• by Karl Greenberg , October 9, 2008

Muscle cars are fast, but can they keep pace with changes in consumer auto habits?

Fritz Wilke, Mustang brand manager, says yes--partly because people who buy performance cars like Mustang or Dodge's Challenger and the forthcoming Camaro, for that matter, are buying them as second vehicles for fun and thrills. These consumers are a lot more interested in HP than MPG.

"One thing we have seen in that segment, and we have done clinics on this, is that [the market for] high-end sports cars and specialty vehicles isn't as sensitive to fuel prices and fuel efficiency," he says, adding that fuel efficiency won't be a central part of the marketing message for the new car, which comes out next spring. "We tell customers it's not about fuel efficiency it's about the promise the brand delivers: fast, fun and affordable."

Wilke says that the addition to the specialty market of Chevy Camaro and the new Nissan Z next year, and the Challenger, which went on sale last month, won't impinge on Mustang's share of the market, but will generate interest in the segment. "We are actually excited to welcome the main competition back into the segment," he says.

If there is a subsidiary fuel-economy message for Mustang, it is likely to be focused on the V6 version of the car, which Wilke says garners best-in-class fuel economy. "The V6 is a little different customer, for whom Mustang tends to be more of a daily-use vehicle, and would be used more often than the Mustang GT."

He added that there will not be a bifurcated message, with different versions of the car getting different campaigns appealing to commuters versus weekend drivers. "Mustang has one soul and comes in different speeds for every need."

While Wilke would not divulge marketing plans, he allowed that a traditional approach for Mustang is to do event and direct efforts through independent Mustang-enthusiast clubs. "They host multiple events every weekend, April through October; it's one great thing we have with this brand that other brands can't do."

Todd Turner, president of Car Concepts in California, notes that Dodge's Challenger is selling briskly. "I think there's still passion for these kinds of cars. No, it won't be big business model, but it's important to participate in. But it has to be a home run." He agrees that fuel efficiency isn't that important within the segment. "It's not an issue--and Mustang gets 25 to 30 miles per gallon, so it's not bad."