2011 Ford Mustang GT Test Drive

Mustangs and Camaros have faced off at stoplights and drag races for four decades—give or take a few model years. But recently, with the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger rising from the ashes to take on the stalwart 'Stang, the folks at Ford have added fuel to the muscle car conflict. Or rather, they've increased the Mustang's fuel efficiency along with its power output—for both available engines.

The Specs

"I'm most proud of our V6," says Dave Pericak, Mustang's chief engineer. "It's the first car ever to get over 300 hp and over 30 mpg," he says, although the V6-powered Camaro comes close at 304 hp and 29 mpg. Fifteen years ago, the 1996 SVT Mustang Cobra—a car endowed with a supercharged 4.6-liter modular V8—broke the 300-hp barrier with 305 hp while achieving 26 mpg. Thanks to the advent of what Ford calls Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT), however, the 2011 Mustang's 3.7-liter V6 ($22,995) develops 305 hp (up from last year's measly 210) and 280 ft-lbs of torque (up from 240) while averaging 31 mpg on the highway. Not too shabby for a base model.

In Premium trim, our V6 test car came with all the standard creature comforts you would expect in a passenger car, and then some: leather power seats, Sirius satellite radio, a split-folding rear seat. Options included comfort and security packages, and a 3.31-ratio limited-slip axle.

Step up to the GT ($30,495 base price), and the big news is the V8 engine's 5-liter displacement. The ugly-as-sin 1980s Fox-bodied Mustangs relied on gigantic "5.0" fender badges to maintain their street cred, whereas the 2011 model gets by on its looks and on its personality. Yes, big shiny fender badges still proclaim the all-aluminum four-valve DOHC V8's displacement. But the new Five-Oh also makes use of variable valve timing and a ram-air intake to boost power output from last year's 315 to a much more respectable 412 hp (and still manages to achieve an EPA rating of 26 mpg on the highway).

GT Premium adds a premier two-tone interior with red leather, the security and comfort packages, rearview camera, Brembo brake package and a 3.73 axle ratio. As tested, the GT topped out at $39,550, including the destination and delivery charges.

Delivering power from either engine to the rear wheels is a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed automatic gearbox. (Sorry, no paddle shifters.)

The Drive

Equipped with the wonderfully precise short-throw manual shifter, the V8 will get you from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, and the V6 will do it in 5.5. Both will do a quarter mile in the 13-second range. Despite the presence of Brembo brakes, the GT still took an extra 4 feet to slow from 60 mph compared to the V6 car, due to the GT's 3605-lb. curb weight, which is approximately 150 lbs heavier.

That's still respectably quick, but the V8 seems a lot faster due to its husky wail, which is routed directly to the cabin via a plastic tube connected to the air intake. When you hit the gas pedal, you can hear where that premium fuel goes. It's a gratifying sensation when the V8 reaches its peak of 390 ft-lbs of torque at 4250 rpm—and engine noise is always just a downshift away.

The bad news: The Mustang's top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, and it may now be parentally limited to 80 mph. Yes, MyKey, the electronic babysitter introduced on the Ford Focus, has migrated over to a fun car. "It gives parents the peace of mind that their child is not going to do something stupid," Pericak says. Ford's MyKey can be programmed to turn down the radio volume, or mute it altogether, if you don't fasten your seatbelt. It won't allow you to disable traction control or electronic stability control either, which makes it exceedingly difficult to do donuts or smoky burnouts.

But even with traction control active, it's easy to make the tires (P255/40R-19s) squeal like a stuck pig while the engine harmonizes with its demonic wail. Drop into sixth gear at 60 mph in traffic, and the GT lopes along quietly at 1800 rpm, as wind easily drowns out the exhaust.

Steering is firm and uses electronic yaw sensors, roll sensors and steering-wheel angle sensors to maintain a straight course down the road. An onboard computer determines how much input you give the steering, and you no longer have to correct to keep the car going straight. "If you're on an uneven road or a crowned highway and let go of the steering wheel, most cars will drift off the road," Pericak explains. Even if there are high cross winds, the Mustang's computer will pick that up and compensate for it. "We can dial this in exactly the way we want," Pericak explains. "We control the speed, the direction, everything."

Running through some switchbacks near Los Angeles, the steering's electronics are impossible to discern from a conventional hydraulic system. In fact, the chassis improvements to both cars have further moved the Mustang into all-around sports-car territory. Order the Performance Package on the V6 car, and it mimics the GT's precise moves. The handling is tight, and the ride firm, but it's far from uncomfortable. Out back, there's a solid-rear axle, a throwback in today's era of independent setups, but it stays glued to the road and never hops when traversing mid-corner bumps. We found ourselves pushing the high-powered GT hard, confident that it would stay on our intended line and impressed by how few mid-corner corrections were required. It feels on par with sports cars from Germany, and that's a big compliment.

What's most striking is how Ford managed to further civilize the car without removing the visceral character, especially in the GT. Road impacts make muted thumps inside the cabin and interior noise on the highway is nearly nonexistent. The Mustang is meant as a daily driver, after all. For 2011, Ford also added small insets on both side mirrors to open up the field of view and effectively eliminate blind spots. Collapsible rear headrests also improve rearward visibility, and the effect is an open cabin. A rear-view camera is optional, which, like the available navigation system, Pericak points out, is not offered on the Camaro.

The Bottom Line

Even with performance that rivals last year's GT, it's hard to take Mustang's V6 seriously after driving the V8. If you want decent mileage, buy a Ford Focus, Honda Insight or Toyota Prius. But if you are in the market for a serious muscle car, life begins at 5.0.

Read more: 2011 Ford Mustang GT Test Drive - Popular Mechanics