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Part of the reason why Ford is expanding the Mustang name to EVs and possibly a 4-door sedan is that the average age of Mustang owners is on the rise.
www.musclecarsandtrucks.com
Ford Mustang Buyers Are Getting Older
“The demographic is, yeah, they’re getting older,” said Owens. “The baby boomer generation that remembers the 60s fondly… it isn’t substantially getting larger, but it’s more about that psychographic, that type of personality that buys the Mustang, and that’s not age dependent.”
Now that isn’t to say that the Ford Mustang isn’t interesting to younger people. We’d argue that part of the reason that muscle car owners are getting older comes down to the price point at which these things trade hands. An EcoBoost Mustang isn’t terribly expensive by any means, but we all know that it is the V8-powered models that drive enthusiasm. A base model GT now starts at $36,120, which may be a hard pill to swallow for those entering the workforce or starting their families. Add in higher insurance premiums and things get pricey quick. And while a Ford Mustang is surely not entirely impractical, the two-door coupe isn’t as accessible as similarly priced sedans and crossovers. Ford is aware of this, and even refers to the Mustang in terms that highlight this issue.
The Ford Mustang Is A Life Stage Vehicle
“Mustang is a life stage vehicle… there’s a time in your life where a Mustang just isn’t that practical for you,” said Ownes. “Now, a Mach-E can change that… it’s more of a life stage. You come into it, then go to what you need for your life, then come back into a Mustang later.”
Perhaps then folks are missing out on that early stage of ownership that Owens is referring to, and are instead only coming to the sports car later down the road. That could be problematic for the muscle car as we move forwards however, as fewer young enthusiasts have experiences with the car. Without getting younger people interested in or behind the wheel of these machines, keeping them around will be harder to justify. It’s nice that Ford wants the Mustang Mach-E to be that “every man’s” vehicle, but what if that costs us the coupe in the long haul? Nobody really wins in that scenario, particularly the Ford Mustang that we all love.
FORD MUSTANG BUYERS ARE GETTING OLDER, AND THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM
MC&T sat down with Jim Owens, Marketing Manager for the Ford Mustang, to discuss the demographics of the average buyer of the muscle car.
www.musclecarsandtrucks.com
Ford Mustang Buyers Are Getting Older
“The demographic is, yeah, they’re getting older,” said Owens. “The baby boomer generation that remembers the 60s fondly… it isn’t substantially getting larger, but it’s more about that psychographic, that type of personality that buys the Mustang, and that’s not age dependent.”
Now that isn’t to say that the Ford Mustang isn’t interesting to younger people. We’d argue that part of the reason that muscle car owners are getting older comes down to the price point at which these things trade hands. An EcoBoost Mustang isn’t terribly expensive by any means, but we all know that it is the V8-powered models that drive enthusiasm. A base model GT now starts at $36,120, which may be a hard pill to swallow for those entering the workforce or starting their families. Add in higher insurance premiums and things get pricey quick. And while a Ford Mustang is surely not entirely impractical, the two-door coupe isn’t as accessible as similarly priced sedans and crossovers. Ford is aware of this, and even refers to the Mustang in terms that highlight this issue.
The Ford Mustang Is A Life Stage Vehicle
“Mustang is a life stage vehicle… there’s a time in your life where a Mustang just isn’t that practical for you,” said Ownes. “Now, a Mach-E can change that… it’s more of a life stage. You come into it, then go to what you need for your life, then come back into a Mustang later.”
Perhaps then folks are missing out on that early stage of ownership that Owens is referring to, and are instead only coming to the sports car later down the road. That could be problematic for the muscle car as we move forwards however, as fewer young enthusiasts have experiences with the car. Without getting younger people interested in or behind the wheel of these machines, keeping them around will be harder to justify. It’s nice that Ford wants the Mustang Mach-E to be that “every man’s” vehicle, but what if that costs us the coupe in the long haul? Nobody really wins in that scenario, particularly the Ford Mustang that we all love.
