Car Makers Have Gone Performance Mad And We're Buying Them Like Crazy

These days we’re bombarded with adverts for electric vehicles, hybrids and econo-boxes designed to save the planet in the most boring way possible. We’re left debating the future of the performance car in the face of evermore stringent emissions tests and pressure from the green brigade, but if the latest sales figures are anything to go by, we shouldn’t be worried just yet.

Automotive News is reporting that performance car sales have “outpaced global growth since the teeth of the recession in 2009.” According to Dave Pericak, director of Ford Performance, “Performance vehicle sales around the world continue to grow — with sales up 70 percent in the United States and 14 percent in Europe since 2009.”

That’s fantastic news, however it should come as no surprise; we’re in a golden era of performance vehicles right now. Ford Performance is the Blue Oval’s new performance arm, which recently announced the new Ford GT, Focus RS and Mustang models. This year will see a new Honda Civic Type R go on sale, and a new NSX is also nearly here.

Dodge recently had to suspend new orders for its 700bhp Hellcat models due to unexpected demand of over 9000 orders. And that’s just a few of the incredible performance cars on the market right now…

There are a few reasons why manufacturers are building these cars, despite tree huggers’ best efforts. Firstly, they usually offer higher profit margins than standard cars, and attract younger buyers. They also draw people to the brand - over 65 per cent of ST buyers have come from another manufacturer.

Another side effect is that a buyer might not be able to afford the Focus RS, for example, but a standard Focus might suddenly seem more appealing. There’s also the fact that these projects are fun for engineers, which make them highly motivated, and drives innovation elsewhere in the company.

The whole situation is nicely summed up by AutoPacific analyst Dave Summer, who told Automotive News:

“A few years ago, the government was coming out with new CAFE standards, and everyone was saying, ‘We’re all going to be driving these small cars with three-cylinder engines. Nobody will be able to drive a pickup truck, and nothing will make sense.’
“And here we are with Hellcats. Who would’ve ever thought?”

So next time you’re worried performance cars are dying out, remember these statistics. As long as there’s demand, manufacturers will find a way to get around legislation to supply them.