1st Thousand UK Ford Mustang Buyers Prefer the V8, Manual, Coupe and Red Paint

The 2016 Ford Mustang is the first produced at the factory in a right hand drive configuration, leading to strong sales in the UK and with more than a thousand new Mustangs delivered thus far, we have a brief breakdown of the most popular features.

According to Ford Motor Company, the new right hand drive Ford Mustang has proven to be very popular in the UK, with more than 3,500 orders and more than a thousand vehicles delivered through the first few months of shipments of cars coming off of the boats. Every Ford Mustang sold in the world is built in Ford’s Flat Rock Assembly Plant, just south of Detroit, and while popularity of the new pony car has remained high here in the US – buyers in these right hand drive markets are rushing to snatch up every car that comes off of the boat.

Now that the Ford Mustang has hit the milestone of 1,000 units delivered in the UK, the Motor Company has put together a list of some of the most popular options and the take rates for those features.

Most Popular Features in the UK
The most surprising statistic among Ford Mustang buyers in the UK is that more than two-thirds (68%) have gotten their American muscle car with the 5.0L V8. Gasoline is far more expensive in Europe than it is in the US, so it is expected that the turbocharged 4-cylinder – which delivers class-leading fuel economy and solid power – will eventually be the preferred engine option. However, in the early stages of British sales, the car that we know as the Mustang GT is outselling the turbo-4 by a rate of two to one.

Next, and not as surprisingly, the Ford Mustang coupe is outselling the convertible in the UK by a rate of four to one, with 80% of buyers preferring the fixed roof muscle car. Also, while the manual transmission was only a touch more popular than the automatic transmission (54% manual), buyers in the UK want to row their own gears.

Finally, Race Red has been the most commonly ordered color in the UK for the new right-drive Mustang with 20% of the share, followed closely by Magnetic Silver at 17% and Shadow Black at 15%.

While the Mustang GT (V8 model) is the leader by a comfortable margin right now, that is often the case with a performance vehicle. During the initial rush, we are more likely to see enthusiasts who want the big power and a clutch pedal in the US, and it looks like those trends are similar for the UK. Over time, I would expect to see the turbocharged 4-cylinder catch up to the 5.0L V8 – but with manual transmissions being more common in Europe, the transmission mix isn’t likely to swing much as more people buy the fuel-friendly 4-cylinder mill.

Image: Ford UK