The Ford Mustang is once again the world's best-selling sports coupe, the automaker announced last week in a press release. That claim is based on Ford analysis of 2021 registration data from S&P Global Mobility.
This is the seventh year in a row that the Mustang has claimed the best-selling sports coupe title. However, Ford didn't mention a three-peat as best-selling sports car, a title the Mustang claimed in 2019 and 2020.
While it remained the best-seller globally, the Mustang was also beaten by the Dodge Challenger in U.S. sales in 2021. Dodge sold 54,314 Challengers here in 2021, about 3% more than the previous year. Ford sold 52,414 Mustangs, down 14.2% from 2020 and actually the lowest annual total in the nameplate's history.
2022 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Stealth Edition
Ford said its own internal data shows that the U.S. represents 76% of the global market for the Mustang. Other markets saw growth in Mustang sales in 2021. New Zealand sales were up 54.3%, Brazil sales were up 37.3%, and sales in South Korea increased 16.6%, according to Ford. Global customer retail orders nearly doubled in 2021 compared to the previous year, the automaker said.
While definitely not a coupe, the Mustang Mach-E electric crossover had a strong 2021 by Ford's standards. Ford sold 27,140 vehicles in what was the Mach-E's first full year of production. That made the Mach-E the second best-selling electric SUV in the U.S. in 2021, behind the Tesla Model Y, Ford said.
Mustang updates for the 2022 model year are minimal. Ford added a handful of special editions—including the Ice White, Shelby GT500 Heritage Edition, California Special, Coastal Limited, and Stealth—as well as eight new color options. A redesign is expected soon, likely for the 2024 model year.
