Know what’s pretty awesome to have in a Ford Mustang? 300 horses under the hood to thrash the track or terrorize the street.  Know what’s even cooler than that?  Having the ability to get a record-breaking 30+ miles to the gallon while doing so.  That’s right, everyone, the 2011 Ford Mustang equipped with the V6 is the first car ever to achieve a HP rating over 300 with an efficiency of over 30mpg.  Impressive indeed.  That’s 300hp in a V6–the same rating as the 1st-gen S197 Ford Mustang GT that was equipped with a 3v 4.6-liter power plant.  Talk about a shot to the predecessor’s glory of the almighty V8!

OK, to be fair, the V8 also received a power gain in the 2011 Mustang GT, so there you go.  But that’s not the point of this prose, however.

The 2011 Ford Mustang equipped with the 3.7-liter V6 pumps out 305hp at a highway rating of 31 miles per gallon.  There–we said it.  Now…how is it done?

This new 2011 Mustang is powered by a high-revving, lightweight, all-aluminum 3.7-liter dual-overhead-cam (DOHC) V-6 engine that utilizes advanced engineering processes, resulting in its excellent blend of power and economy.  The Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) system makes real-time adjustments in the valvetrain within microseconds dependent on driver feedback, solidifying contributions and efficiencies brought to the table by the new power plant offering.

“The Mustang engineering team aimed high and, through hard work, achieved fuel economy numbers that elevate Mustang into a class by itself,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development.  “At no other time in Mustang’s history – for that matter, in automotive history – have we been able to talk about 305 horsepower and 31 miles per gallon. The Mustang truly is a no-compromises sports car.” said Kuzak.

Another noteworthy tidbit is that the 2011 Mustang coupe achieves this performance of record even while equipped with an automatic transmission.  This is a dramatic shift in conventional wisdom and a testament to the success of the Ford engineering team behind the scenes.  The transmission was designed such that the gear ratio calibration and shift programming aim to maximize economy while still providing some high-revving entertainment.

“Advanced powertrains like our Ti-VCT V-6 and six-speed automatic really speak to the future of Mustang,” says Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of Global Powertrain Engineering. “We’ve proven that, using technology, Ford can deliver both power and fuel economy.”

In addition to the powertrain improvements, Ford also applied some upgrades to the Mustang’s body and chassis design to bolster performance and efficiency.  Such examples include:

+ New Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system eliminates the drag of an engine-operated hydraulic power steering pump
+ Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions allow lower cruising revs without sacrificing off-the-line performance
+ Aerodynamic changes include improvements like a new front fascia, tire spats on the rear wheels, modified underbody shields, a taller air dam and an added rear decklid seal

So what’s all this mean?  It means that the 2011 Ford Mustang base model offers a lot more than what buyers have traditionally been receiving for their money.  It means that the 2011 Mustang already has over 11,000 orders placed–half of which are for the V6 model.  More tech is finding its way into new Fords, now more than ever, and people are eating it up like candy.

Like what you’ve seen & heard?  Get in line.  The 2011 Mustangs are moving fast and they’re not even on the tracks & streets yet.