sports coupe in the world with more than 100,000 units registered last year.”
Which Mustang do customers outside of the U.S. seem to prefer the most? The GT. After all, its loud and proud American V8 sounds badass no matter where you call home. Customers in Germany, home of the Porsche flat-six and Mercedes-Benz V12, love the 5.0. In fact, they’ve made it their #1 Mustang engine choice, high gas prices be damned. Germans also have a soft spot for the drop-top Mustang, which has a 33.3-percent take rate when it comes to the car’s two body styles.
A whopping (but not surprising) 90+ percent of Mustang buyers in Australia and New Zealand have ordered their cars with GT badges on them. Demand for the new Mustang in general is so strong in Australia that the car was initially sold out through 2017. The country will be receiving a shipment of an additional 2,000 cars by the end of this year.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
