Move over Camaro, theres a new middleweight contender in the ring next year. While the new 2010+ Mustang boasts awesome styling and interior improvements over the previous 2005-09 Mustangs, the base model 4.0L power plant was a little lacking. Meet the new 2011 V6 Ford Mustang which will be receiving an all new 3.7L all-aluminum Duratec V6 which will deliver 305-hp and up to 30mpg! Mind you, thats 5 more horsepower than the GT models from 2005-09 and only 10 horsepower shy of the 2010 GT. Here is what Jalopnik had to say about the new powertrain and options...
The 3.7 is the first rear-wheel-drive application for this engine family, in simple terms it's a punched-out 3.5 liter, except this one's got some considerable upgrades. While it's still a port injected engine, it's a cast aluminum 60 degree V-engine (replacing the 90 degree outgoing engine) with four-valves-per-cylinder, variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust with cam's capable of up to 60 degrees of phasing on the intake and 50% on the exhaust. The system operates on oil pressure and the actuators and pressure cavities are integrated with the camshaft bearing endcaps. Keeping parts integrated keeps the engine compact, it's actually smaller and lighter than the outgoing engine while making more power. If you don't care for changing the oil, the new V6 goes 10,000 miles between changes, so that's pretty interesting.
In addition to the new V6, there's a pair of new transmissions. Ford's ditching the iffy Tremec in favor of a manual 6-speed Getrag co-developed with Ford called the MT82. Its claim to durability and smoothness fame is that all gears on all shafts ride on needle bearings. There's also a new auto, an all-Ford 6-speed automatic transmission called the 6R80. It's the same box that goes into the 6.2-liter equipped Ford SVT Raptor with different guts. It's capable of paddle shifters but not so equipped in this application. It also jives with engine controls to do what Ford calls "tip in control" which eliminates gear shift "thunk" by adjusting torque output as the trans shifts.
Standard now are GT disc brakes all around, optional 19 inch wheels, stiffer bushings, bigger stabilizer bar, dual exhaust standard, low rolling resistance tires, and 7% better aerodynamics because fascia tuning, an underbody tray and wheel spats. Anyone who's been in the convertible knew cowl shake was a problem, and as such Ford's stiffened things quite a bit, the 2011 is over 1000% stiffer than the 2010. That's not a typo. The improvements come in underbody and cowl cross-bracing and structural foam injected into the door pillars. 1000%, pretty impressive.
The inside also gets some tweaks, but nothing big, fold down rear headrests to comply with new head restraint requirements while allowing for the option of unsucky rear visibility. The gauge cluster graphics also get revised and there's also a trinkety accessory clip for the passenger sunvisor which allows you to clip in stuff like sunglasses holders or tissue holders or what-have-you. Things we're not interested in.
Also new is the optional Track-Pack option will enhance the handling, performance, and overall "seat of the pants" feel of the 2011. We cant wait to see one of these cars on the track with a good driver and a pair of sticky tires. The 2011 sounds like a new era for V6 Mustang styling & performance and we hope it follows through to the big brother GT model as well.