Not even the Chevrolet Corvette is immune to a sales slump.
Earlier this month, Ford idled its Mustang plant for a week following a dip in sales because the sports car had sold nine percent less this year compared to last. But Ford isn’t the only automaker seeing a drop in its sports car sales, as Chevrolet is also witnessing the same trend with its Camaro and Corvette. This year, Camaro sales are down 11 percent, while Corvette sales are seeing a 14 percent drop.
Porsche shoppers are turning their attention towards the company’s Macan SUV offering, with sales increasing 30 percent, while Porsche’s passenger car sales are down eight percent. According to Porsche spokesman Christian Koenig, the sales decline is due to replacement of the 911 and Boxster models, which caused shortages of inventory, as well as the anticipation for the new Panamera. The German automaker is confident that its sports car sales will rebound.
SEE ALSO: Ford Halts Mustang Production for a Week After Sales Plunge
Analysts believe that Baby Boomers in the U.S. are starting to age out of sports cars, but performance isn’t something they’re willing to give up. And that’s why sales of BMW’s M models and Mercedes-AMG are up, with M models seeing a two-percent increase this year. What’s more interesting, however, is that Mercedes-AMG notes its sales are up about 60 percent to almost 16,000 vehicles this year once you include its new lineup of SUVs.
So in other words, shoppers are giving up sports cars for high-performance crossovers and SUVs as they look for a different type of sporty driving.
[Source: Automotive News]
