In 2009, the automotive industry continued to struggle with a downturn in consumer spending. With vehicle sales at all-time lows, and unemployment claims reaching record highs, some wondered if America’s automakers could stay in business. Bleak economic conditions had consumers on edge. As such, consumer spending was down when compared to previous years.

Government bailouts and Chapter 11 bankruptcy made headlines on an almost daily basis. America’s automakers, including Ford Motor Co., began searching for new ways to attract customers. This including conforming to new government guidelines such as President Obama’s updated CAFE ruling.

Highlights

* 2009 Ford Mustang Sales: 66,623 units
* Best Sales Month: May with 8,812 Mustangs Sold
* Worst Sales Month: January with 2,944 Mustangs Sold

A New Mustang
In November of 2008, Ford revealed their new 2010 Ford Mustang lineup. The lineup featured a completely redesigned exterior and interior, along with a 15 hp increase for the 4.6L GT Ford Mustang. The 4.0L V6 Mustang’s powertrain remained unchanged.

In the months that followed, sales of the Mustang remained at all-time lows. For instance, in January Ford sold only 2,944 Mustangs, down 55 percent from the previous year. February wasn’t much better, netting out at a total of 2,900 Mustangs sold.

Making the Deal Lucrative
In April Ford rolled out a buyer incentive program named the Ford Advantage plan. The program was designed to make payments for new Mustang buyers in the event they lost their jobs. This incentive, combined with 2009 model-year clearance deals at Ford dealerships across the country, resulted in the first big sales increase of the year. In April, Ford sold 7,699 Mustangs, more than doubling the number of cars they sold in March.

The best sales month of the year, however, arrived in May. In all, the company sold 8,812 Mustangs during this month. The increase in sales was likely a result of buyers stepping into the new 2010 Ford Mustang, which had just arrived at dealerships across the country. As with April, many dealerships continued offering special deals on 2009 inventory. The end result was a stellar sales month for the company.

Sales for the remainder of the year were anything but lucrative. In fact, sales declined steadily from June through November. In December, Ford finally posted a notable gain when they sold 6,527 of the cars for the month.

2009 Ford Mustang Sales Month-By-Month

# January:
2,944 Mustangs Sold
Down 55% From 2007 (6,545 units)

# February:
2,990 Mustangs Sold
Down 61.4% From 2008 (7,752 units)

# March:
3,711 Mustangs Sold
Down 63.5% From 2008 (10,180 units)

# April:
7,699 Mustangs Sold
Down 23.4% From 2008 (10,050 units)

# May:
8,812 Mustangs Sold
Down 8.5% From 2008 (9,633 units)

# June:
7,632 Mustangs Sold
Down 29.9% From 2008 (10,893 units)

# July:
6,686 Mustangs Sold
Down 37.6 From 2008 (10,711 units)

# August:
6,289 Mustangs Sold
Down 23.3% From 2008 (8,197 units)

# September:
4,917 Mustangs Sold
Up 0.1% From 2008 (4,910 units)

# October:
4,789 Mustangs Sold
Up 2.2% From 2008 (4,686 units)

# November:
3,627 Mustangs Sold
Down 1.1% From 2008 (3,667 units)

# December:
6,527 Mustangs Sold
Up 62% From 2008 (4,027 units)

Total Mustangs Sold: 66,623 units

The Road Ahead
Looking back, there’s no doubt 2009 was a rocky year. Tough economic conditions, as well as the introduction of the new 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, most definitely impacted overall Mustang sales.

The news that Ford will offer a 412 hp 5.0L GT Mustang in 2011, as well as a 305 hp V6, provided much enthusiasm for the upcoming model year. As such, the launch of the 2011 lineup in the Spring of 2010 is sure to keep things interesting. Will these new offerings give Ford the sales boost it's been looking for? We'll just have to wait and see.

 

I would love to see the numbers at the end of 11