Ford's V-6 Mustang ramps up power

[TonyV]

Last Updated: April 08. 2010 1:00AM .

Scott Burgess: Auto review
Ford's V-6 Mustang ramps up power

In the pony car world, there's a code.

It's pretty simple really. Real men drive V-8s.

The much overlooked and often maligned V-6 versions were the equivalent of women motorcycle gangs: They looked meaner than they rode. The V-6 pony cars were "secretary cars" before men got to them. The implication: They were inadequate, according to the code.

But Ford rewrote the code when it rolled out the 2011 Mustang -- a V-6 pony car that rumbles with power, bites through corners and hits 31 miles per gallon on the highway. Ford, with this stunning new car, has done something even President Barack Obama has failed to do: Provide power to the poseur.



Oh, you can still call the V-6 Mustang a chic car, Mustang Lite or anything else you can dream up, but it will knock your Piloti racing shoes into a ditch if you're not paying attention. It can pass you on a mountain road, on the highway and at the gas station.

Nowadays, that's a pretty good combination.

Slicing up canyon roads around Malibu, I was impressed with how well the Mustang charged into corners and stuck to the road. I jammed on the accelerator coming out of a turn, trying to get that solid rear axle to skip.

The direct competitors -- the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger -- have independent suspensions that feel smoother than Ford's chunk of iron connecting the two rear wheels. In the past, the axle wanted to hop if you goose the throttle in a turn and run over a seam, a rock or hit a slight wind gust. I have the coffee stains on multiple shirts to prove it.

But this time, I waited and as I hit the apex, I held my grip on the steering wheel and gunned it. Nothing. Just smooth, quick exits every time.

Third gear on this car totally rocks, as long as you keep your revs up.

European sophistication
Between the car's grip and precise steering, the Mustang felt more European thoroughbred than American pony. The steering, which is now electric power-assisted, has a firm feel that's taut all the way through a turn but remains easy to parallel park.

OK, I thought, this must be the new track pack on the V-6 Mustang. Basically, Ford stole the idea from the more powerful Mustang GT: The V-6 track pack bolsters the suspension with pieces from the GT and GT500, giving it a better axle for faster launches, strapping on 19-inch wheels with Pirelli performance tires, adding an engine strut tower brace to tighten up body rigidity and including performance brake pads.

The idea is perfect for a car with Ford's new 3.7-liter V-6 that pushes out an impressive 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It's the best thing to come out of Cleveland since Lorenzo Carter set up shop in 1797. This Mustang has got power, it's got a growl that makes the hair on your arms stand up, so why not give it a suspension that will get the ones on your neck to come to attention too?

But when I stepped out of it, I noticed my magnificently performing V-6 Mustang lacked the track-pack badging, and I had been riding around on 18-inch all-season radials. This was the regular Mustang.

Later, I discovered, the track-pack Mustang is even more surefooted at faster speeds without rattling your fillings loose.

Then there's that high mileage number that the Mustang hits. The base-level Mustang outperforms just about any V-6 car around. The Camaro, which has similar power, hits 29 mpg on the highway. This Mustang even provides better highway mileage than the V-6 powered Toyota Camry and Honda Accord.

A beauty and beast
The Mustang V-6 has the looks of a beast. Redesigned for the 2010 model year, it honors its past while maintaining a modern edge.

With the addition of 19-inch wheels, this Mustang adds a more powerful face and excellent proportions from the side. In the back, the chamfered corners and cutout three-piece tail lights, which includes sequential firing for turn indicators, are crisp.

Every line has purpose and every detail seems to fit. If the engine didn't match the looks, this car might as well come with a double Venti Mocha Frappa Chino Latte with extra caramel cup holder, a Moleskin notebook/pen holder and a Mustang-embossed Bluetooth earbud to signify the driver's self importance.

It's never enough to look the poseur's part, you need the uniform. You've got to own it.

Distinct comfort
The Mustang separates itself from the other pony cars with its interior. The Camaro and Challenger have distinctive exteriors but don't measure up to the Mustang inside. Just about anyone will feel comfortable inside this car. The lines of sight are excellent, and Ford continues to show its interior prowess with well-made consoles, seats and overall craftsmanship.

Once again, it's the little things stand out. The soft touch materials on the dash, the inlaid bezels on the vents, the classic tachometer and speedometer, all look great.

But the most important feature inside is the metal trim parts that feel cool to the touch. Shiny plastic looks cheap because it is. Real metal trim tells you it's important every time you touch it.

When the interior was reworked last year, Ford shortened the emergency hand brake to stop drivers from resting their knee against it until their leg bruised.

Designers created a nice curved line along the center console that includes a USB port and auxiliary jack to play music.

And then there's Sync, simply the best voice-operated, hands-free system in the industry. It can operate your phone and play music via a Bluetooth connection. It can find you on a map, it can tell you the weather, and it can tune the stereo without you ever having to take your hands off the wheel.

Through and through, the Mustang just continues feels more complete. It includes a back-up camera (visible on the navigation screen on the center stack; a nice addition because it is difficult to see behind you in this vehicle). If you don't have a navigation screen, the camera's picture will show up on your rear view mirror -- the perfect spot.

Now, I could quibble over a few things. The backseat is a shame, with room for two very short people, and first gear in the manual never felt right to me. And the 1-4 Skip Shift on the manual should be outlawed from all cars.

But when was the last time you had an adult in the second row of your car? And how often do you drive in only first gear? This Mustang is the real deal and fantastic from bumper to bumper.

Poseurs beware. Throw away that ear bud and drink your coffee at home. The V-6 Mustang means business -- and, if we're lucky, all future V-6 Mustang drivers will mean it too.

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