Test Drive: 2011 Mustang V6

Matthew Bishop - Picture by Susie Holt of the Daily Mississippian

JOUR 102 Sec. 4

30 March 2011

Test Drive: 2011 Mustang V6

Last November I tested the 2011 Mustang GT with the all new 412-hp 5.0-liter V8 engine. That car was fully loaded with the Brembo brake package, leather interior and other luxury and performance goodies.

But that car cost almost $40,000, which is still a great value considering the performance you get with the Mustang GT, but still out of the price range for a lot of people.

That is where the new Mustang V6 fits in. But this is not the wimpy, 210-hp Mustang of yesteryear. The new V6 Mustang makes a whopping 305-hp and 280 lb/ft of torque, which is only 10-hp less than the 2010 Mustang GT’s V8.

This newfound power is courtesy of the all new 3.7-liter DOHC V6 which features such thinks as an all aluminum construction and variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust. The engine lets a more muted sound than the V8 through its dual 3-inch exhaust, but still puts out a nice snarl at its 7000-rpm redline.

All this added power and improvements really show up to. With 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds and the quarter mile in 14 seconds flat, you won’t be embarrassed at the stoplight when a Civic rolls up next to you. These times were also probably helped by our test cars optional ($1985) Pirelli P-Zero tires and 18-inch rims from the GT, which provided phenomenal grip.

“The GT’s tires and wheels give the car, in my opinion, a much more aggressive look as well as improved performance.” Said Mason Rives, the general manager at Belk Ford, as to why he put the Mustang GT wheels and tires on the V6.

The engine also impresses at the gas pump as well with an EPA rated 19 mpg city and an impressive 31 mpg highway. We averaged about 23 mpg which included some quick sprints to 60. But the best part is that the V6 uses regular 87 octane gas. This is something the GT cannot do and with premium gas prices currently around $3.80 in Oxford, it is a major advantage.

Our test car also came with the optional ($995) six speed automatic transmission which worked very smoothly and effortlessly. It also down shifted at all the right times to make use of the 305-hp. The only thing absent, however, is paddle shifters. I understand that it is an old school, torque convertor automatic, but I think it would make the already exiting drive a little more involved.

However as good as the automatic transmission is, I think it would still be a better buy to get the short throw 6-speed manual so you can have complete control over all the new horsepower. It is important to note however that the manual does give up 1 mpg on the highway to only 30 mpg.

The Mustang also rides quite smoothly over normal road bumps and potholes. But the Mustang really shines when it is pushed. The handling very light and neutral and it is very easy to forget that the Mustang still uses a live axle. But for the true back road enthusiast there is an optional performance pack which puts a lot of the GT’s upgraded suspension parts like its shocks, springs, and anti-roll bars.

The exterior of the new V6 also looks as aggressive as its V8 brother thanks to the new dual exhaust and our test cars optional ($295) exterior sport appearance package. It even has the approval of a ten year old boy who proudly proclaimed “Whoa-man a Mustang!” as we drove by him and his friend.

The interior still retains that classic 60’s look to it. The materials were well chosen on the dash and other hard surfaces to avoid looking too cheap. The seats were just as comfortable and supportive as the leather lined ones that came in the GT we tested.

The only complaints I had about the interior is the fact that the mirrors on the sun visor did not have a lights on either the passenger or drivers side; and that the steering wheel felt really cheap with its textured foam like covering.

The grand total for the cost of our test car was $26,270 which included the dealer installed high performance wheels and tires. This is about $6,000 cheaper than a similarly equipped Mustang GT. Add in the savings on gas and insurance and the V6 Mustang is great value not only compared to the GT but to its competitors as well. In fact, you might even call it economical and this is one economy car I would have any day of the week.