General Motors pulled the Chevrolet brand from Europe several years ago, but it has continued to sell the Chevrolet Camaro and C7 Corvette in many European countries. However, the cars have failed to sell in large numbers, especially in the United Kingdom where steering wheels are on the right-hand side.
In contrast, the Ford Mustang has pulled away in Europe and is now officially the continent’s best-selling sports car, according to Ford Authority. During its first full sales cycle in Europe, Europeans placed 15,000 orders for the Ford Mustang. Those residing in the United Kingdom especially like the Mustang—4,500 orders came from the UK alone.
Other countries leading the pony pack include France, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Finland and Greece.
The Ford Mustang made the switch to become a global sports car with its latest generation, which opened up markets such as Australia. Down under, specifically, is an important place for the Mustang after Ford officially ceased local production and de-fanged the Falcon with it.
Moving forward, General Motors is said to have green-lit the next generation Chevrolet Camaro to support right-hand drive, which would make it much friendlier for markets like Australia and Europe.
Comments
The don’t sell Corvette Camaro and Cadillac in many European countries. That’s a lie.
Andrew,
Corvette and Camaro are available in 14 European countries. Depending on what “many” is interpreted as, it’s not a false statement.
Thanks for reading,
-Sean
Compare no. 14 to no. of all European countries (in most of each Mustang is sold) and we will have an answer. Secondly not only no. Of countries counts but first of all no. Of real first-class dealers. GM DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS. For sure not in Europe. Regards.
Chevy has no presence in Europe. Its hard to sell corvettes and cameros when you focus on a fruity Opel dealership, and when you try to place a camero on the lot, opels stocks crumble cause the money goes to chevy. Right now the mustang has no pressent competition in Europe. Gm’s cars cant show up to the fight. With PSA taking away the opel burden, we could see Chevy entering in force, unbounded, even to the point they could sell ridiculous Silverado’s as a lux car. All the large fiat dealers had em when I worked in france, and honestly, I saw more hemis than I did mustangs while there. Times are changing for the better in GM Europe.
First, Ford even if I hate it has a better reputation than Chevrolet in Europe.
Second, know that Opel is no more GM, Chevrolet can enter Europe with cars that doesn’t share platform with Opel ones ie, trucks SUV’s and sport cars even the Volt.
Third, if GM enters Europe, it need a strong network of dealers.
The perpetual GM argument that is the cost of engineering NA vehicles for RHD markets not making it a viable business case, just got a whole lot stronger. GM has just culled the RHD markets of South Africa, southern and central Africa and India (within 10 years the latter will quite likely be the world’s 3rd largest market).
That only leaves GM with RHD markets in Australia and New Zealand. Call me a cynic, but I have to say … ‘Sorry Holden … you just got shafted again!” There will be no mass-market RHD Camaros or Caddilacs or any other NA product for that matter. The numbers just don’t stack up. When the current Astra and Insignia (Commodore) are replaced in 5-6 years, they will both be Korean sourced and soul-less (pardon the pun).
My guess is that by 2025 GM will have called time on the Antipodes completely, leaving Hyundai and Kia to hoover up the remnants of what was a once proud and mighty (if somewhat parochial) brand. Like Saab, very sad indeed!
As I’ve said before, omit 29 million first world customers at your peril GM. (That’s more than the population of Texas circa 2015 Census).
I really want that next generation Camaro to come with an adaptable LHD/RHD platform. It could also restart other GM products on the same platform in RHD form. But Mary is just focussed on North/South America & China for now with the Chev, Buick and Cadillac brands underpinning her strategy.
I agree with you 100%, GM’s managers and engineers were very short sighted when they decided not to make their mainstream vehicles without the RHD configuration alternative. Hence, like Ford and many other manufacturers all of GM’s top brands should’ve had platform flexibility from the beginning, in order to enable their vehicle to be truly world class.
I hope that Mary Barra and her management team can used their common sense and set the RHD program for all of their vehicle in the not to distant future, if they want to regain GM’s global footprint that is.