Automotive Rivals: The Pony Car War Rages

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Ask any ten enthusiasts what two cars epitomize the concept of an automotive rivalry and at least nine of them will instantly conclude the Chevrolet or Chevy Camaro and the Ford Mustang, two cars that make up part of a small automotive segment known as Pony Cars. These fire-breathing leviathans of the street snarl with guttural reverberations boastfully announcing their presence with the mere turn of key. For nearly five decades, these mechanical beasts have captured the imagination of the American driver and ignited the most contentious debate in automotive history: Which car reigns supreme? Muscle car buffs waste no time quoting sales figures, vehicle performance, track times, or even mundane statistics like vehicle dimensions or available colors to simply justify their support for one model over the other. As this debate rages on, the makers of these brutes fan the flames through targeted marketing strategies, consumer promotions, pricing strategies, and creative advertising all in effort to win an automotive war the likes of which have never been seen or fought before (Davenport, 2013). Promoting Monsters to the Masses Taming the wildest of these bucking broncos is not for the faint of heart as certain iterations of these freaks of nature pack more than the combined power of 500 of their animal name sakes. With such ridiculous levels of performance, clearly geared at a small percentage of owners capable of controlling such ferocity, Ford and Chevy are left with the daunting task of developing a marketing strategy that attracts a larger consumer base capable of profiting from an otherwise niche product. The strategies employed by both manufacturers encompass many similar aspects both of which ultimately convey a similar... ... middle of paper ... ...changed politics. Retrieved from http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/07/how-obamas-internet-campaign-changed-politics/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 Morgan, M., & Magnante, S. (2003, November 14). Lose weight now part ii!. Retrieved from http://www.hotrod.com/howto/113_0310_weight_reduction/ Reich, H. (2005, June 6). Mustang sally nails the female market. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/06/AR2005060601397.html Stoklosa, A. (2011, December 5). Ford racing announces 2013 mustang cobra jet drag racer, only 50 to be produced. Retrieved from http://blog.caranddriver.com/ford-racing-announces-2013-mustang-cobra-jet-drag-racer-only-50-to-be-produced/ Woodyard, C. (2013, July 3). Ford mustang outsells rival chevrolet camaro. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/driveon/2013/07/03/ford-mustang-chevrolet-chevy-camaro/2485307/

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