Muscle Car Sales Flat At 54,381 Units During Q2 2022
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While we already posted Chevy Camaro sales for the second quarter of 2022, what’s we’ll do now is show how the muscle car segment as a whole performed during the same timeframe.
Sales Numbers - Muscle Cars - Q2 2022 - USA
| MODEL | Q2 22 / Q2 21 | Q2 22 | Q2 21 | Q2 22 SHARE | Q2 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DODGE CHARGER | +2.94% | 23,020 | 22,363 | 42% | 41% | -8.65% | 38,459 | 42,103 |
| DODGE CHALLENGER | -3.28% | 14,558 | 15,052 | 27% | 27% | -14.81% | 25,682 | 30,148 |
| FORD MUSTANG | -16.48% | 12,258 | 14,676 | 23% | 27% | -17.86% | 26,244 | 31,950 |
| CHEVROLET CAMARO | +62.79% | 4,545 | 2,792 | 8% | 5% | +13.91% | 11,255 | 9,881 |
| TOTAL | -0.91% | 54,381 | 54,883 | -10.91% | 101,640 | 114,082 |
Muscle car sales were essentially flat during Q2 2022 in the United States, recording 54,381 deliveries for a less than one percent drop year-over-year, or just over 500 units less than what was sold during the same timeframe in Q2 2022.
The Dodge Charger remained the best-selling model in the segment at 23,020 units as sales grew three percent year-over-year. Its two-door brother, the Dodge Challenger, took second place with 14,558 deliveries, down three percent. The Ford Mustang (see running Mustang sales numbers) placed third place with 12,258 units, down 16 percent. The Chevy Camaro (see running Camaro sales) moved 4,545 units, with a segment-highest 63 percent jump in sales. That, however, was not enough to get it out of last place in the sales rankings.
From a segment share standpoint, the Charger led the segment with a 42 percent share, up one percentage point, followed by the Challenger, which maintained a 27 percent segment share. The Mustang posted a 23 percent share, down four percentage points while the Camaro was the only model to gain segment share at eight percent, up three percentage points.
Sales Numbers - Dodge Muscle Cars - Q2 2022 - USA
| MODEL | Q2 22 / Q2 21 | Q2 22 | Q2 21 | Q2 22 SHARE | Q2 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DODGE CHARGER | +2.94% | 23,020 | 22,363 | 61% | 60% | -8.65% | 38,459 | 42,103 |
| DODGE CHALLENGER | -3.28% | 14,558 | 15,052 | 39% | 40% | -14.81% | 25,682 | 30,148 |
| TOTAL | +0.44% | 37,578 | 37,415 | -11.22% | 64,141 | 72,251 |
It’s worth noting that the two Dodge muscle cars accounted for a cumulative 37,578 deliveries, accounting for a dominating 69 percent of the segment.
Sales Numbers - Muscle Cars - Q2 2022 - Canada
| MODEL | Q2 22 / Q2 21 | Q2 22 | Q2 21 | Q2 22 SHARE | Q2 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DODGE CHARGER | +76.43% | 1,168 | 662 | 35% | 19% | +80.69% | 2,340 | 1,295 |
| DODGE CHALLENGER | +6.00% | 672 | 634 | 20% | 18% | +14.37% | 1,202 | 1,051 |
| FORD MUSTANG | -37.35% | 1,206 | 1,925 | 36% | 55% | -24.18% | 2,016 | 2,659 |
| CHEVROLET CAMARO | +29.18% | 332 | 257 | 10% | 7% | -2.62% | 594 | 610 |
| TOTAL | -2.88% | 3,378 | 3,478 | +9.56% | 6,152 | 5,615 |
In Canada, muscle car sales fell 2.8 percent to 3,376 units. The pecking order was the same as it was for the U.S. – with the Charger and Challenger leading in first and second, respectively, followed by the Mustang in third and the Camaro in fourth.
From a segment share standpoint, the Charger earned 35 percent share, up from 19 percent in the year-ago quarter, while the Challenger held 20 percent, up two percentage points year-over-year. The Mustang held 36 percent share, down substantially from 55 percent during Q2 2021, and the Camaro had 10 percent, up from seven percent.
Sales Numbers - Dodge Muscle Cars - Q2 2022 - Canada
| MODEL | Q2 22 / Q2 21 | Q2 22 | Q2 21 | Q2 22 SHARE | Q2 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DODGE CHARGER | +76.43% | 1,168 | 662 | 63% | 51% | +80.69% | 2,340 | 1,295 |
| DODGE CHALLENGER | +6.00% | 672 | 634 | 37% | 49% | +14.37% | 1,202 | 1,051 |
| TOTAL | +41.97% | 1,840 | 1,296 | +50.98% | 3,542 | 2,346 |
The two Dodge models saw a cumulative increase of 42 percent to 1,840 deliveries, meaning that they accounted for nearly 55 percent of the segment’s sales volume.
Sales Numbers - Muscle Cars - Q2 2022 - Mexico
| MODEL | Q2 22 / Q2 21 | Q2 22 | Q2 21 | Q2 22 SHARE | Q2 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DODGE CHARGER | -28.91% | 359 | 505 | 52% | 58% | +26.46% | 693 | 548 |
| DODGE CHALLENGER | -3.92% | 98 | 102 | 14% | 12% | -12.88% | 142 | 163 |
| FORD MUSTANG | -5.93% | 222 | 236 | 32% | 27% | +9.42% | 395 | 361 |
| CHEVROLET CAMARO | -62.50% | 12 | 32 | 2% | 4% | -67.74% | 20 | 62 |
| TOTAL | -21.03% | 691 | 875 | +10.23% | 1,250 | 1,134 |
In Mexico, muscle car sales fell 21 percent to 691 units. The rankings follow those of the U.S. and Canada, with the Charger and Challenger placing first and second, respectively, followed by the Mustang in third, and Camaro in fourth. All models were in the red during the quarter.
From a segment share standpoint, the Charger held a dominant 52 percent share, down six percentage points, whereas the Challenger took 14 percent, down two percentage points. The Mustang earned a 32 percent share, up five percentage points, while the Camaro saw its share slip to two percent from four in the year-ago quarter.
Sales Numbers - Dodge Muscle Cars - Q2 2022 - Mexico
| MODEL | Q2 22 / Q2 21 | Q2 22 | Q2 21 | Q2 22 SHARE | Q2 21 SHARE | YTD 22 / YTD 21 | YTD 22 | YTD 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DODGE CHARGER | -28.91% | 359 | 505 | 79% | 83% | +26.46% | 693 | 548 |
| DODGE CHALLENGER | -3.92% | 98 | 102 | 21% | 17% | -12.88% | 142 | 163 |
| TOTAL | -24.71% | 457 | 607 | +17.44% | 835 | 711 |
The two Dodge models saw a cumulative 25 percent drop to 457 units, Even so, they still accounted for a leading 66 percent share of the space.
The GM Authority Take
Several factors beside ongoing parts and resource shortages, including but not limited to the global semiconductor microchip shortage, come into play to explain flat or decreasing muscle car sales. At the top of the list is the fact that buyers continue to favor pickup trucks and utilities (crossovers and SUVs) over cars in any form. Additionally, the migration toward electric vehicles continues to gain traction, especially as automakers introduce increasingly more models in all segments. Boosting this trend is the irony that EVs have higher levels of performance than their ICE counterparts. Until then, two of the Detroit Big Three have plans to keep the muscle car alive.
A teaser of the upcoming Dodge EV muscle car
The Dodge duo continues to maintain strong segment share despite both offerings being substantially older models. The brand’s (newest) parent, Stellantis, is not sitting still. In July of last year, it teased an electric Dodge muscle car planned for 2024, though it’s currently unclear if it will end up being the Charger, Challenger, or a new nameplate altogether. A Dodge spokesperson said that it wouldn’t sell “electric cars,” but “American eMuscle.”
Next-generation, 2024 Ford Mustang
And for its part, The Blue Oval has just revealed the next-generation 2024 Ford Mustang. Though it uses the outgoing Mustang’s general architecture, it will likely be the last Mustang with an internal combustion engine.
The current, sixth-gen Camaro is on its last legs, 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.
2022 Chevy Camaro LT1 Coupe
Unfortunately, the vaunted Camaro seems to have lost its luster since returning as a modern iteration of the original for the 2010 model year. The model that resurrected the Camaro, 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. That said, the electric Camaro sedan will likely end up being the electric Corvette sedan instead.
2024 Blazer EV SS
GM and Chevrolet aren’t sitting still when it comes to powerful EVs. In July, GM unveiled the 2024 Chevy Blazer EV, including the 557-horsepower 2024 Chevy Blazer EV SS. The first EV from Chevy to wear the SS badge, the upcoming Blazer EV SS is a performance crossover that the automaker proclaims has the “soul of a true sports car” and capabilities that “will surprise and delight” diehard Bow Tie brand fans.
The Blazer EV SS has “design and engineering developed to live up to the legacy of the iconic Super Sport performance designation” that it wears on its exterior. A standard performance AWD propulsion configuration delivers up to 557 horsepower and 648 pound-feet of torque in the crossover, enabling a zero to 60 mph time of under four seconds in the Wide Open Watts (WOW) acceleration setting. Other performance-focused features include a specific sport-tuned chassis and Brembo front brakes.
2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing (left) and 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing (right)
GM hasn’t fully forsaken ICE-powered performance cars just yet, instead making moves outside the muscle car segment. The General’s 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and 2022 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing luxury super sedans, now in their second model year, are more than capable of going head-to-head with the high(est) performance variants of the Charger, while delivering substantially more refinement, allowing them to compete on the world stage.
2023 Chevy Corvette Z06 (Corvette C8.R on left, convertible in middle, coupe with Z07 package on right)
Additionally, Chevy has also revealed a track-focused 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06 featuring the world’s most powerful naturally-aspirated V8, and it’s only the beginning of the C8 Corvette story. That’s because even more potent C8 variants are on the way, showing that America’s sports car has plenty of life. Alas, neither of these three models could be considered anywhere close to being an affordable, mainstream product like the Camaro.
While muscle cars as we know them may not stick around, new and updated models from all corners point to a future where performance-oriented vehicles are here to stay, whether powered by gasoline or electricity.
About The Numbers
- All percent change figures compared to muscle car sales for Q2 2021, unless noted otherwise
- In the United States, there were 77 selling days for Q2 2022 and 77 selling days for Q2 2021
- GM Q2 2022 sales reports:
- GM Q2 2022 sales U.S.A.
- Chevrolet sales Q2 2022 U.S.A.
- Cadillac sales Q2 2022 U.S.A.
- Buick sales Q2 2022 U.S.A.
- GMC sales Q2 2022 U.S.A.
- GM Canada sales Q2 2022
- Chevrolet Canada sales Q2 2022
- Cadillac Canada sales Q2 2022
- Buick Canada sales Q2 2022
- GMC Canada sales Q2 2022
- GM Mexico sales Q2 2022
- GM Mexico sales April 2022
- Chevrolet Mexico April 2022 sales
- Buick Mexico April 2022 sales
- GMC Mexico April 2022 sales
- Cadillac Mexico April 2022 sales
- GM Mexico sales May 2022 sales
- Chevrolet Mexico May 2022 sales
- Buick Mexico May 2022 sales
- GMC Mexico May 2022 sales
- Cadillac Mexico May 2022 sales
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- GM Brazil sales Q2 2022
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- GM Q2 2022 sales U.S.A.
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What seems to be forgotten in Detroit these days is that when muscle cars were introduced the cars were merely a trim level on an already established line of vehicles. For example, the 442 was a part of the Cutlass line which encompassed the F-85, Cutlass 2 door post, Cutlass 2 door hardtop, Cutlass 4 door sedan and Vista Cruiser wagon. It is the reach of these other vehicles that enabled the 442 to remain the “halo” car of it’s line up. Pony cars (i.e. the Camaro and Firebird) were another matter and were considered knock about cars for students and commuters at their lowest trim levels and only graduated to “muscle car” status at the very highest trim levels. Therefore, maintaining a entire line up of “only” high powered muscle cars is a “car guy’s” dream but does not really have a good business case. I hope that an important high-powered GM executive will read what I just wrote. I can only hope.
There used to be a time when one of these cars selling only 54K would have been a bad year and a cause for concern…..now thats what the whole segment sells even counting a sedan, which really shouldn’t count.
It’s really 32,250.
I will probably buy a Camaro SS with manual trans to stash before they quit selling them. My grandsons can auction it off after I’m gone. I am sure they WO be allowed to drive it.
Malibu SS? Imp…wait, never mind.
As Joe said,Malibu SS or bring back the Impala SS rear wheel drive and have a real muscle car line up.Also it’s time for a Camaro make over for something new in body style,say70’s styling.,(split bumper) be innovative and move on from this body style which has been used for 13 years!!!!
I ordered a new Camaro earlier in the year but it never came so after several months I cancelled it and bought a used one. Too bad Chevrolet for both of us.
Is this our current version of “build it and they will come” – “build them and people will buy them”? I’d like to see what numbers the Camaro and Corvette would actually sell right now if they could build enough of them.
Ordered a ZL1 6 months ago and still waiting for it to be picked up by GM. Sales are down because they can’t deliver what buyers want in any timely manner.
yea I agree. I have not seen any Camaros in dealership lots for a long time, and people who have the money or will to buy them can’t get them. If GM actually made more, I wonder if their sales numbers would be higher.
Also I’ve noticed that these pictures they take of the 6th gen Camaros are terrible. 6th gen Camaros look way better in person, they look wider and lower than the 6th gen Mustangs. But in pictures, they some how always pick the worst angle to take these pictures.
Yup, I will write a check if there are any to buy. Maybe I should start talking to my dealer now about a 2024!
The Charger needs to be removed from the list, might as well include the other vehicles with those motors so add in the Durango, Grand Cherokee and Ram if the Charger counts.
If the 4 door Charger counts, so should the Cadillac CT4V & CT5V and Blackwings. It would help if Chevy would build more Camaros and complete/ship the ones sitting around for months. We love my son’s 2017 Camaro RS (bought new after 18’s were out at $6200 off -remember those days?), 1LT, V6, A8, sunroof, Garnet Red tintcoat. I like the styling of the Gen 6 much better as they are not as boxy and a little lighter, but the Gen 5 started the comeback before the 2024 second death. The lack of visibility is greatly over exaggerated, especially if you know how to properly adjust and use mirrors.
That Blu ZL1 looks way better than any pony car competitor. Change the pulley size and retune, it’s a deep competitor and still cost less than its competitors in its class.
Audi and BMW seem to compete in this market with several models, sport to business that are very competitive at the 1/4 mile. IMO, this is eroding the pony market. I see so many of these cars now a days.
I will never get used to a 4 door “muscle car”, looking at you Charger. This count also includes all their models. Can you imagine how low these figures would be if you only counted V8 Camaros, Mustangs, and Challengers? Sad.