Challenger smokes Mustang in sales, VW's electric Bus due in March, Michigan's Milan Dragway rises again

[Hagerty]

Intake: Numbers don't lie: Even as the Dodge Challenger's Daimler-era platform soldiers on into year 14, the car is proving as desirable as ever. It just outsold the much fresher Ford Mustang by a count of 54,314 to 52,414-a 1900-unit trouncing.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/the-manifold/2022-01-07/

[Tim]

I feel like there's a little more to the Challenger/Mustang story than people suddenly taking more interest in the aging Challenger platform over its Mustang rival. It seems like the COVID chip shortage may have had Ford allocating some components that might have gone toward Mustang production to be used for production of more profitable vehicles. At least, that's what I would do if I were managing scarce resources.

[Reinhold_Weege]

Challenger sales are up every year since introduction (except for a Covid blip). Literally EVERY YEAR. The Challenger wins this battle because it covers pony car and musclecar territory. e.g., it has all the handling/power you'll ever need on the street, and its retro shape gives it a useful trunk and backseat. It's a man's car that women will also buy. The only trick Chrysler (literally, Chrysler) missed was not re-skinning a more elegant platform mate with a luxury interior and a $10k "working-class luxury" upcharge.

[Smasher]

I'm a little surprised at the small total for all of the 3 muscle cars.
With so many different models, it seems like a high cost to maintain. One has to wonder how long you can buy a new car like these when Ford sells more F150's per month than the total number of Mustangs in a year.
I checked the internet, and the sales are declining approx. 15% a year.
Better hurry to your dealer soon, they won't be there for long 😞

[Gary_Bechtold]

It's amazing that the Challenger is doing better year over year, especially given what is going on these days. But this has been a bad year for Ford due to chip shortages so I am sure that has also played into what is going on. How Dodge has managed to do well also probably has to deal with they keep energy on the vehicles with all the 1,000 special editions and advertising.  They advertise these things all the time. I haven't seen an advertisement for the Mustang or the Camaro at all recently.

[Rick2]

There are going to be a lot of people disappointed with the new "Microbus" VW has ruined the looks and made it the largest van in their fleet? Stupid.

[JSievers]

Yep. They turned a stylish runabout into a delivery truck.

[espo70]

Lets also not forget that the S550 is at the end of its life cycle with a lot of chatter around the new Mustang debuting soon this year. The Challenger, while longer in tooth, is soldiering on as is until they say no more. If I was Mustang shopping, I'd be waiting to see what's coming.

[SJ]

I like the Challenger and Camaro, though I am a Mustang fan/owner for decades. The Mustang still outsold the Challenger overall, the Mustang is sold globally, though not too many. I am thinking the high performance models put out by Dodge were very popular. It also has a useful back seat, it is a larger heavier car. Mega horsepower overcomes the weight penalty nicely. More people interested in the straight line than cornering prowess. The Shelby is just to expensive for the horsepower you get for most people. For many years Mustang outsold everything and with the least horsepower, alas I think that has changed. Course I could be way off to lol. I have driven all three pony cars.

[Smitty71]

Glad to see Milan will come. Being from Toledo we went there many times in the 70s. Fun fact.. got hit by a car in front of the track while going on a 2 week trip to upper Michigan. Riding a borrowed Schwinn 12 speed Continental. 115 stitches in the head later we decided to call it quits.