For now, at least, car sales seem to be on an upward trajectory in the States, and according to AutoTrader, and seem likely to be beneficiaries of the newfound consumer interest. In March, the most viewed new car on AutoTrader remained the Chevrolet , outpacing the and . Now that Ford is releasing all new powertrains for the 2011 Mustangs it will be interesting to see if the Camaro can retain its momentum.
Speaking of momentum, Hyundai continues to pick up velocity with its new Sonata. While the was only ranked 10th overall, it was #1 among mid-sized sedans for the first time ever, beating the standard-bearing , , and . The Sonata jumped from 22nd place in March 2009, while the Accord dropped from seventh to 12th. Another big winner was the new Chevy , with a 186 percent increase in pageviews, taking it from 12th to eighth place overall.
Vaughn Gittin Jr.’s 2011 Monster Energy Ford Mustang – Click above for high-res image gallery
A few days ago, Vaughn Gittin Jr. gave a of his new and hinted that a new sponsor would be involved for the 2010 Formula Drift season. Judging by the green wheels and that the car’s unveiling would be held at in Los Angeles, it was an easy assumption that Monster Energy Drink would be involved. The company is most famous in the motorsports world for sponsoring Ken Block, and both Gittin Jr. and Formula Drift seem like an easy fit. Sure enough, when the wraps were pulled off the new livery featured Monster’s green and black theme.
Like the production 2011 Mustang, Vaughn’s new ride features several new upgrades. The chassis and suspension have been updated using the knowledge gained from the 2009 season, and the looks have been tweaked to match Gitton’s ponycar for the street, the . Falken Tire remains as a sponsor and has provided their brand new RT-615K tires to be sacrificed on track, and a version of Ford Racing’s 4.6-liter supercharged V8 is still under the hood. So what will happen to the 2010 Falken Mustang? Justin Pawlak, who finished ninth last year with a last year, is joining the Falken team and will take over Vaughn’s old Mustang.
We were fortunate enough to receive an invite to the unveiling, and made sure to have cameras in hand. A dark, crowded warehouse isn’t our favorite place to photograph a car, but we did the best we could and have put the resulting images in the high-res gallery below.
Well, this certainly didn’t take long. Only a few weeks after let the loose on the road, the boys at Motor Trend have done what we’ve all been waiting for, putting the new 5.0-liter V8 model up against the and in a head-to-head muscle car throwdown. In our , we were very impressed with the new GT’s antics, and apparently, we aren’t the only ones. Sorry, Camaro and Challenger – the Mustang takes top honors in this comparison.
Motor Trend points out that, at the end of the day, the Mustang 5.0 is the closest representation of what a modern day muscle car should be. It stands true to the original concept of a lightweight coupe with a nimble body and chassis that’s stocked to the brim with rumbling V8 power, and they say that there’s no doubt that it’s dynamically better than the Chevy and Dodge. What’s more, the interior offers better tech and refinement – something that’s key in the year 2010. Be sure to click over to for the full details.
In the battle for Pony Car supremacy, the 2011 Mustang GT finally has the weapons to not only match, but beat the competition. And the .
Ford may be trying to pull a fast one by naming its hottest Focus the RS500, but with 345 and 325 lb-ft of torque being channeled to the front wheels, the badge will be the least of your concerns.
The 556-hp Cadillac CTS-V Sport Wagon has the ability to haul both butt and booty, and it’s set to be unveiled in “concept” form at this week’s NY Auto Show.
Also of interest:
Nürburgring gets more specs, limited to just 50 units
The reborn is the most obvious competitor (obviously). While the Camaro is certainly a head turner, it’s just not that great of an all around performance car. However, despite the 2010 Mustang GT coming out on top in many comparisons against its crosstown rival, one fact is undeniable: When it comes to power, the Camaro SS kicked the Mustang GT’s butt up and down the block. Across the drag strip, too. The 6.2-liter LS3-equipped SS (manual only, as automatic Camaros get the weaker L99 motor) produces a screaming 426 horsepower and 420 rumbling pound-feet of torque, enough mojo to embarrass the 2010 Mustang GT’s relatively wimpy 4.6-liter V8 with its 315 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. True, the Mustang handled better, rode better, had a much better interior and cost less, but at the end of the day we’re talking muscle cars. Gumption matters. Chevy was king. Ford had to act.
And act it did. Meet the 2011 Ford Mustang GT, or as everyone is already calling it, the 5.0. That’s right, Ford is offering enthusiasts an honest to goodness 5.0-liter V8 (302 cubic inches, baby! Check out our for all the technical mumbo jumbo) in the 2011 Mustang GT. As we’re sure you know by now, thanks to some fancy breathing, the all new small-block produces 412 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. That’s less than the Camaro, sure, but remember that the Mustang is lighter than the Chevy by a good 300 pounds. Besides, it’s looking like Ford has decided to by about 30 ponies for who knows what reason. Meaning that while Ford might be using invisible ink, the Mustang’s got the Camaro beat on paper. But what about in the real world? Make the jump to find out.
Though driving impressions of the new 5.0-liter are off limits for now, notes that made no mention of releasing pure facts. It’s all about the numbers anyway, right? During last week’s media launch for the new Mustangs in California, the showdown between the () 412-horsepower2011 Mustang GT 5.0 and the 426-horsepower got underway at a sectioned-off portion of the Camarillo Airport. An eighth-mile drag strip lay ahead of the two ponycars, both equipped with six-speed automatics.
With time-slips in hand, the numbers don’t lie. Popular Hot Rodding managed a time of 8.82 seconds at 83 miles per hour in the Camaro, but the Mustang proved to be even faster at 8.62 seconds at 86 mph. Virtually all journalists on hand recorded better times in the Mustang. Crude translations to quarter mile numbers come in at 13.8 seconds for the Camaro and 13.5 seconds for the Stang.
With a and numbers that – for now, at least – appear to beat the competition, Ford looks like it has a serious hit in the making with its new 5.0 Mustang. How the renewed rivalry translates from the streets to the sales sheets, where the Camaro currently rules the roost, will be interesting to watch.
2010 Ford Fusion – Click above for high-res image gallery
For the past generation or so has been synonymous with two things: Selling more passenger cars than anybody else (, ) and quality. Sure, there have been a few other themes associated with ToMoCo (green hybrids, not ready for prime-time full-size trucks), but for the most part, ubiquitousness and reliability have been the big selling points. Then came a particularly nasty case of .
that four out of 10 Americans say they would “definitely not buy a Toyota.” Compounding matters is another part of the Bloomberg survey that reveals a significant 36% of Americans have a negative view of Toyota. Ouch. Potentially worse is that less than half (49%) of those surveyed have a favorable view of Toyota.
Contrast those results to what Bloomberg learned about . An overwhelming 77% of consumers have a favorable opinion of the house that Henry built. That’s seven percent more favorable than second-place Honda. The survey found that many people are so amped up on the Blue Oval because unlike fellow American companies and , Ford avoided taking Federal bailout money. That’s probably part of the good will, but we think it runs a bit deeper than that.
Ford is making good products. With the exception of the soon-to-be-replaced , every vehicle they make is a class leader. There’s no compelling reason to choose a Camry or over a , and the just might be the best gas/electric vehicle on the market. The is a true segment buster, and perhaps the most comfortable under several hundred thousand dollar way to move four adults around. The is as good as ever. Would you choose a over a ? There’s also Ford’s faster product cycles (think new ) and market-leading technology like . Put it like this: these survey results don’t surprise us an iota.
While our drive impressions of the 2011 Mustang V6 and 2011 Mustang GT are still under a strict embargo until Monday, we can tell you one thing with certainty. That thing is pricing, and even though Ford has managed to add close to 100 horsepower to each car, the cash customers need to lay out has barely budged.
The 305-hp Mustang V6 starts at $22,995, while the 5.0-badged 412-hp Mustang GT starts at $30,495, with the V8 premium GT starting at $33,695. That’s some pretty potent bang for your buck, especially as both prices include destination charges. Consider that the starts at $23,530, a difference of $535. Of course, that’s for the 2010 Camaro, as Chevy has yet to release Camaro pricing for 2011.
The 426-horespower 2010 Camaro SS starts at $31,795, a difference of $1,300, with no 2011 prices announced yet. Of course, many people will be quick to point out that you do get more horsepower for the money (about $93 per pony according to our math). And paying more money for more power is always justified, right? Not so fast. Our friends over at Inside Line managed to (somehow) sneak the and record 395 horses at the rear wheels. Factor in about 12% parasitic drivetrain loss and you’re talking in excess of 440 horsepower. Dang. Of course, we’ve driven the car and we can tell you with some certainty [CENSORED].
As it stands, the re-ignited pony car wars just got a whole lot more hot.
2011 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 hits the dyno – Click above to watch the video
Ford says that the 2011 Mustang GT makes 412 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, thanks to its new, advanced 5.0-liter V8. Well, Ford may just be full of crap. Autojournos have descended upon California this week to to kick the snot out of the 2011 Mustangs at the Blue Oval’s invitation, and Inside Line took one of the new 5.0 GT models and strapped it to a Dynojet to see what the real numbers were. Thankfully, they do not disappoint.
It’s like this: after seven pulls, Inside Line’s tester reliably belted out 395 horsepower at 6,600 RPM and 365 pound-feet of torque at 4,350 rpm. That’s at the wheel, natch, and since IL estimates the ‘Stang sees only an 11% to 13% driveline loss thanks to its stick axle, the car is likely making somewhere between 438 and 446 horsepower at the crank – far more than the advertised 412.
This should come as no surprise to anyone, especially Inside Line. After all, last year only to learn that – surprise! – it was underrated. (Their tester put down 511 horsepower at the wheel. The guys figured the number at the crank to be around 570 horses, not the 540 advertised).
Is it possible that the 2011 Ford Mustang GT media launch testers are juiced? Sure it is, but we think it’s unlikely. Reason number one is that Ford would be exposed the moment customer cars started getting delivered and dynoed, which would then look really foolish. Reason number two is the 1999 SVT Cobra. Upon its release, that particular car became infamous for not making its advertised 320 horsepower. While Ford eventually made things right via a recall, the incident was clearly embarrassing and likely left Dearborn with a “never again” mentality that sticks to this day. Hence, we’re inclined to think Inside Line’s numbers are no fluke. The 2011 Ford Mustang GT, with its new engine, is designed to punch the in the teeth and make it taste blood. By underrating the 5.0, Ford’s just, you know, making sure.
Stay tuned for our man Lieberman’s first drive impressions next week. In the meantime, of one of Inside Line’s dyno pulls and and read their full analysis. Thanks to everyone for the tips!
Volatile gas prices and increasingly stiff emissions standards were supposed to kill the auto industry’s horsepower wars, or so we thought feared. Recent news out of the and camps appears to prove otherwise. The second act in the battle for power supremacy took a turn for the better last November when The Blue Oval announced that the would receive a ; a hair more punch than the 2010 output. But what’s one extra horse between neighbors, right?
The General struck back a couple weeks ago when it announced power figures for the available in the 2011 and GMC Sierra heavy duty pickups. The new Duramax pumps out 397 hp and 765 lb-ft of torque, besting Ford’s that was announced just a few weeks earlier by seven hp and 30 lb-ft. Ford likely isn’t going to take this setback lying down, and sources tell our friends over at PickupTrucks.com that the company Henry built is looking to regain the power lead within a year.
PickupTrucks.com reports that the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine is an all-new architecture that likely has plenty of room for more punch, while the 6.6-liter Duramax is an older engine with less room for improvement, so the seesaw battle may not last too long. And sources say Ford engineers could crank the mill beyond 400 ponies and 775 lb-ft; or enough power to tow Florida closer to Texas.
But for now GM’s new fullsize pickups hold the power figure crown while Ford engineers look on with malice in their micrometers. At least Ford has that one pony lead over the Camaro, right? Rumor has it that the Bowtie brand is , too.
Right now our man Jonny Lieberman is bombing around Southern California in both the and . Both cars have received major mechanical upgrades for model year 2011 in the form of two new engines: The return of the fabled 5.0-liter V8 for the GT and a new 3.7-liter V6 for the base model.
Jonny’s not allowed to talk about his experience behind the wheel of either car until early next week, but that won’t stop us from giving you a sneak preview of the Mustang V6 and its upgraded motor. The 3.7-liter V6 has already been used in such everyday fare as the , and . It’s also destined for duty in the . The 2011 Mustang V6, however, will give this work-a-day engine an opportunity to shine.
Producing 305 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, the Mustang’s version of the 3.7-liter V6 will be the most powerful available. Paired with a six-speed automatic, it will also make for the most fuel-efficient muscle car on the market with a highway rating of 31 mpg. But we’re not interested in fuel economy today. We’re interested in evidence of how much better the new V6 model will be compared to the current one, which has used the 210-horsepower “Cologne” 4.0-liter V6 since 2005. We think the image above is all the evidence we need. Stay tuned for our full First Drive reports of both models early next week.
2010 Chevrolet Camaro V6 RS – Click above for high-res image gallery
has certainly upped the ante in the / wars for 2011. may have the upper hand in V8 power (Camaro is rated at 426 horsepower, at 412), but the base ‘Stang now uses a , boasting slightly more power (one horsepower, to be exact) and better fuel economy () over a comparable .
Even though the 2011 Mustang V6 only carries a touch more power and efficiency, Chevrolet isn’t going to just sit back and take it all in stride. An inside source has told Automobile that the Mustang’s top honors may be short lived, and that details on the 2011 Camaro will arrive in the very near future. We don’t think that will have much trouble cranking out a couple extra ponies from the Camaro’s 3.6-liter V6, but can it surpass the Mustang’s 31 mpg highway rating? Consider our interest piqued.
While true fans will really only care that the new powertrains being introduced for 2011 produce substantially more power than before, Ford is equally interested in promoting their improved fuel economy. We already know about the new V6’s ratings from the EPA. On June 23, Ford will take a V6 Mustang to Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee and attempt to run over 1,000 laps on a single tank of gas. Bristol is one of NASCAR’s old school half-mile bullrings, so that means over 500 miles on a tank.
A crew of Ford test drivers will circle the track until the tank runs dry, hopefully topping the 1,000 lap mark. During the run-up to the event people can go to and guess how many jelly beans are in the jar how many laps the Mustang will complete before it’s running on fumes. Of those who guess correctly, Ford will randomly draw the name of one person who’ll win a 2011 Mustang V6. Hats off to Tim for the tip.
2011 Ford Edge Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery
After spending some time with the , it’s obvious did more than just a run-of-the-mill mid-cycle refresh. And with the overhauled crossover hitting showrooms this summer, more and more information is trickling out. A member of the Blue Oval forums apparently found the Edge’s order guide, giving us a complete rundown of the four Edge packages available at launch.
First, let’s begin with what we already know. The will be available in SE, SEL, Limited and Sport trims, come standard with an overhauled 285-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 powerplant and the Sport model will get the same 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 that powers the . According to the ordering guide, Ford expects 17 percent of customers to opt for the base SE model, 39 percent to go for the mid-level SEL, 40 percent to choose the Limited and only four percent to choose the 22-inch wheels of the Sport model.
SE buyers will have two Rapid Spec option packages from which to choose, though the pickings are slim. Spec 101A includes a convenience package with auto-headlamps, a compass, keyless entry and a reverse sensing system. The SEL will add everything from the best SE model plus standard equipment including 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, heated mirrors, a six-way power driver’s seat and dual-zone temperature control. The SEL trim will also afford three different packages: Rapid Spec 201A includes the eight-inch LCD MyTouch interface with SYNC and a rear-view camera while Spec 202A adds features like leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, a 10-way power driver’s seat and ambient lighting.
Stand alone options include an expansive Vista Roof (available with spec 201A or 202A) and Ford’s excellent navigation system (available with spec 202A). Jump to the Limited Edge and MyTouch, SYNC, leather, heated seats with power adjust in the front row and visual cues all around are all standard. The Limited has three rapid specs, with The Blue Oval expecting 301A to be the most popular. The package includes navigation, HID headlamps and the Vista Roof. Spec 302A adds BLISS blind spot protection and adaptive cruise control, while the low volume Sport model comes with scores of standard features including the aforementioned 22-inch wheels and 3.7-liter drivetrain. All options, including navigation, are a-la-carte. What the alleged Edge order guide doesn’t include is pricing or any information about the , which reportedly won’t be available until 2011. Check the gallery below for the full guide.
2011 Ford Mustang V6 Pace Car – Click above for high-res image gallery
Historically, pace cars have been limited to the highest performing models of each brand. That’s about to change this weekend when the new 2011 V6 will serve as the pace car for NASCAR’s Food Land 500 at Bristol International Speedway. This will be the second time a Mustang has paced a NASCAR race this year after the in February.
Despite being the least powerful Mustang available for 2011, the V6 model will be more than capable of carrying out its duties thank to its new 3.7-liter engine and six-speed transmission. With 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, it should have no trouble setting the pace on Bristol’s half mile oval. The budget pony car will undoubtedly be one of the most efficient pace cars in history as well, with the on the highway. You can see the new 2011 Mustang V6 pace car in action by tuning into Fox this Sunday at 1:00 pm EST.
When it was first announced that the 5.0-liter engine was making a return to the , none of us here at Autoblog were really that concerned with the fuel economy. We were all about the horsepower, and at 412 ponies underneath the hood, the 5.0 doesn’t disappoint. , however, was thinking about appearances and earth-hugging as well, and managed to make the 2011 Mustang even more efficient than the 2010 model despite all that extra extra power. According to the numbers released today, the new Mustang GT gets 17 miles-per-gallon city and 26 mpg highway with the six-speed manual and 18/25 mpg with the six-speed automatic.
These numbers are not only a huge improvement from the 2010 Mustang with the 4.6-liter V8 (15/23 mpg w/manual, 15/22 mpg w/automatic), but they also best the figures achieved by the SS – 16/24 mpg when equipped with a manual and 16/25 mpg with the automatic. As reported earlier, the 2011 Mustang V6 claims top honors against its Camaro counterpart as well with an in six-speed automatic form.
So what accounts for the improved fuel economy despite the increase in displacement and horsepower? According to Ford, having an extra gear in the car’s transmissions play a large role in addition to the Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) that can quickly adjust the intake and exhaust valves. Read more about the Mustang’s powertrain improvements for 2011 after the break.
2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS – Click above for high-res image gallery
No matter which side of the / divide you fall on there’s no arguing that Chevrolet’s reborn entrant in the pony car wars has been a hit. It’s been less than a year since production of the 2010 Camaro began at General Motors’ Oshawa assembly and the 100,000th example rolled off the line this week. The milestone car was reportedly an inferno orange SS.
Ever since last June, the Camaro has been outselling its chief rival,, the Mustang, despite the Mustang’s refresh at around the time of the Camaro launch. , however, left out one important aspect in the 2010 redesign, the powertrains. That oversight has been addressed for the 2011 model year, and the Ford vs. Chevy battle begins anew next month. That’s when 2011 Mustangs will start rolling off the line with power on par with the Camaro, along with the significantly better interiors that carry over from 2010. We’ll be watching this horse race very carefully over the rest of this year. Hat tip to Henry!
2009 was not a banner sales year for the . Despite a complete makeover for the 2010 model year, sales of the usually successful pony car topped off at 66,623, an all time low. The Mustang still managed to, but sold fewer Mustangs for each month that the was actually on showroom floors.
Enter the 2011 Mustang. Apparently, a 305-horsepower V6 that gets 30 mpg and a 5.0-liter V8 putting out 412 horsepower does wonders for sales. Ford is reporting that three times more 2011 Mustangs have been ordered than 2010 models at this same time last year. In total, 11,000 Mustangs have been ordered since January.
Customers have been particularly taken with the V6 model, which makes up half of all the orders, and the California Special has also fared better than expected, tripling Ford’s initial sales projections. Ford says that 41-percent of 2011 Mustang orders have been for the GT model, who will surely enjoy rollin’… in their five-point-ohs, and the remaining nine percent have been for GT500s. Hit the jump for the full press release from Ford.
