The Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang together outsold all hybrids in the U.S. market for the month of May. With fuel prices skyrocketing and the cost for a gallon of gas around $4, many would think this is absurd. However with advancements in technology, the fuel economy efforts by GM, Ford and Chrysler have made these models far more efficient than in the past. And besides, Spring is the perfect season to buy a summer toy.
The 2012 Camaro lead muscle car sales in May 2011, with the introduction of the convertible model, selling 9,451 units. This is a gain of 5% over May 2010, however 10,000 Camaros were sold in April, so there was a slight decline from the previous month. The 2012 Mustang came in second place selling 4,407 units which also suffered a 36% decrease over May 2010. The 2012 Dodge Challenger came in third place with 3,418 units sold in May. Even with the slump in sales for May, a total of 19,476 Challengers, Camaros and Mustangs were sold compared to 17,852 hybrids sold in the U.S.
The Earthquake in Japan prevented vehicles from coming into the US and this needs to be taken into consideration when looking at these numbers, but it is still amazing that with gas this high, many Americans are not ready to let go of their favorite muscle cars.
