This Is Ford's Plan To Fix The Mustang's Biggest Problem

[CJJon]

I wouldn't say Gittin is a nobody - World Champ Drifter, and if that sport's not on the radar, many know who he is through RTR vehicles

Here is one of his cars all riced out.

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[geep81]

How about making good commercials for TV? When was the last time anyone saw a Mustang commercial on television? It sure seems to work to sell every imaginable version of SUV’s and pickups.

Only old people and sports fans watch TV at this point, so they aren't gonna lower their buyer age advertising on TV.

 

[Bikeman315]

How about making good commercials for TV? When was the last time anyone saw a Mustang commercial on television? It sure seems to work to sell every imaginable version of SUV’s and pickups.

Because the target market does not watch commercials. They stream everything.

 

[13GetThere]

This says a lot about sales

 

[Desmodeous]

I have had all kinds of Muscle cars in my long past times. The Coyote with the 10R80 is blisteringly fast in stock trim.
If you get it stripped with just the auto using Ford's Build and Price, it costs $38,075 sticker with destination. If you order it and assume about a 9% discount (Zach at Granger Motors) from MSRP, that is a price of $34,648.25. This is the 2021 B&P pricing.
That is for a very good handling car that does the 1/4 in high 11s.
Comfortable seating, good looking and fast.

In a day when guys at Walmart are getting 15-18/hour, it is affordable even for them.

The Mustang with the Coyote is a steal. Easily modded.

Ford's issue with the Mustang has nothing to do with the car. It has to do with younger people that would rather play with their phones, facebook, tiktok, etc, etc. Cultural issues are not easy to fix.

Have to completely disagree. The mustang is not by any means affordable at the 35K pricing for someone who makes 30k to 36k a year. Even if you finance at 0% for seven years you're paying $500+ a month with insurance. That's twice what you should be spending on a vehicle when you have $2,200 a month in take home. These 1st time buyers are looking at the Mustang and saying, why spend 2x on something that has 1/2 the utility? You would think Ford would have realized this when they already know The Maverick is going to eat this market for lunch.

 

[drive_55_not]

Because the target market does not watch commercials. They stream everything.

Ford isn't going to spend millions advertising a low volume vehicle like the Mustang, pandemic or not, Ford is selling less than 100K Mustangs these daze vs 2M trucks.

As for streaming ads, They are there, I get Mustang ads popping up all the time from searching for Mustangs over the last couple months.

I need to clear my Cookies ...

The 2021 Rapid Red GT 401A M6 I ordered back at end of October for the wife showed up last Tuesday. Merry Christmas to her.

And I disagree with the guy posting people making $20 and hour can afford a stripped down GT, that thing was 44K and change, Plus the Insurance hit.

Ford probably could get a stripped down Mustang down close to 30K but even financing 30K at 0% for 72 months leaves a $400+ car payment, plus the insurance. which is $90 a month for me.

So unless those buyers are living with mom and pop, they ain't going to have money to pay rent and buy groceries and that shinny new $1K IPhone.

.

 

[br_an]

Here is one of his cars all riced out.

It appeals to some, but obviously not for everyone

 

[gone_n_60]

I'm a millennial, so they already got me, lol. IMO the main problem is that most of my generation grew up in the age when the Mustang was a performance joke, and clapped GT's were all congregated at the local trailer park. Couple that with fast and furious culture and millennials were never that interested in the domestic pony cars. Plus, none of my generation has any money for nonessential expensive items like sports cars (not here to debate if this is a sports car, its a two door coupe that's impractical for most), so even those that want one are settling for a used one a few years old or not getting one at all.

Good luck to Ford on that issue, it's certainly not likely to change no matter what they do with the car, unless they can magically halve the price of the GT. You'd think the Ecoboost would solve this issue, but unfortunately it doesn't because of the stigma. Hardly anyone will make fun of you for buying a GTI, but buy an Ecoboost and suddenly you don't have a "real" Mustang. It's a big turn off for many even if the car is an excellent performer for the price.

Oh, and as a side note, it's going to be hard to make the S650 better in a way that makes me want to upgrade. The coyote is worth the price of admission alone, even if the rest of the car wasn't what it is. I don't see how they can really top this engine. One of the best driving and auditory experiences that are affordable that I can think of.

I agree on all points. I'm not that young but my sons (GenX and Millennial) have different tastes and/or budgets. Neither is going to buy a $50,000 (or around) pony car. One has a Audi Q5 turbo (while already to install new turbo he bought) the other has 2 kids and a VW Golf wagon. I grew up duing the muscle car era and can afford my GT (finally).being a fan of fast cars I see younger dudes going for the tuners vs. V8's.

 

[tnk_2]

You can't lower the average age of the buyers if you keep inflating the price every year. You must be old and rich to be able to afford a Mustang nowadays.

Exactly, the mustang is no longer affordable for the average joe anymore and that’s why ford is losing the younger buyers.

 

[amk91]

Doesn't make sense to me, considering how in my neck of the woods, alongside the TX/NM border, a metro area bordering MX, Mustangs are VERY popular with Gen Z and Millennials. Same for Camaros and Mopar.

I am a VERY observant Millennial and each time I spot a newer Mustang GT locally, it's always a young guy behind the wheel between 20ish to 45ish. None of them ever driving S550s seem to be '50s babies and only a few are likely 60s babies. And believe me, I do notice. I'm a big sightseer and I am wired to notice such things for "other" reasons.

Those older middle aged/retiree types you see more in pickups, lifted or not. If you do see them in a Mustang, typically it's a rare classic or high zoot Shelby/Roush special or etc. I never see younger guys driving tuning house Mustangs, always that traditional retiree type with a big house in the valley or mansion in the hills/mountains (where I live).

Sounds anecdotal, but I guess in my metro area, younger Latinos tend to be more motivated to get behind wheel of these cars, compared to peers of other ethnicities across the USA.

I am not kidding you, as the pony car market here is dominated by their youth over here. In traffic or parked, I quickly can differentiate between a used car/CPO with paper plates against a brand new unit with newer fascia and telltale signs. Typically behind the wheel is a younger guy or gal.

Is it possibly that on the coasts, a lot of young white Millennials (dominant group in age demo) look down on these cars? And buy imports instead or are "too smart" for depreciation? And in the midwest, maybe that's where the majority of older (white) buyers might be choosing Mustangs at a vastly higher level their younger folks?

I'll admit, maybe it's the Ft. Bliss factor over here, as half of the guys driving GTs over here in general, work in government uniformed services like Border Patrol, military, sheriff, FBI, etc, or vast local police force. Guess that job demographic favors American muscle/pony cars.

Local dealers said to me they sell a lot of Mustangs over here, since it's sunny most of the year. A lot of buyers are very young as well, so perhaps Mustang sales are not great elsewhere, because it cannot be used as a primary vehicle in cities where inclement weather is common. Weather is clear 300 days a year down here.

It would be nice to actually get a breakdown by trim level, age group, region and metro area, instead of stupid clickbait as usual from stupid CarBuzz (hate their style of reporting), that doesn't give a full picture.

Maybe white Millennials in NYC, Minneapolis, Chicago, or Seattle not buying Mustangs compared to Phoenix, Houston or Dallas makes much more sense. But numbers wise, it adds up real quickly I figure.

I do say all of this as a minority myself, as I am usually among the very few of my demographic regarding anything Mustang.

I just don't see older guys in Mustangs, outside of special edition stuff or pricey Shelbys. Even at that, I have seen a lot of young guys piloting GT350s and even the case with GT500s (both DCT and past S197s). Really puzzling how this all works honestly, on my local insights vs national.

Forgive me for referencing race, but the most populous ethnic group is what you have to look at and scrutinize their buying habits by age group compared to other ethnic demographics.

Mix affordability+reduced practicality, regional climate, into the brawny image of the Mustang being possibly too much for some people, influence of 4 cylinder imports, maybe it explains the decline on a more national level? Not to mention, trucks and 4x4s encroaching on that enthusiast market.

 

[Bikeman315]

Have to completely disagree. The mustang is not by any means affordable at the 35K pricing for someone who makes 30k to 36k a year.

Honestly if you are making 30-36K in 2021 you probably shouldn't be buying a new car of any kind. OK, maybe a base Civic or Sentra but not a hi performance 2 door coupe.

By the way the average cost of a new car was $37K in 2019 (Before Covid). So there are a number of Mustangs that can be had within that price range. Not everyone needs a $50k car.

 

[Bikeman315]

Exactly, the mustang is no longer affordable for the average joe anymore and that’s why ford is losing the younger buyers.

This is no longer the 60's, or 80's or even the 2000's. Everything cost more today than 20, 30 or 40 years ago. Expecting a Mustang today to cost what it did 20 years ago is just rediculous.

Think about it a Rolex Submariner cost double today than it did 20 years ago. And it is essentially the same watch. Upgraded, of course, but still a Swiss automatic watch. What does a 2022 Mustang have as standard equipment versus a 2002? A lot. And that makes up a great deal of the cost difference.

Ford is losing younger buyers because the majority of those who actually decide to buy a car do not need/want a high horsepower, high performance two door sport coupe. There really is not fix for that.

 

[Mazman]

I thought it was the weight

 

[2morrow]

This is. An elementary problem for any performance car product (no pun intended). As a designer, we used to do market studies before even sketching.

The real problem is perceived value, economics and environmental perceptions of the buyer.

 

[CJJon]

All the older parents are buying the Mustangs for their mooch children. What is the average age of the driver, not the purchaser?

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