dos

I guess Mustang couldn't take the V6 Camaro making as much power as their V8 Mustang. Pretty impressive when your base models now start with 300 hp and get 30 mpg highway.

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/car...hotos_and_info

Wanna see a Ford guy wince? Call the Mustang V-6 a “secretary’s car.” This used to be a reliably fun way to annoy our hosts (or get a beer poured down our backs) at Mustang events, primarily because it was true: with its wheezy, old 4.0-liter V-6 putting out a wimpy-for-a-muscle-car 210 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque, the base ‘Stang couldn’t outrun a Honda Accord V-6. But it seems that our last jab has been made, now that Ford has announced that its 2011 Mustang V-6 will have its power juiced up by some 45 percent to 305 hp, with torque rising 40 lb-ft to 280.

All-New V-6: More Power, Higher MPG

The new, all-aluminum six-pot displaces 3.7 liters, with its signature feature being Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing), which Ford says allows for extremely precise overlap times during which both intake and exhaust valves are open. Simply stated, this allows the engine to operate optimally for hard-charging acceleration—a handy trait for pony cars—but then become more focused on fuel economy during low-load situations. Redline is now a nice, high 7000 rpm. Also helping in both performance and fuel-economy respects are newly fitted manual and automatic transmissions, both with six forward speeds.

Thanks to a frugal 2.73:1 rear axle ratio and tall top gears in both transmissions, fuel economy soars to an impressive 19 mpg in the city and a whopping 30 on the highway for the automatic—besting the segment’s current mileage braggart, the 304-hp Chevrolet Camaro V-6 and its still-impressive 29 highway mpg; fuel economy drops by one mpg to 18/29 for the manual-equipped Mustang V-6. Ford says that it has kept curb weight under 3500 pounds for the coupe, with the engine being 40 pounds lighter than the 4.0-liter it replaces, although the dual-exhaust system adds a few pounds back in (the current Mustang V-6 manual weighs in at 3421 pounds). Also noteworthy are larger brake discs, which have been upgraded to 11.5 inches in front and 11.8 in back, as well as retuned spring and damper rates. The steering components have been replaced by a new electrically assisted system, which offers gains in terms of efficiency but often results in a loss of road feel. Ford claims that the electric system will offer great feel and include tricks like road-crown correction. But we’ll have to see how all these “enhancements” change the overall character of the car.

More Competitive, Especially With New V-6 Performance Package

One thing is for sure: The old model left a lot of room for improvement. Ford made no mention of how much it figures acceleration times will improve, but as a point of reference, the last Mustang V-6 we tested, equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, hit 60 mph in a ho-hum (for a sporting car, anyway) 6.6 seconds. The comparatively porky 3807-pound Camaro V-6 can hit 60 in 5.9 seconds, while the 3492-pound Hyundai Genesis V-6 coupe is capable of doing the same trick in an even more impressive 5.5 ticks of the stopwatch. We would fire ourselves if we couldn’t get 0–60 times down into the mid-fives.

Indeed, we may be looking at a real class-beater if the Mustang V-6 in question is equipped with the newly available Performance Package, which comes with 19-inch wheels and Pirelli tires, a strut-tower brace, Mustang GT-sourced suspension and brake components, and a more responsive 3.31:1 rear axle ratio. On Mustangs thus equipped, the stability control features a “Sport” setting in which thresholds are upped for more tail-out shenanigans before shutting the party slide down.

Of course, the elephant in the room is the fact that with 305 hp, the new Mustang V-6 is within just 10 hp of the 4.6-liter V-8 that powers the current Mustang GT. How on earth will that play out, you ask? Well, those two engines may actually never be sold side by side, since we expect a commensurately enhanced 2011 Mustang GT to enter the scene around the same time as the new V-6 hits the market late next summer, rumored to be powered by Ford’s new “Coyote” V-8 displacing a nice round 5.0 liters and producing somewhere north of 400 hp. That should help maintain some distance between the two models.

Carryover Styling, Carryover Pricing?

Alas, come late summer, how will you be able to tell which Mustang V-6 is equipped with the new muscle mill and which one you can take down with your Acura TSX V-6? Look for a mildly refreshed front fascia (with darkened grille trim), tire “spats” on the rear wheels, and a new rear decklid seal. Otherwise, it’s identical. Good luck.

We don’t yet know how much Ford will ask for the 2011 Mustang, but what seems clear is that for the next Secretary Special, we’ll have to wait until Ford drops an EcoBoost four-banger into the Mustang’s long nose, which we expect to happen relatively soon after the V-6 goes on sale late next summer. Then again, if that engine turns out to be half as good as Ford’s EcoBoost V-6, we may just have to go back to making fun of Ford U.S. boss Mark Fields’s mullet.

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

great - a mustang with Vtec .....................YO !!!!!

rodjonathan

iTrader: (6)

lol i like the indicators on the new ones!!!

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

say what you want, but this sounds like a pretty decent car.

REsuperD

that's pretty good. still wish they put the ecoboost in the mustang. still, this w/ a track pack, pretty sweet

kvndoom

Doesn't seem that long ago that 300 horses out of a V8 was considered really good.

Flashwing

The mustang has always been cheap power and this isn't any exception.

8 Maniac

iTrader: (1)

Sounds pretty cool... but if they're giving the V8 a boost too, then that's going to be pretty impressive (assuming it doesn't jump in price much).

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

Once again, another reason to buy Ford stock. I used to marvel how everything out of the Ford camp used to be bad news but I've watched them closely for a long time now as they made smart plans.

Paul.

mscamp02

iTrader: (3)

smart plans but still just not a fan

Mazmart

iTrader: (12)

I'm not about to go out and buy a Mustang and I hate most Ford aspects to modern Mazdas (Not all) but I'm talking dollars and 'sense'. I watched as Bill Ford struggled and they dealt with cashflow problems and supplier problems and Union problems. I watched everything they did including all of Mark Fields' moves and the hiring of Alan Mulally and his bringing back the Taurus name. I watched as they began moves to improve fuel milage and to introduce the Fiesta worldwide including the North American market. I watched them refuse Government tax money.

I recommended to a friend that he buy Ford stock when it was $2.50. Check it's current value when you get as chance to see what kind of money my friend made. I bought something else that has doubled that I'm sticking with but I'm still planning on buying Ford at it's current level.

Paul.

mscamp02

iTrader: (3)

I think I may have to try and buy some stock from ford as well

REsuperD

+1

ford has made a very impressive comeback indeed, and some smart moves such as bringing over the fiesta and the little transit. i hope they keep doing well, and i'd buy their stock

Rosko350z

That's a sweet V6, but the 315HP V8 they are currently using is doing just fine in their war with Chevy and Dodge. Check this out...

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...tang_gt_page_4

Ford is going to seriously make the other two cars its b**ches in 2011 when they get their 400HP V8.

mscamp02

iTrader: (3)

as long as they maintain a relatively close price to what they are at now

EMart11b

iTrader: (5)

Seeing Ford do well makes me

The_Beast

Chevy shot themselves in the foot when they made the Camaro such an elephant. I mean, with the amazing engines that Chevy makes in a chassis weighing as much (preferably less) than the mustang, it would completely rape face. I think I've about given up on GM, sad as it is to say.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

I looked at a GT this weekend while my dad was looking at a new F250 (holy **** 58k for a pickup truck) and it looked mean but the interiors are just all wrong to me. But the performance is there for sure.

renesisgenesis

yeah when I started reading the article and read about a jump in horsepower of 45 percent, to over 300, I was shocked in a good way, (Extremely rare for a ford) to find that the displacement is actually going down. 3.7 liters and 305 bhp is actually somewhat respectable for a low end sports car.

I lol'd at the part about the high 7000 rpm redline though. It's like people feel sorry for american cars so they wanna give them credit that isn't due sometimes. If this were a european or japanese car, a 7000 rpm redline from a 3.7 v6 wouldn't be considered high, in fact, it might actually be considered a little on the low side really. The old 350z motors redlined at 7000 i think, and that engine is a slug, low revving and boring; suddenly say the engine is american and it's like wow 7000 rpms is so high!!!??? Pathetic and obvious that the writers feel sorry for them in a sort of "go out and get em tiger" kind of a way.

EMart11b

iTrader: (5)

You say some pretty stupid things sometimes rg.

rodjonathan

iTrader: (6)

i love my camaro lol ... but honestly unbiased opinion it handles better than the mustang and yes ive driven both ... and it weight about 350 more than the v8 and the v6s are about 250 apart not that big of a difference considering the camaro makes alot more power

mscamp02

iTrader: (3)

^I wouldn't say given up on GM because I see far more 2010 camaros than 2010 mustangs in my area....next year that may change because of the increase in hp but who knows till then

rodjonathan

iTrader: (6)

^ i havent ive been watching all the domestic carmakers lately and they really are stepping up their game the malibu, cts, new buick, taurus sho, mks, mustang are just a few to begin with theyre getting back on track and i think deserve credit for it.

kersh4w

iTrader: (3)

hahahaha. yes.

zoom44

I kinda wish they'd make a notchback so there was more headroom in the rear.

but wow the fastback is now a perfect reproduction of the 68 slope.

Now what you do is (like I said with the old engine) slip on a dual TC set up with a reflash from SCT etc and you have yourself a very very fun sleeper. make sure to leave all the
"this is a v-6 " markers in place