Another dire sales report [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS]

[Cruisesader302]

We Are Different. If your criteria for a sports car is heated seats, then the current gen/current configuration Mustang is a good choice (and i recognize you were pointing this heated seat quote about a corvette at a higher price point, but the sentiment applies.)
I bought an S650 because I wanted a Mustang after seeing Ken Block's Hoonicorn and just how excruciatingly fast it was. Yah, I knew I wasn't going to get the same AWD customized 1400 hp blown Roush/Yates hand-built engine, complete custom drivetrain, suspension, and nitromethane fuel tank, but I WAS buying into a legacy of customization, hotrods, going outside the fence, being a rebel - and I was EXCITED!
Unfortunately, it appears that heated seats is the new legacy of 'customized'; different colors or appearance accessories from 'Ford Performance' - whew wee! I better hold on. Or copy craps: every single monikered branding is the same: "We have a supercharger making almost 800hp! it's 3 liters! Look at us, we're so edgy and different because we're doing the exact same thing every other performance name brand is doing, but ours - OURS comes in red!' Ugh.

Unlock it and let me show you what real horsepower gains are.


I see a lot of the audience honed in on the declining sales and the price. Since I'm really focused on Mustangs, I'll agree with your statement that other fun cars may be suffering, too, but I don't really care. I think that the most 'performance focused Mustang fans' would care a lot less about out-the-door costs if the product had remained true to the Mustang legacy of performance, customization, and culture. Making it comfortable enough to appeal to Johnny executive or Grandma with an attitude is fine - but why alienate, by choice, those who have been there building and amplifying the Mustang brand with Ford since day one - the modders, the racers, and the aftermarket industry that made this brand so iconic.


Is this cause and effect, or effect and cause? ICE Muscle is under fire - agreed. But when Ford conforms to that mantra and purposefully excludes those who still enjoy ICE Muscle for its intended purpose - EVEN WHILE BUILDING A BEEFY V8 POWERED ICE - then Ford is really creating their own self-fulfilling prophecy.


And in fact, by locking down the ability to modify a vehicle that should be able to run circles around those 'every other car' brands, Ford is only speeding up this flywheel of 'meh, good enough.' I use my S650 as a daily driver - my kids have to live that old school 1970's-ish fold down the seat and squeeze into the back seats - but only so far as back and forth to school or church. But I didn't buy it for that purpose, I bought it to track it on the weekends; but since I can already tell you what speed and acceleration I'm limited to by the factory - it turns out it sucks as a fulfillment of my desires.

A sports car isn’t defined by having or not having heated seats. The wife has degenerative disc disease and mine ain’t doing so hot either, so it’s kinda a necessity these days for long rides. Our 23 Corvette is a loaded out 3LT interior and I would have been satisfied with 1LT and saving $8k if it had what’s now a basic accessory on most vehicles which was my effin’ point that you obviously didn’t pick up on. The 24 GT premium has really all we need comfort wise and a minimal cost. For my street use they both have plenty of gitty up go as I don’t track my cars. I don’t fault anyone for seeking more HP as you shouldn’t bust on me for needing heated seats for a legitimate reason. I can assure you that buyers like me aren’t the reason you’re locked out. I’m sorry Ford rained on y’all’s parade….maybe someone will unlock the S650 someday and things will be better for the owners who mod their cars. I’m new to the Mustang world and I have a question….was there no prior warning(s) that the new cars would be locked out from tuning?

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[Dave2013M3]

I believe the main reason for the Mustangs decline is that the car wasn't that much better or different than the outgoing S550 and then you add the amount of increase over the outgoing model. Not to mention a fully loaded GT or Darkhorse is equal to that of the baby BMW M cars and not being able to tune them. There is a multitude of issues that are causing this. I believe the main one is the price increase over the outgoing S550.

 

[Bikeman315]

A lot of folks on here had a S550 prior to them getting a S650. It appears the great majority of them like the new version for a variety of reasons. The Mustang lineup is a lot more than GT Premium 401A or the Darkhorse. Lots of Ecoboost’s out there as well as base GT’s. And pricing is actually competitive with today’s market. The average new car price is $48k. A well equipped GT is less than that. Now that’s certainly not cheap but it’s still in the ballpark.

And as great a car the M2 is, I for one would never give up my V8 for one.

 

[Stonehauler]

The cost of a car is 48k because over the past 5 years cars have gone up 25-50 percent in price. During the COVID years dealers were able to charge well over MSRP for bad cars and the manufacturers thought that was the way of the future and they wanted their share of the pie. Then the unions (rightfully) wanted their share of the pie that the manufacturers got. Also used cars shot up in price because of the unavailability of new ones and that drove things too

I get it, but 2 years of sales during a period of low production should not be the basis of a new car price. Unfortunately, it's what we have to live with, just like what happened in the late 70s and 80s. It will eventually settle out.

 

[Gregs24]

A lot of folks on here had a S550 prior to them getting a S650. It appears the great majority of them like the new version for a variety of reasons. The Mustang lineup is a lot more than GT Premium 401A or the Darkhorse. Lots of Ecoboost’s out there as well as base GT’s. And pricing is actually competitive with today’s market. The average new car price is $48k. A well equipped GT is less than that. Now that’s certainly not cheap but it’s still in the ballpark.

And as great a car the M2 is, I for one would never give up my V8 for one.

Plus the M2 is pig ugly - but I suppose you can't see that when you are driving it!

 

[Gregs24]

The cost of a car is 48k because over the past 5 years cars have gone up 25-50 percent in price. During the COVID years dealers were able to charge well over MSRP for bad cars and the manufacturers thought that was the way of the future and they wanted their share of the pie. Then the unions (rightfully) wanted their share of the pie that the manufacturers got. Also used cars shot up in price because of the unavailability of new ones and that drove things too

I get it, but 2 years of sales during a period of low production should not be the basis of a new car price. Unfortunately, it's what we have to live with, just like what happened in the late 70s and 80s. It will eventually settle out.

The reasons the prices went up have not gone away - they are baked in now and will not go back down.

 

[Bikeman315]

The reasons the prices went up have not gone away - they are baked in now and will not go back down.

I wonder if the car industry can maintain growth with an average car price at almost $50k? Personally I do not see it. But with interest rates on used cars so high it just means folks are going to hang onto what they have for longer. I know that’s what I’m doing.

 

[Bikeman315]

Plus the M2 is pig ugly - but I suppose you can't see that when you are driving it!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Be nice. No need to dis the BMW owners on here.

 

[Allanrock59]

I wonder if the car industry can maintain growth with an average car price at almost $50k? Personally I do not see it. But with interest rates on used cars so high it just means folks are going to hang onto what they have for longer. I know that’s what I’m doing.

Your price are in US dollars. An ecoboost base model is starting in Canada at 40675 and a GT start at 54675.

My premium ecoboost with magnaride, active exhaust and the PP last year was 60k, not including taxes, and these option are not even available today.

And I have a feeling that price will even go higher in the coming months.

 

[Cruisesader302]

If the trade wars over tariffs kicks in you can bet on price increases coming our way.

 

[Cruisesader302]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Be nice. No need to dis the BMW owners on here.

You appear to be a true auto enthusiast. I’ll respect that over a brand/model homer any old day.
If I only had enough money, I’d have a warehouse full of performance automobiles of many different makes & models both domestic and foreign.

 

[Gregs24]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Be nice. No need to dis the BMW owners on here.

Fair enough

 

[Bikeman315]

Fair enough

British humor……..

 

[Bikeman315]

If the trade wars over tariffs kicks in you can bet on price increases coming our way.

As in right now. We re so screwed.

https://www.cnn.com/

 

[smurfslayer]

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