The Ford Mustang may be a pony car, but it is out muscling the Dodge Charger on the sales charts in a big way. Ford delivered 28,725 through the fist half of 2026, while just 4,583 Chargers have found their way to customers, plus another 534 electric Charger Daytonas.
Internal combustion engine Charger production only started last December and was ramping up early in the year, but 2,911 of the deliveries came in the second quarter when 14,651 Mustangs were shipped. Mustang sales are up 22% so far this year.
The Mustang has the advantage of offering entry-level turbocharged four-cylinder $35,000 models, while the turbocharged six-cylinder “Sixpack” Charger starts at $50,000, which is closer to what the cheapest V8-powered Mustangs go for.
Dodge hasn’t indicated that a lower priced model will be added to the lineup anytime soon, but the introduction of at least V8-powered Charger appears to be imminent.
Dodge has confirmed that a Charger SRT is on the way, which will reportedly be powered by a supercharged Hellcat V8.
As for America’s other sporty car, Chevrolet sold 13,417 mid-engine Corvettes through June, which is a 6.5% increase over the same six months in 2025. An updated 2027 model with a new 6.7-liter V8 in the Stingray and revived Grand Sport will be introduced later this year along with an all-wheel-drive hybrid Grad Sport that combines the engine with a front electric motor and replaes the E-Ray in the lineup.
Next year, the Mustang and Charger will have a more direct rival from the bowtie brand, when the Camaro returns to the lineup. Details on what powertrains will be offered are still unknown, but American Cars And Racing has learned that the car will feature a four-door bodystyle. It is expected to be smaller than the full-size Charger, which is available in two-door and four-door versions that use the same body.
