Ford sold an impressive 4,082 units of the sixth-generation Mustang in South Africa since its introduction in 2016.
The true number of pony cars ever transacted in the country is unknown, however, only a handful of units made it into the country before the fateful launch of the sixth-gen model, as this was the first Mustang built in right-hand drive (RHD) and shipped to international markets in an official capacity.
As such, it’s certain that more than 4,082 Mustangs have been sold within our borders since the original’s debut on 14 April 1964, but probably not that much more.
An automotive icon
Honing in on the sixth-gen derivative, data provided by Ford shows that the first three years of sales performed swimmingly, after which popularity dropped by a considerable margin.
As per Ford, the annual sales of the Mustang between 2016 and 2024, and that of the total sports car segment in South Africa, were as follows:
- 2016 – 860 units
- 2017 – 898 units
- 2018 – 797 units
- 2019 – 305 units
- 2020 – 400 units
- 2021 – 283 units
- 2022 – 249 units
- 2023 – 239 units
- 2024 – 50 units
The high initial figures could be explained by the larger model variety and strength of the rand/US dollar exchange rate over the period 2016 to 2019.
Back then, the muscle car was available in fastback or convertible form; with a turbocharged 2.3-litre, four-cylinder powerplant or a naturally aspirated, 5.0-litre, V8; and in manual or automatic.
In total, buyers of the first RHD Mustang could pick and choose between six specifications ranging from R699,900 to R899,900.
2016 Ford Mustang Fastback 5.0 GT and Convertible 2.3 EcoBoost
The rollout of the facelifted variant in 2019 saw the line-up whittled down to five specifications starting at R768,000 and going up to R995,400, still inclusive of two 2.3-litre and three 5.0-litre entries with one manual between them.
It must be noted that one of these 5.0-litre models was the special-edition Bullitt which was the priciest of the lot and only sold in a limited run.
The following year the Covid-19 pandemic struck and the rand/US dollar exchange rate tanked. As a result, virtually all imported vehicles including the ‘Stang experienced drastic price increases.
Demand for the 2.3-litre also waned over this time, and by early 2021, the Mustang family in the local market consisted of two V8 models – a fastback and convertible – both automatic-only.
Both also went for well over a million rand, limiting their attainability to only the wealthier of individuals.
2019 Ford Mustang Fastback 5.0 GT
While living conditions have improved in South Africa since then, the sixth-generation Mustang became a bit long in the tooth after more than six years on sale and there were a wide variety of options on the used market at far more reasonable prices.
Consequently, it struggled to recover to pre-pandemic levels in 2022 and 2024, gaining just over 500 sales over the almost three-year period.
Despite a bumpy ride on the sales charts since 2016, the Mustang retained a demanding share in the segment of “traditional sports cars,” said Ford, which includes the likes of the Audi S5, BMW M440i, Nissan 370Z, and Toyota GR Supra.
The sixth generation accounted for an impressive 84% of all sales in this segment in its eight years on showroom floors, speaking volumes of the continued desire for the Mustang nameplate.
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