IL Track Tested: 2011 Ford Mustang V6 vs. 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8
 

pretty amazing how fast V6's are nowadays!!

Nothing short of amazing.

$30k each for a pair of 6ers... yikes.

That's the equivalent of the first Mustang costing $4,273.30 in the spring of 1964.
http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

And if you look at the retail starting price on a 2011 V6: $22,145, that's equivalent to costing $3,154 in 1964.

And in 1964, the Mustang started at $2,368.

So.. our current mustang is about $786 more expensive in 1964 dollars.. or about $5,518 in today's money. Not bad when you consider all the advances in technology in the new one. That 1964 V6 came with a 101hp engine.

For only an extra $5518, you get an extra 200hp, and a much, much better car.

fixed! :)

Once again, "They don't make 'em like they used to."

Thank God for that. I remember all the vibrations and rattles on the (new) cars of the 60's. Even the horn ring on the steering wheel rattled on most cars.

thats 101 hp GROSS.. which is *maybe* 70 hp in todays figures..

Arghh.. thanks.. I dunno how I did that. My pet peeve is when people (typically girls) ask things like "so do you have a V6 or a V4?" Thanks for the catch :P :doh:

Very happy to read that the base Mustang is rippin the competition a new one. Love to read about it but I'm still going :confused: over that 30K price tag. Sheesh! Nice car and all but wow.

It's not "just" a V6. It's the level of refinement and technological advancement in the car. I had a hard time stomaching $30k for a "less than GT" Mustang but in the end, I look at what else I can get for $30k and what a loaded Focus might cost (I had an '06 ST that stickered over $20k). I don't think 4 cylinder Civics are worth $20k but there's no shortage of people willing to buy them.

Personally, I think the new Mustang justifies the price. If enough people can't pay for it, demand will drop, supply will increase, and the price will be adjusted through rebates and incentives to equalize the supply/demand equation. As it stands, I predict huge sales numbers for the Mustang. They have differentiated this car from the competition in so many ways in addition to the rich history. I think they have a formula for success.

Remember, you can still get a Mustang for about $23k.

Jerry, I agree on all fronts. I guess the problem is the one sited by Mach1. Mustang has always been noted as the "affordable" performance car. Very soon for many especially in this economic funk we have Mustang will no longer BE the "affordable" performance car. And yes, you're right you can still order a base unit for about $23k so at least theres that. Keep in mind though that just a very short time ago, you could order a base V-8 for $25k. With salaries decreasing, costs rising and jobs difficult at best to find, its just going to be more difficult for average Joes to get their hands on a car thats NICE, and not just a stripper.

Lean times will call for lean measures.

In 1983 Chevrolet didn't produce a Corvette. Many people mistakenly believe this was because of the move from St. Louis to Bowling Green. On the contrary, double digit interest rates and the high sticker price of the car combined with extremely high unemployment made the car less viable from a business standpoint.

I got a loaded V6 because I have a CTS-V that's very nice, and loaded and I want the same level of refinement in a sporty car but not necessarily all that horsepower that I really can't use. I see a lot of guys who are shooting for that raw horsepower, base GT with an option or two and getting in just a tad over my $30k mark for a V6. I think $30k for a CAR as transportation is stupid. But cars make me happy. I'm a car guy. What price do you put on that when you find one that you can own every day and say, "Yeah, this is 'me'!"

I hate paying a lot for cars. I swore I'd never buy a new Ford again after the dealer offered me $9000 for my 2 year old Focus ST that stickered for $22k. F150s are selling for $40k. Explorers are easily running into the high $30k range. The Edge is just as bad. All of Ford's products seem to be getting really out of hand for the "everyday" man. But that's where creative financing like X-plan and incentives come in. Waiting and buying used is also an option. Depreciation on Fords is pretty bad. Ford really wants to get away from incentives in order to be more profitable. So what they've done is tried to get people accustomed to a new price point but still offer some incentives. Eventually the price point will hold steady and the incentives will be minimal because the product will prove itself as good or better than the Hondas and Toyotas so many people cling to out of sheer loyalty. And yeah, I know, when you see that monthly payment running $500, $600, or even $700 or more, it doesn't matter what the cost of the car is -- it still hurts when you haven't seen a raise for two years and everyone you know is losing their job.

I can't really think of any cars that offer 2011 Mustang levels of performance and features for substantially less money. There are cars that have a similar level of performance and features (Camaro, Genesis Coupe V6) that cost about the same, but I don't know of any much cheaper. I don't think too many Mustang fans want to see a stripper Mustang with a non-turbo four cylinder just so they can still buy a cheap brand new Mustang. I believe it would diminish the brand's image to make a Mustang El Cheapo edition.

Ford should make a high performance version of the next generation Focus, to satisfy those who want a sporty, yet relatively cheap car. Maybe even make a new Probe based on Focus mechanicals, with an EcoBoost 4 and zoomy bodywork.

Ford did make a great version of the focus that people loved. It was from 2002-04.it was sexy and had a 6-speed and a great motor. It had all the options and was loaded for 18k.

http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3182523
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL126.../158951626.jpg

Its really about the options and who cares for them or not, to me I would rather have a stripped higher model then a loaded lower model.

I drive a bare bones focus, manual trans, manual wind windows. If i could have afforded all the options i would have bought a base fusion instead or just saved the money and got the base focus anyway.

That being said I would take a base GT over a optioned out V6 anyday.

If ford was to start up on the 2002-04 svt focus I would buy one. again. I could have my 2011 mustang gt and my 2011 svt focus parked side by side.