Ford Mustang will be using a new, all-aluminum V6 engine for the base Ford Mustang, the company announced today. The engine is not only more powerful than the previous unit, but should also provide better fuel economy. The company will use a 3.7-liter, 24-valve Duratec engine that produces 305-horsepower and up to 380 ft-lb of torque. This is a huge power improvement over the 210-hp 4.0-liter V6 used on the 2010 model year, despite the current unit having a larger displacement.
"This overlap control via Ti-VCT helps us eliminate compromises in the induction and exhaust systems," said Jim Mazuchowski, Ford manager of V-6 powertrain operations. "Drivers are going to notice improved low-speed torque and increased fuel economy and peak horsepower. Plus, there are benefits they won't notice, too, such as reduced emissions overall, especially at part-throttle."
The flexibility allowed by Ti-VCT means Mustang V-6 customers will experience: -Better off-the-line launch feel, with plenty of the low-end "grunt" for which Mustang is famous. Ti-VCT can deliver up to a 5 percent improvement in low-end torque and a 7 percent improvement in peak power versus non-Ti-VCT-equipped engines. -Improved fuel economy at all engine speeds resulting in projected 19 mpg city/30 highway with six-speed automatic transmission; 18 mpg city/29 highway with six-speed manual transmission. Ti-VCT alone can account for up to a 4.5 percent fuel economy improvement over non VCT engines. -Lower emissions, with better control of NOx and HC throughout the range of engine operating speeds, reducing atmospheric pollution.
How the technology works As a DOHC design, the 3.7-liter V-6 uses two camshafts per cylinder bank - one to open the intake valves and one to open the exhaust valves. Traditionally, camshafts only have been able to open the valves at a fixed point defined during engine design and manufacturing. But with modern variable cam timing systems, the camshafts can be rotated slightly relative to their initial position, allowing the cam timing to be "advanced" or "retarded."
Mustang V6 Performance Package
In an effort to promote the sporty nature of this new V6 Mustang, Ford will also offer customers the option of purchasing a high-performance package for their V6 Mustangs. The package, which will become available in August of 2010, includes the following:
A 3.31 rear axle ratio for quicker off-the-line acceleration
Firmer Mustang GT suspension
19-inch wheels
Summer performance tires for improved grip
A strut tower brace for increased chassis rigidity
Unique electronic stability control calibration with sport mode for performance driving.
2011 Ford Mustang v6 Engine
Pricing and Build Details
The base V6 Mustang will cost you $22,995, while the well equipped V6 Premium will set you back $26,695. Ford says the 2011 V6 Mustang will be built at the Auto Alliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich. The new 3.7L V6 will be built at Ford’s recently retooled Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1.
No matter how good the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 2011 has looked on paper, the car has always fallen short in reality, not unlike LeBron and the Cavs. Part of the reason could be its live rear axle, a component junked by virtually every carmaker decades ago, and rightly so—it’s awfully hard to get a car to handle and ride optimally without an independent rear suspension.
But more important, perhaps, is that the supercharged truck engine stuffed under the GT500’s hood added weight to the front end of a car that was already nose heavy. The last Shelby we tested was more than 300 pounds heavier than a GT, and almost all of those extra pounds were over the front axle. Much as we enjoyed the 2007 to 2010 Shelbys, we didn’t like the way they overworked their brakes or understeered. They liked entering corners about as much as a pig enjoys being measured for an open pit. Plus, their engines suffered from heat soak during track work and wouldn’t produce full power during lapping sessions. About a year ago, a couple of Ford insiders told us that a fix was in the works for the Shelby’s recalcitrant behavior. “A lighter engine,” they murmured. When the 2011 Shelby GT500 was revealed at the Chicago auto show earlier this year, Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief nameplate engineer, and Hermann Salenbauch, director of advanced product creation and global performance vehicles, took us over to the car on the show floor and proudly lifted the hood. There, nestled in the engine bay, was an aluminum-block 5.4-liter V-8, topped by a Roots-type blower.
The engine is essentially a wet-sump evolution of the Ford GT’s (which was itself a dry-sump evolution of the SVT Mustang’s). The aluminum block is different, however: It features six-bolt, billet main bearing caps and Ford’s first use of “plasma transferred wire arc” liner coatings on the cylinder bores, which adds enough strength to get around using cast-iron liners and sounds awfully similar to what Mercedes-Benz started doing five years ago on its 6.2-liter AMG V-8. The GT500’s engine retains the same 90.2-millimeter bore and 105.8-mm stroke of the iron-block engine, as well as the 8.4:1 compression ratio. A larger, two-row intercooler is said to have 40 percent more cooling capacity than the single-row unit it replaces. The new engine makes 550 horsepower at 6200 rpm, an improvement of 10 horses over the 2010 GT500. Peak torque remains unchanged at 510 pound-feet, but it’s delivered 250 revs lower, at 4250 rpm. Most important, the new engine shaves 102 pounds off the iron-block V-8’s weight. Otherwise, the base 2011 GT500 is relatively unchanged compared with the 2010 model, except that it gets electric power assist for the steering instead of hydraulic boosting; even the spring rates are unchanged, though the new car is lighter than the old. Inside and out, it remains virtually the same, except there’s now an optional glass roof, standard high-intensity discharge headlamps, and a programmable key.
Also newsworthy for 2011 is the availability of an SVT Performance package ($3495). It features Goodyear’s latest Eagle F1 Supercar rubber, the G:2. The P265/40 front and P285/35 back tires mount on 19-inch front and 20-inch rear forged aluminum wheels, each one inch larger than the base GT500’s. To match the tires, Ford engineers increased the front spring rate by 20.5 percent and the rear by 9.5 percent, while lowering the ride height by 0.4 and 0.3 inch, respectively, compared with the base GT500’s. The engineers also modified the shock valving for stiffer damping and added a new front underbody-closeout panel and a shorter, 3.73:1 final-drive ratio. Externally, cars with the Performance package get narrower body stripes than the base GT500’s. Our test car came without stripes—they’re a delete option, and that would be our choice because the car still looks brawny but a bit more understated. Thanks to the new engine, the electric power steering, and the lighter wheels, the car we drove tipped our scales at 3751 pounds, 146 less than the last GT500 we tested. More important, the amount of weight over the front wheels has gone from 57.4 percent to 55.7 percent. This less porky GT500 also gets better EPA gas mileage—up from 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway to 15 and 23—making it the first GT500 to avoid a gas-guzzler penalty. The combination of less weight, more power, better tires, and a revised suspension turns the Shelby into the car it always should have been. At the test track, we recorded 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, 0 to 100 in 9.1 seconds, and the standing quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 117 mph. Our last 2010 test car ran those sprints in 4.5, 9.6, and 12.7 seconds, respectively. The 70-to-0 braking took 151 feet, an improvement from 165. Grip came in at an impressive 1.00 g, with far less understeer than the last car’s 0.91-g effort. Those numbers are right up with a Corvette Grand Sport’s and better overall than the last BMW M3 we tested. On the street, it’s now a much more coherent machine. The engine sounds sensational, with a malevolent snarl at high revs that’s enhanced by a muted whine from the supercharger. Power delivery is very linear, with meaningful thrust above 2000 rpm, and the shifter for the six-speed manual has short throws and a narrow gate with a positive, if somewhat notchy, action. Brake-pedal feel is superb and involving, but—despite being accurate and direct—the steering could use a little more weighting.
Still, this is the first GT500 that truly handles well. It turns in crisply and is satisfyingly neutral unless you take a 90-degree bend with the stability system turned off or the road is wet, in which case, the back end slides in a controllable manner that will impress your more juvenile friends. On dry roads, in third gear and beyond, the back end stays planted. Surprisingly, despite the antediluvian rear axle, it rides quite comfortably and isn’t upset by midcorner bumps. The goodness doesn’t come cheap. The Shelby GT500’s base price is $49,495, which grew to $55,330 on our test vehicle with the addition of the SVT Performance package—a must-have in our minds—and the Electronics package (voice-activated navigation system, high-definition and satellite radio, and dual-zone electronic climate control). Fully loaded, the Shelby can reach $57,700, which is a lot of money for a Mustang.
Then again, the Shelby’s only real competition comes from within its own ranks. The Shelby positively slaughters rival pony cars from Chevy and Dodge. A Corvette is a sports car and not directly comparable, no matter how often we do so. And while an M3 lines up on price and performance, that car plays to a markedly different audience. Lurking in the background is another Ford Mustang that’s almost as fast, handles just as well, and costs a comforting 20 grand less. Unless you’re a complete Mustang nut who has to have the biggest of the breed in the garage, a GT—particularly now, with the new 412-hp, 5.0-liter V-8—will give you most of what the Shelby offers. It’s a bit like the Cavs: Was it really a good idea to spend all that money to get Shaq? (http://www.caranddriver.com/)
Blue was, for most of my life, my favorite color. Three of my cars were blue. But there is something about Ford's Grabber Blue that really doesn't work for me. It's hard to explain...it photographs better (see above) than it looks in person. At least to me. And, apparently, to several other people who've mentioned "that hideous, cheap shade of blue they're painting Mustangs in now" to me.
That's probably sacrilege in Dearborn, where Ford is headquartered. In fact, I understand what it is they like about Grabber Blue. They identify it with this:
That is the 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429. Built solely for the purpose of making its monster 429 cubic inch, 375 horsepower (a deceptively low number quoted by Ford...reality was more like 500hp) engine eligible for NASCAR racing in the midsize Torino, it was very likely the hairiest, most brutal muscle car of its time...and given that the era was ending...it would stand as the ultimate example of brute power until the arrival of the Dodge Viper more than 20 years later.
They built them in 1969 and 1970....but in 1970, one of the new colors available was Grabber Blue. And it seemed like any Boss 429 in the buff books of the day was a Grabber Blue model. At age 14, that seemed like a lot of cars. Now I know it was probably one or two getting shipped around to the fortunate few journalists allowed to test it.
In 1970, only 500 Boss 429s were built and only some of those were Grabber Blue. I never saw one in person until decades later at Barrett-Jackson. But I saw plenty of these:
And these:
So many, in fact, that when I see Grabber Blue, I think of Mavericks and Pintos, not Boss 429s. And that's probably true of most of us old enough to remember the 70s.
So do this: Get your new 2011 Mustang V6 convertible in a color other than Grabber Blue.
My God, these guys at Ford have found the afterburners. They've updated and refined the existing Mustang, and fixed the biggest problem with the six...power...while delivering epic gas mileage.
The 2011 V6 has 305 horsepower....one more than the '10 Chevy Camaro V6. And they've won the mileage wars, too...EPA estimates 19 city/31 highway to the Camaro's 17/29.
And the best part comes when you get behind the wheel. The tweaked interior is better put together and made of better materials than last year's. It's smoother and more contemporary, while still giving you that little flash of '60s era Mustang.
Driving? Well, 305 horsepower was Mustang GT territory before....so this gets up and runs...and Mustang has a major edge on the Camaro and Dodge Challenger because it's smaller and lighter...it simply handles better.
The convertible? You can intellectualize all day long about how the fixed-roof Mustang is the way to go in terms of structural rigidity and blah, blah, blah....
It's gorgeous. Pretty women turn and smile. Drive it two blocks on a sunny day and you'll want one. And now, no one will bust you for cheaping or wimping out and going with the V6.
Base price for the V6 convertible: $30,845. As tested (Mustang Club of America Package, 6-speed automatic transmission, 3:31 ratio axle, security package and HID headlamps), $35,000 including delivery.
Chevy intends to fix the power deficit in its 2011 Camaro, but they're stuck with the excess weight. Hands down, the Mustang is the better drive among the new-gen six-cylinder pony cars.
Can't wait to drive the 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 (hint to Ford PR).
So you want a Dodge Challenger, but can't swing either the price or insurance or gas for the Hemi-powered R/T or SRT-8?
$750 buys you the cosmetics that will make your six-cylinder SE look pretty darn good.
It's called the Rallye Group. 18" aluminum wheels, a bright fuel filler door, dual stripes, a carbon-fiber looking bezel on the instrument panel and a body-colored rear spoiler.
Our tester was just as you see above...bright silver metallic with black stripes. It actually got more admiring looks than the last red Challenger that came through...possibly because those are seen so often.
Best part of the deal is the SE's base price of $22,735. Second best is the gas mileage: 17 city/25 highway. If you can restrain yourself to the SE with the Rallye package, you'll come in around $26,200 with destination charges. But the tester Dodge sent loaded it up...Preferred Package 250, Sound Group, Leather Interior Group, Power Sunroof, Media Center....running the tab up to $31,175.
With my own money? Maybe the Sound Group for $645 (the media center is $1775 and while the hard drive and steering wheel controls are nice, most of that money is for a nav system...and I'm on the record as saying those are never money well spent....not when your cell phone probably has GPS mapping)...which would land just this side of 27 large.
At only 250 horsepower, you will get smoked at the stoplights by six-cylinder Camaros and Mustangs (and that's just the 2010 models...not the steroid sixes in the 2011 models)...but if it's looks you're after, this is pretty sweet.
Full details (how they did it, new colors, a heads-up display and production date) from the GM press release here....and discussion on the GM Inside News forums here.
Upgrade your Mustang from a stock hood with aftermarket Mustang hoods from AmericanMuscle.
The legendary pony car battles of the 1960s usually centered around the most powerful V8 versions.
Things change in 40 years. The 2011 Mustang V6 hits showroom floors next month with 305 horsepower...exactly one more than the Chevrolet Camaro six.
Not enough to move your needle? Ford figured. So they're pricing the 'Stang six at $22,925...$535 below the Camaro's base price.
Don't expect this to stand, though...GM's already reportedly at work on bumping up the output of their six-cylinder engine, and we could see a price war here as well.
Give your Mustang an aggressive look with a Mustang chin spoiler from AmericanMuscle.
