2024 U.S. Sales
Sports car enthusiasts who follow the market are probably aware sales are down and not getting better. After reading an article from Road & Track, I was shocked just how bad it is. All sports car sales (regardless of price) were down about 13% in 2024 when compared to 2023. If you focus on affordable sports cars, the numbers are shocking. By the end of 2024, the average new car price was about $49,000. I defined affordable by looking at sports cars with a starting MSRP below $40,000. In the chart below, I’ve included the top four vehicle sales (regardless of type) and the top four sports car sales (affordable).
Miata is NOT the Answer
Yes, it’s hard to read those specks on the chart for the sports cars. Here are the figures: Mustang – 44,003; GR86 – 11,426; Miata – 8,103; BRZ – 3,345. After compiling the list, I realized that ALL vehicles included in the chart above have a starting MSRP below $40k. It’s pretty simple. Americans want big trucks or small SUV’s. No surprise there. What was surprising is that the Mustang is #1. I know, I know. The Miataholics out there will cry, “That’s not fair! Those Mustang figures include the more expensive V8 models!” Well, according to Ford the 4-cylinder models made up about one third of sales. That means the Ecoboost Mustang is still #1 at about 14,500 vehicles. Over 80% more than the Miata. Merica FTW!
Conclusion and Speculation
While there are options available today, the vast majority (something like 98%) of the U.S. buying public isn’t interested in affordable sports cars. We’re probably ten’ish years away from there only being one or two models available. Automakers just can’t justify the expense of developing a car that only sells ten thousand units a year (probably taking 15-20 years to recover the development costs). While this is bad news for those looking to buy something new, this is future good news for those that already own a sports car. With very few affordable new sports cars available, buyers will have to turn to used examples. Did I mention I have a ’99 BMW Z3 Coupe for sale?