If you’ve been following Road Reality for a while, you saw the posts when the 2011 Mustang V6 and GT engines were announced, but up until now, nobody outside of Ford has driven or ridden in one. Apparently Arthur St. Antione got to at least do the latter. He went out to Ford’s Arizona proving ground, where he was driven around in a 2011 Mustang V6. Click through the jump for more details and my take on it.
When the new engines were announced for Ford’s pony car, I knew it would mean big things in the Pony Car Wars between the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. Whereas the Challenger is the most true to its predecessor, the Camaro mixes a truly modern drivetrain with classic muscle car styling. The Mustang, on the other hand, blends both old and new for its styling and running gear. Both Chevrolet and Dodge have independent rear suspensions, while the Mustang soldiers on with a live axle out back, and until now it had older engine designs as well.
With the 3.7-liter V6 that Ford is putting in the 2011 Mustang V6, the old 4.0-liter V6 is gone. The old V6 was a rough, inefficient and underpowered lump of an engine, and very few will mourn its passing. According to Motor Trend, the new engine is smooth, seems responsive (can’t quite tell without driving), and has plenty of power. These things combined with a weight gain of only 40 pounds should lead to a much faster car than the outgoing 2010 model. New suspension settings and components lead to a better handling car as well, as St. Antoine says it corners flat and readily soaks up bumps.
Beyond more power, a smoother drivetrain and better handling, the Mustang will also have more body seals and better wheel well liners, to quiet road noise better than the outgoing model, which was definitely one of the weaknesses I saw when reviewing the 2010 Mustang GT.
For 2011, the Mustang Club of America got their input in, and Ford will offer a special MCA Edition of the Mustang V6, with dark 18″ alloy wheels, chrome billet grille with offset running pony andspecial stripes. All for $995. For an extra $200, you can get lighted side sills with whatever saying you want engraved in them. Prices should start at $22,995 (including destination) for the base V6, $26,695 for the Premium model, and $27,995 for convertibles. These prices are right in line with what the Chevrolet Camaro costs, which was obviously Ford’s target when revamping the Mustang’s engine offerings.
Motor Trend Video of the 2011 Mustang V6 in action:
by John Suit
Image/Preview Source: Motor Trend