While we already gave you the lowdown on Chevy Camaro sales for the third quarter of 2021, we have yet to tell you how the muscle car segment as a whole performed during the same timeframe. So then, muscle car sales fell 23 percent to 47,707 units during Q3 2021 in the United States. While all four models in the segment saw sales decline, the Chevy Camaro fared the worst.
Competitive Sales Comparison (USA)
The Dodge Charger remained the best-selling model in the segment with 19,395 deliveries, down 18 percent year-over-year. Its two-door brother, the Dodge Challenger, took second place with 13,994 units, down 14 percent. The Ford Mustang took third with 9,115 units, down 24 percent, while the Chevy Camaro recorded just 5,203 deliveries, down 38 percent.
Sales Numbers - Muscle Cars - Q3 2021 - United States
MODEL | Q3 21 / Q3 20 | Q3 21 | Q3 20 | Q3 21 SHARE | Q3 20 SHARE | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DODGE CHARGER | -17.63% | 19,395 | 23,547 | 41% | 38% | +14.67% | 61,498 | 53,631 |
DODGE CHALLENGER | -14.32% | 13,994 | 16,332 | 29% | 26% | +15.10% | 44,142 | 38,350 |
FORD MUSTANG | -34.19% | 9,115 | 13,851 | 19% | 22% | -13.80% | 41,065 | 47,637 |
CHEVROLET CAMARO | -37.81% | 5,203 | 8,366 | 11% | 13% | -32.13% | 15,084 | 22,226 |
TOTAL | -23.17% | 47,707 | 62,096 | -0.03% | 161,789 | 161,844 |
From a segment share standpoint, the Charger led the segment with a 41 percent share, up 3 percentage points. It was followed by the Challenger with a 29 percent share, up 3 percentage points. The Mustang recorded a 19 percent share, down 3 percentage points, and the Camaro finished with an 11 percent share, down 2 percentage points.
Sales Numbers - Dodge Muscle Cars - Q3 2021 - United States
MODEL | Q3 21 / Q3 20 | Q3 21 | Q3 20 | Q3 21 SHARE | Q3 20 SHARE | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DODGE CHARGER | -17.63% | 19,395 | 23,547 | 58% | 59% | +14.67% | 61,498 | 53,631 |
DODGE CHALLENGER | -14.32% | 13,994 | 16,332 | 42% | 41% | +15.10% | 44,142 | 38,350 |
TOTAL | -16.27% | 33,389 | 39,879 | +14.85% | 105,640 | 91,981 |
The two Dodge muscle cars accounted for a cumulative 33,389 deliveries, accounting for a commanding 70 percent of the segment. In fact, the Dodge models were the only two vehicles in the segment to outpace the segment average.
The GM Authority Take
While the ongoing global semiconductor microchip shortage is undoubtedly the primary reason for the not-insignificant 23 percent decline in muscle car sales during the third quarter. However, other factors not related to the shortage are also at play.
For starters, consumer purchase dynamics continue to trend away from cars and toward pickups trucks and utilities (crossovers and SUVs). There’s also the seemingly non-stop migration toward electric vehicles. While the move is slow-going, these vehicles are set to eventually take the performance mantel as they (ironically) have higher levels of performance than their ICE counterparts. Until then, plans from the Detroit Big Three (two and a half?) are in the works to keep the muscle car alive.
The Dodge duo keeps gaining segment share despite both offerings being very long in the tooth. The brand’s newest parent, Stellantis, is not sitting still. Back in July it teased an electric Dodge muscle car as a Ford Mustang rival for 2024, though it’s currently unclear if it will end up being the Charger, Challenger, or a new nameplate.
And for its part, The Blue Oval is working on a next-generation S650 model of the venerable Mustang before an all-electric version of the pony car arrives by decade’s end – the already launched 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E notwithstanding.
However, the current, sixth-gen Camaro is on its last leg, currently slated to be sunset in 2023, though its discontinuation timeframe is a moving target. Whenever the sun will set on the Camaro, the final model year of the Camaro will receive a commemorative heritage special edition, as GM Authority reported back in September.
Unfortunately, the vaunted Camaro seems to have lost its luster since returning as a modern iteration of the original for the 2010 model year. That model, the fifth-generation, sold like hotcakes, but its sixth-gen successor – introduced for the 2016 model year – simply had too many things go wrong in order to succeed.
Perhaps a possible electric version of the Camaro will bring renewed success to the Bow Tie brand’s mainstream performance model. And then there’s the rumor that the legendary nameplate might continue as an electric performance sedan, which would be very much in line with General Motors’ move toward an all-electric future.
But GM hasn’t forsaken performance cars just yet, instead making moves outside the muscle car segment. Just this year, the automaker launched the new 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing super sedans that could go head-to-head with any version of the Charger while delivering substantially more refinement and competing on the world stage.
Additionally, the recently unveiled, track-focused 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06 features the world’s most powerful naturally-aspirated V8, and it’s only the beginning of the C8 story. That’s because even more potent C8 Corvette variants are on the way, showing that America’s sports car has plenty of life remaining. Alas, neither of these three models could be considered an affordable, mainstream product like the Camaro.
So whatever new and updated models may come, an unprecedented future awaits the relatively small yet highly-entertaining muscle car segment.
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to muscle car sales for Q3 2020, unless noted otherwise
- In the United States, there were 77 selling days in Q3 2021 and 77 selling days in Q3 2020
- GM Q3 2021 sales U.S.A.
- Chevrolet sales Q3 2021 U.S.A.
- Cadillac sales Q3 2021 U.S.A.
- Buick sales Q3 2021 U.S.A.
- GMC sales Q3 2021 U.S.A.
- GM Canada sales Q3 2021
- Chevrolet Canada sales Q3 2021
- Cadillac Canada sales Q3 2021
- Buick Canada sales Q3 2021
- GMC Canada sales Q3 2021
- GM Mexico sales Q3 2021
- GM Mexico sales July 2021
- Chevrolet Mexico July 2021 sales
- Buick Mexico July 2021 sales
- GMC Mexico July 2021 sales
- Cadillac Mexico July 2021 sales
- GM Mexico sales August 2021 sales
- Chevrolet Mexico August 2021 sales
- Buick Mexico August 2021 sales
- GMC Mexico August 2021 sales
- Cadillac Mexico August 2021 sales
- GM Mexico sales September 2021
- Chevrolet Mexico September 2021 sales
- Buick Mexico September 2021 sales
- GMC Mexico September 2021 sales
- Cadillac Mexico September 2021 sales
- GM Mexico sales July 2021
- GM China sales Q3 2021
- Chevrolet China Q3 2021 sales
- Buick China Q3 2021 sales
- Cadillac China Q3 2021 sales
- GM Brazil sales Q3 2021
- GM Argentina sales Q3 2021
- GM Chile sales Q3 2021
- GM Colombia sales Q3 2021
- Chevrolet Colombia July 2021 sales
- Chevrolet Colombia August 2021 sales
- Chevrolet Colombia September 2021 sales
- GM South Korea sales Q3 2021
- GM South Korea July 2021 sales
- Chevrolet South Korea July 2021 sales
- Cadillac South Korea July 2021 sales
- GM South Korea August 2021 sales
- Chevrolet South Korea August 2021 sales
- Cadillac South Korea August 2021 sales
- GM South Korea September 2021 sales
- Chevrolet South Korea September 2021 sales
- Cadillac South Korea September 2021 sales
- GM South Korea July 2021 sales
- GM Russia sales Q3 2021
- GM Russia sales July 2021
- GM Russia sales August 2021
- GM Russia sales September 2021
Comments
I wonder how much of the Charger sales are police cars. I bet it makes a significant difference if you take those out.
Up here 99% of police cars are Explorers. Have been for a while.
Mr. Mike. We have a lot of Chargers police cars in our city. But many Explorers too. The Charger is less expensive for most city use.
I bet hardly any are police sales. that sounds like another excuse for why Chevy failed. I live in a big metropolitan and the police here have the taurus and explorer.
Might want to get out of your bubble and see how the rest of the country lives. Almost all police cars here are Chargers, including State police. Went to the DC region recently, and they were heavily Chargers too.
Lol my bubble? I travel all the time so again it sounds more like the typical excuse making for why the Camaro has failed in sales. Most major metropolitans in the south use a ford vehicle for police, the chargers I have seen are used by university’s. But I’m glad to know you consider the rest of the country the two regions you have been to.
In my part of the country, the city of Memphis and Nashville primarily buys Dodge Chargers. The Tennessee Highway Patrol uses Ford Explorers and Chevy Tahoe.
Ugh Nashville? That is completely false. Nashville uses the Ford Taurus and explorer the only chargers are used by Vanderbilt university. Metro police have never had any chargers on the fleet. They did use the impala before it was canceled.
You can’t buy the Ford Taurus anymore. 2019 was the last model year that could be bought. Which is s why I stated BUY. As in the present tense of the word.
Yea Nashville does not BUY the charger for police cars. The most you will ever see are the very very few that were either impounded and seized turned into vice cars or the unmarked ones, but even then that number is very small. You will never see a regular Nashville police car with the metro Nashville markings on a charger.
Candid
You are right ford doesn’t make the Taurus anymore, but Davidson county did replace a large portion of there aging impala fleet with the Taurus before it went out of production. Now the Davidson county sheriffs office they use chargers on a lot of there fleet but they are completely different then the metro police department. The sheriffs office just runs the jails and “guards” a few of the remaining businesses the city owns.
Ken=Glenn. You use the same lack of capitalization in both your posts.
Sam = excuses I type and the phone capitalizes what it deems fit. I know this must be confusing but technology has come a long way. Maybe get out of your bubble more and you would see this.
North Carolina State Police and the majority of the city and county law enforcement agencies have Dodge Chargers. There are a few Explorers sprinkled in here and there.
Well we could pretend that half of the charger sales were police cars which is being generous because we know that’s not the case but just say it’s half the charger still beats the Camaro by almost 5,000 units.
As much as it’s sucks to see the Camaro in the last place sales of American sports cars, personally I enjoy being one of the few Camaro drivers I see on the road. I see Mustangs every single day, everywhere I go, and it’s lost some appeal to me. I think also the lack of visibility from inside the cabin will bother some people. As a 6th gen Camaro owner I can say that you get used to the visibly and becomes a nonissue after a while. But for most people the visibly will turn them away. Also I think the 5th gen facelift and the beginning of the 6th gen Camaros had a pretty bad front fascia. I think the 5th gen 2010-2013, and the face lifted 2019 RS front fascia gives it more of a classic old school look and looks better.
Dying soon to be dead market and Camaro not in demand. Buyers prefer the other two. Total volume in market is atrocious. Visibility is irrelevant at this point. People aren’t buying cars in this segment.
..bring the price down and Camaro will sell. The LT1 Camaro is a good start but $75,000 ZL1 “has to go. ZL1 should sell for $50,000 maximum. The profit on these cars is ridiculous. Is it any wonder people are buying suv and pickup.
Whatever,if that’s the case same goes for any Hellcat or special Mustang ( GT500)..
What ship is that Camaro next too? Is it one of the two Liberty’s? I can see Landon the bow. Anyone?
A sinking ship.
The ships name is the USS I’m gone in 24
I agree on the ridiculous pricing. But I think what seperates the boys from the men is the package. Example the silverado comes in many trim levels and options hence sales increase, it’s a no brainer? How about a Rally Sport edition with more than the current “RS” emblem. Large sporty rally stripes optional hideaway headlights or something similar, tuned engine options, very sporty multicolor interior options, etc. Or what about a “Berlinetta” edition, all business on the outside but all play under the hood. Unique color options very refined interior with elegant design. And last but not least a “Z28” or why not make it a Z29 and go all out! Think new never before future, even electric?
Can’t sell something that wasn’t built most of the year.
That’s nothing but another excuse. Go back before the chip excuse and look at sales. You will see who is in last place then to.
True, this car was in trouble way before the pandemic. The car was a hit early on and they sold all those cars to the market. The market has moved on. There is nobody left. It is long overdue for a complete redesign.
Keep building small profit cars vs trucks that keep the company alive.. Look at the coupe market it’s down. The only good thing is the muscle coupes use pickup running gear to keep that market alive.
The Camaro has been in last place for a long time though. People use the chip issue as an excuse but in reality sales have sucked long before covid or chips were a thing.
Just like Mustang and Challenger was racing to the bottom at the same time. As said the SUV/truck market is keeping them alive..
Sure that’s fine but both of those vehicles have had significantly more sales even then. They were out selling it by what 20-30k units? I understand what you are saying but I am saying when the competitors are out selling you by even 20-30k units in this segment before any of the chips issues or covid that is a big deal.
These cars are toys and toys are fine but where I live you need AWD or 4WD…All the cars listed in this article except the Charger/Challenger don’t have AWD as an option for us northeast people which makes you have to have a second car for the winter. Besides all that this is a dying breed of car… Just like the personal luxury coupe back in the 70’s and 80’s… They made the last PLC in the 90’s and the sales looked like this. In fact I would rather have a nice big old two door car with luxury then these toys… And no not in any trim levels is the Challenger a personal luxury coupe!
I’d say a V6 or regular 5.7 R/T is on par with the Tbird/Cougar was in the ’90s.
Guestt the V6 5.7 Challenger but you just don’t have the nice big back seat that you can fit two or sometimes three people in. I remember in the early 90’s my family and I went to Disney w5n Florida… We rented a Tbird I had plenty of room in the back seat now my friend had a loner car from the Dodge dealership a 2017 Challenger I was just as cramped in that thing as in a mustang or Camaro.
I owned a 90s Tbird , the room in the Challenger is on par IMO.
Totally off topic. Yesterday in the limo pool at Logan airport a 2021 beautiful sparkling clean Escalade pulled up next to my well worn 08 Tahoe Hybrid. I heard the loud ticking from the Cadillac. The very well dressed limo driver employed by a very well known Limo service gets out and opens the hood. I say hey what’s up? He says it just started ticking and the check engine light came on. I could see his anguish on his face. I said listen dont worry I will shut off your CEL, I’ve got some marvel mystery oil it might stop the ticking. Cleared the light threw in some mmo and it kinda made it less obvious. The customer showed up the driver thanked me and away we went. My 08 Tahoe and my customers rattled away. It’s always good to help.
Cool story bro
@ Jake
I smell BS
Its styling lacks honest originality. It tries too hard – too many ‘look how cool I am’ elements competing for attention. Chevy needs to get a clean sheet of paper and start over with its design – but unfortunately it is too late for that.
Styling.
GM got it wrong. Too soft. Too foreign looking.
6th gen sales were poor even before the pandemic.
Nothing foreign looking about camaro. Just most bazaar opinion I ever read.ever think foreign auto brands copy US brands 1st and then everything looks like everything.Styling is great, practical not so much. Maybe GM missed having a charger competitor. Soon everything will be soulless EV and everything will be fast and styling will sell unless Toyota does the hydrogen thing.
I’ve literally tried to buy several 21/22 2SS convertibles, but have met issues at every turn.
When you call a dealer 5 times and explain you can’t just “stop by” to discuss the car, because you live out of state and that all you need is a price and you will come buy the car as soon as it shows up on the lot and the “sales manager” never calls you back or a dealer elects to not honor GM supplier pricing by claiming that GM will not let them do that or the dealer marks the car up $5000 over sticker it’s hard to sell a niche car like the Camaro.
It also hinders sales when the local dealer orders your car 22 weeks ago using the allotment that was due that day and Chevrolet still hasn’t confirmed the order.
GM is a SUV/Pick UP company… Sure they have the Corvette, that’s a Halo car.. I personally own a 2015 Z/28 and 2017 Z06, I loved the GM brand, but they have let the bean counters kill the company(Along with Mary).. Im looking at a Mustang GT Track Pack 2, great value in the car and runs great. The Blackwing has promise, but at 100k way out of the range of a Camaro driver.. GM used to be king… now they are the Jester..
Your right, I miss the olden days when GM had a performance version of everything. Having owned 6 Camaro’s they’ve become as others have said “TOYS”. I just can’t justify the high price tag on a toy and I think most can’t either. That’s why SUV’s and trucks do so well, but why can’t the Traverse get a performance version like the ST Explorer and the same for it’s entire line up. Also why doesn’t GM make a faux off road version of the traverse like Ford did. Id GM even awake at this point?
Nice car but GM’s financial staff is just too proud of it. The price for a nicely equipped one is obscene. Then again, so is a $100K Cadillac. You can’t sell something when it’s just too damned expensive for what it is.
The auto press seems unable to comprehend that the age of Dodge platforms and designs, do not matter to the muscle niche market that would probably be most happy with carry overs from 1960 if they were available. The new Stellantis would be wise not to introduce a Charger or Challenger replacement for at least four years not that the Fratzog has overtaken Mustang.
Dodge is getting right everything Pontiac and now Camaro got wrong. Chevrolet is lucky to have Corvette and this allows them to introduce an inexpensive yet fast EV for the 2024 model year. Seeing an price accessible and fast EV in muscle guise could do a lot for the acceptance of GM’s entire EV line up. Then again, GM will probably screw up it making it nothing more than a started up Bolt with fake air intakes.
I’m 49 so I’ve seen a few Camaros over the years and the last one I got excited over was the IROC Z. The thing GM needs to do is exploit the long heritage of the Camaro like Ford does with the Mustang. People buy heritage and Camaro falls flat in distinguishing the different models….or I’ve lost interest in the Camaro so much that I don’t care to see the subtle differences. Either way, the Camaro doesn’t generate any excitement for me like they used to.
GM seems to be last on every segment. This may explain why Toyota is on the cusp of surpassing GM in US sales. It looks as if GM is going to lose its 90 year US sales crown.
Akear… Toyota surpassed GM as the biggest car company in the world years ago… As far as sales go that’s what’s wrong with today’s cars, it’s not how beautiful they can design them it’s how many can we sell! Nothing is unique anymore I guarantee you if the Camaro took cues from an 80’s IROC Z28 especially with my generation wanting some of the 80’s cars again… Sales would increase enough of this baby Boomer retro 60’s look… It’s getting old even the new mustang moved away from it a little. Give that Camaro a retro 80’s look, hell make it a hybrid like the Vette as an option. Back when I was growing up you had everything sedans, coups, wagons, suvs, cuvs, sports cars, muscle cars… We need choice again…An AWD Camaro would go a long way in my opinion.
Glenn what’s up with you bashing Camaro constantly, it’s obvious you have nothing positive to say about anything. I would never give up my 5th gen for anything, you sound like you live a miserable life
Klaus the 5th generation Camaro was and still is a beautiful car… Some people can’t see that to have a Corvette engine, nice interior, retro but modern design is a surprise when it came out! Me personally I am a die hard bleed GM blue guy… But I just don’t like the 2022 from end the rest of car is gorgeous… But that from just no…. Make an 80s retro not copy of an IROC Z28, my generation would eat that car up and buy the image an IROZ Z28 with 450 to 500 HP… they could even bring back the Burlnetta, don’t know if I spelled that right. This is why past generation Camaros where so popular you could go from a V6 with luxury options to a V8 muscle car and even in the 70s they did not look all bad… The 90s was generation was the bubble style like everything else back then. Bottom line they need to redo do the Camaro if it was as beautiful as Corvettes then this would not be a problem.
I don’t think this is due to Leo sales. Quite frankly GM dropped the ball and missed getting on the yacht of increased performance.
Dodge is representing what true muscle power is in this day an age. Their numbers speak to the consumers, I mean come on GM you need to bumb up the engine specs on the 6.2. Mopars 6.4 is a different animal and has been more budget friendly for more consumers. I sure hope the Camaro doesn’t go away as I’ve had 3 but if I had to pick now I’d go with a scat pack charger.