The Dodge Challenger is eleven years old, but it’s not slowing down in its twilight years.
As noticed by the Detroit Free Press, the Challenger managed to outsell the newer Chevrolet Camaro in the first quarter. The lead isn’t massive, but Dodge sold 13,431 Challengers in the United States which put it ahead of the Camaro which only sold 12,083 units. Unsurprisingly, the Ford Mustang was once again the best seller as the Blue Oval moved 16,917 pony cars.
Despite coming in third, it’s not all bad news in Camaro land. The muscle car received a facelift for 2019 and sales have increased from this time last year. Speaking of 2018, it was a particularly brutal year for the Camaro as Chevrolet only managed to sell 50,963 units in the US. This put it far behind the Challenger (66,716) and Mustang (75,842).
Chevrolet obviously doesn’t want a repeat of that performance and GM’s Lauren Langille told the paper “we’re determined to compete” and the company expects “continued strong momentum throughout the rest of the year.”
Despite being the oldest car in the segment, the Challenger has done surprisingly well as Carsalesbase data shows sales have hovered at around 65,000 units annually for the past four years. That’s not a huge number, but Challenger sales have remained steady unlike the competition. Camaro sales have dropped every year since 2014 and Mustang sales have fallen annually since 2015.
High-performance variants – such as the Demon, Hellcat and Redeye – are usually credited with helping to boost Challenger sales, but Dodge suggested the reasons for the model’s continued success are more basic. According to their research, the Challenger’s adventurous color palette and roomy interior are some of the reasons shoppers opt for the model instead of the Camaro or Mustang. The Challenger is also the only muscle car to offer all-wheel drive and that helps to increase its appeal in colder climates.
