Mechanics Corner - Jan 10
2011 News
“'11 Mustang and its 5.0-liter V-8 accelerate horsepower race”
Ford is offering a 5.0-liter V-8 engine to the 2011 Mustang, up from a 4.6-liter V-8 now. The new engine will deliver 412 hp and 390 pounds-feet of torque, company officials said on Thursday. The 4.6-liter V-8 produces 315 hp and 325 pounds-feet of torque.
The information was supposed to be embargoed until Dec. 28, but news leaked out shortly after the announcement in
The 5.0-liter Mustang's main competitors are the Chevrolet Camaro SS, rated at 426 hp, and the Dodge Challenger SRT8, which makes 425 hp.
The Mustang's new V-8 features four valves per cylinder and twin independent variable valve timing. Tuned exhaust headers eliminate the need for aftermarket headers to let the engine breath better. Inside the engine are a forged-steel counterweighted crankshaft and high-performance pistons and connecting rods. Peak horsepower is reached at 6,500 rpm.
The new 5.0-liter Mustang can be fitted with an automatic transmission or a six-speed manual.
Meanwhile, Ford will also replace the base V-6 in the 2011 Mustang.
The old 4.0-liter V-6 will be replaced by a 3.7-liter, 305-hp, 24-valve V-6 with double overhead cams. It's the Mustang's first high-performance six-cylinder engine.
The old, rough, 210-hp V-6 -- which has been built in various displacements since the late 1960s -- couldn't compete with the 3.6-liter V-6 in the Camaro.
The base version of the 2011 Ford Mustang, due in the spring, noses ahead of the 2010 Camaro V-6 -- but not by much. The Mustang has one more horsepower and one more highway mile per gallon than the Camaro.
The 2011 Mustang will make its official debut at the
