Are sports cars an endangered species in the automotive world?

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The constant changes in global consumer tastes for cars have slightly changed the automotive landscape in recent years. Light vehicle demand continues to be challenged amid a possible global recession, but there is one particular segment close and dear to the hearts of struggling enthusiasts: sports cars.

The numbers are very clear. Over the past seven years, global sales of sports cars, including coupes, convertibles, supercars and hypercars, have fallen 34 percent. In usual numbers, that’s down from 570,000 units in 2015 to just 375,000 units last year.

Thus, we can determine the decline is not just a result of the pandemic, as the decline began in 2016 and accelerated in 2020. Last year, sports cars recorded their lowest sales since at least 2014, which is what our research suggests. Motor Number1 cut starts.

Demand Drops in China

The main reason for this troubling situation is the lack of interest from Chinese consumers in this type of car. In contrast to sales of strong sedans and SUVs, or even MPVs, sports cars have barely managed to attract the attention of Chinese buyers. That’s a big deal considering it’s the largest auto market in the world.

Sports cars will only account for a fraction of China’s light vehicle sales in 2021, totaling 18,000 units. Compared to the 9.73 million SUVs and 8.38 million sedans sold in the region, 18,000 is not even a drop. Without China, sports cars are destined to become a smaller niche segment than they already are.

However, sports cars are still a pretty strong seller in the United States, which is by far the largest market segment. In 2021, American consumers will buy nearly 220,000 sports cars, down 3 percent compared to 2020 but with a larger share than China. US volume accounts for 59 percent of global demand for these vehicles, followed by Germany and Japan.

Sports cars also have problems in Europe. Demand in 2021 stood at nearly 71,000 vehicles sold, a 9 percent drop compared to 2020. However, that equates to less than 1 percent of total registrations.

Obviously, the SUV boom was a major factor in the decline in sports car sales. While these vehicles are not direct competitors, the arrival of coupe SUVs such as the Porsche Cayenne Coupe and high-performance models such as the BMW X5 M has derailed sales of traditional coupes and convertibles. Last year, 3.05 million SUVs with coupe-like styling and/or high-performance engines were sold, an increase of 19 percent.

American Cars Lead the Way

Ford and Dodge lead by a wide margin thanks to the popularity of the Mustang and Challenger. Popularity in the US fueled success, but the Ford Mustang was the most popular sports car in the world with 69,600 units sold. The Dodge Challenger came in second, but Porsche still caught the eye on the global stage by taking third place. The Chevrolet Camaro continued its decline but still made the list, joining the Corvette whose volume increased 53 percent.

In the case of Porsche, most of the sales have come from the iconic 911, which continues to perform well with buyers. Mazda increased delivery of the MX-5, Ferrari impressed with the Roma, Lexus with the LC, and Aston Martin with the Vantage.

The question remains: will this segment survive increasing emissions regulations and industrial electrification without a sizable contribution from the Chinese market?