2011 Ford Mustang V6 to undercut rival Camaro on price

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2011 Ford Mustang V6 to undercut rival Camaro on price

03/25/2010, 8:37 AMBY ANDREW GANZ

With a starting price of $22,995, the 2011 Ford Mustang V6 will undercut its Camaro arch rival by $535 when it goes on sale soon. Featuring an all-new 3.7-liter V6 powertrain that pumps out 305 horsepower, the 2011 Mustang V6 will be rated at a class-leading 31 mpg on the highway with its optional six-speed automatic transmission.

The Mustang takes the title of first car in the world to achieve over 30 mpg on the highway while producing over 300 horsepower – an impressive figure that would have been impossible to imagine with the Mustang’s outgoing 4.0-liter V6. With the base six-speed manual, the Mustang is rated 29 mpg on the highway, while both transmissions are rated at 19 mpg in the city.

The new Mustang V6 might have shed 0.3 liters of displacement, but it gained 95 horsepower and 40 lb-ft. of torque over the rather long-in-the-tooth existing 4.0. Now mated to a pair of new six-speed transmissions – automatic and manual – the V6 is not only more efficient, but faster than ever.

The 3.7-liter Ti-VCT all-aluminum DOHC V6 features lightweight aluminum as opposed to an iron block for weight savings and twin independent variable camshaft timing to allow for adjustments to the valvetrain in microseconds. Ford also made numerous minor tweaks, such as further polishing internal components of the engine for reduced drag and engine wear, which resulted in boosted power and fuel economy.

To produce the V6, Ford recently announced a $155 million investment into its Cleveland engine plant.

Ford also will offer a suspension upgrade for the 2011 Mustang V6 that will mirror the more performance-oriented setup of the Mustang GT. Combine that with increased diameter brakes – 11.5 inches in front, 11.9 inches out back – and the Mustang V6 suddenly becomes more than just a “secretary’s car,” as Ford has long considered it.

All 2011 Mustangs will include an upgraded version of Ford’s electronic power steering – or EPAS – which reduces drag on the engine by eliminating the traditional hydraulic setup. Ford says that the system has been tuned for scalable input at various speeds, meaning parking-lot manuevers will be easier, while high-performance driving will be more precise. The system, according to Ford, is good for a 1 percent improvement in fuel economy.

Ford has not significantly revised the basic look of the Mustang V6, which was updated for the 2010 model year inside and out. A handful of small aerodynamic improvements help eke out the improved highway fuel economy rating. Both coupe and soft-top convertible Mustang V6s will return.

link:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/mustang-v6.html