Take a Chance on Me? GM Incentivizes Mustang-to-Camaro Conversions

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Not happy with sales thus far this year, General Motors wants Ford Mustang owners to know there’ll be cash waiting for them should they wander into a dealer in search of a Chevrolet Camaro.

As 2019 draws to a close, GM’s pony car sits in third place in the niche segment’s sales standings. This, despite a 2019 model year refresh and a greater availability of four-cylinder offerings. Maybe a few grand will compel rival owners to make the switch?

It’s certainly possible it could sway a few. Until the end of the month, GM has $3,000 waiting for any Mustang owner or lessee who feels like picking up a ’19 model — a $500 boost from last month’s Mustang bribe, GM Authority reports.

The discount only applies to purchases, while non-Mustang owners or lessees can only expect a grand in customer cash.

Conquest offers are nothing new, but GM’s offer could help dealers clear the lot of 2019 Camaro SS models ahead of the release of the hastily made-over 2020 model. This is no small thing, as the 2020 SS model corrects a styling decision that saw the ’19 SS derided in many online circles. GM clearly listened in on some of those conversations.

Despite a 6.3 percent sales increase in the third quarter (4.6 percent for Chevy-badged models), the Camaro suffered with a 15-percent drop in the previous three-month period. Year to date, Camaro sales are down 7.6 percent. And, while the Mustang also recorded a 10.1-percent YTD drop, its volume outpaces Camaro by nearly 20,000 units through September. Dodge’s ancient Challenger fell 11 percent through September, but was actually up 21 percent in Q3.

Year-to-date sales of Fiat Chrysler’s pony car outmuscle Camaro by about 10,000 units.

[Image: General Motors]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Thalter Thalter on Oct 14, 2019

    Lead photo shows the (improved) 2020 model, which is a little misleading.

  • Dividebytube Dividebytube on Oct 14, 2019

    As a Mustang owner: Sorry, Chevy! I just don't like the little windows. The visibility of my 2014 Mustang is bad enough!

  • Dougjp Dougjp on Oct 15, 2019

    " greater availability of four-cylinder offerings " In a Camaro,thought to be a sales advantage? Now that's funny because all it does is deflate the brand.

    • Featherston Featherston on Oct 17, 2019

      I'm not sure, but I think Steph was referring to the fact that as of '19 you can get the 2.0T with the 1LE performance package (suspension goodies from the SS, if I'm understanding things correctly from the Chevy configurator). As to whether or not a 275-hp/295 lb-ft base engine deflates the brand, Maymar sums things up well in a comment above: "Not like the Mustang and Camaro haven’t spent their entire lives with the small engined variants setting the business case for the V8 models existing. Just, the small ones don’t suck any more. . . ."

  • Nrd515 Nrd515 on Oct 17, 2019

    I don't really care about the visibility, I don't see the problem. The problem is, it's just a hideous car with an unusable trunk, and seriously ugly interior. I haven't understood what GM was going for with it since 2010 when it was reintroduced. When the '16 car was announced, I got my hopes up, only to see they had somehow, someway, made it even uglier than it already was. A great car in a very ugly wrapper. As ugly as the present front end is, the back end makes it look pretty good. The back end is amazingly bad. The C8 is ugly too.

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