Consumer Reports Gives 2011 Mustang Highest Rating
The 2011 Ford Mustang now has Consumer Reports in its cheering section. In a recent showdown between a Mustang and a Camaro equipped with six-cylinder engines, Consumer Reports gave the edge to the Mustang, bestowing their highest possible rating of “recommended” upon Ford’s performance coupe.
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The Camaro will have to wait for its recommendation, as the reintroduced version has just 18 months on the road, which is not enough time for Consumer Reports to establish reliability. Reviewers praised the V-6 Mustang for its handling, acceleration and fuel economy. The Camaro outperformed the Mustang in only one area: horsepower. The 2011 Mustang V-6 checks in with 305 horsepower, while some tweaks to the programming of the Camaro’s engine controls allow it to wring 312 horsepower from its V-6.
“The Camaro’s extra power may look great on the window sticker, but it means nothing if the car isn’t fun to drive,” said Jeff Klein, general sales manager of Thomas Ford, a Massachsuetts Ford dealer. “It’s good to have competition for the Mustang again, but Ford clearly has the edge in performance and reliability. Unlike the Camaro, the Mustang didn’t take eight years off and come back as a completely redesigned car.”
Those who want extra horsepower in their Mustangs can have it at a slightly higher cost. Mustang GT models come with a 5.0-liter, variable-timing V-8 engine that dominates the road with 402 horsepower on regular unleaded and 412 horsepower on premium unleaded. The V-8 engine is designed to run on unleaded regular fuel, so speed enthusiasts can reserve pricy premium fuel for special occasions without worrying about engine wear.
Should 412 horsepower seem too little, there’s the 2011 Shelby Mustang GT500, which will keep any stock Camaro safely at a distance with 550 horsepower blazing from an all-aluminum, supercharged 5.4-liter V-8. MacPherson struts and four-wheel disc brakes with Brembo rotors and calipers in the front help to tame the power of this race-worthy coupe.
Fuel economy is stronger than expected for these pony cars, assuming that drivers can keep the pedal off the floor. Consumer Reports noted that the high-performance 1970 Boss 302 Mustang averaged 11 mpg from its 290-horsepower engine. The 2011 Ford Mustang checks in with an average of 24 mpg.
Owners of the V-6 will get 19 mpg/city and 31 mpg/highway with the automatic transmission, the best fuel economy of any pony car. Those who upgrade to the V-8 will get the same average mileage with either transmission, but performance depends on where the car runs. The automatic transmission fares better in the suburbs at 18 mpg/city and 25 mpg/highway, while the manual prefers open straightaways at 17 mpg/city and 26 mpg/highway.
Even the Shelby turns in respectable numbers if you can avoid idling it in traffic jams. EPA estimates for the most powerful Mustang check in at 15 mpg/city and 23 mpg/highway.
“The new Ford Mustang has a lot more under the hood than just raw power,” Klein said. “Fuel economy may be very low on the priority list for customers who want these cars, but, whether you’re a Duxbury or Danvers Ford owner, you just can’t ignore the high gas prices in Massachusetts. Not only is the new Mustang more fun to drive, it also costs less to own, because you get better mileage and you don’t need to feed it the most expensive gas at the station.”
Original Source: readmedia.com