Test drove a 2011 Mustang V6

[rationull]

I've been mildly pining for a faster car for a while now and the new Mustangs are/were at the top of my list -- both the V6 and V8. The combination of power, cost, and efficiency are hard to beat. Yesterday I checked online and found that for the first time since I've been watching, my local dealer had a manual transmission car in both in V6 and V8 trims, so I went down there looking to test drive them back to back. They had already sold the V8, but I got a drive in the V6. Didn't think there was much point in testing anything with an auto transmission.

I'd been expecting to lean toward the six given its fuel economy and the fact that 305 hp ought to be enough, especially for a daily driven car. I think I might have been wrong. The acceleration was fairly underwhelming, even in first gear. Don't get me wrong, the car has power, but it did not deliver a "push you back in the seat" thrill like what I've felt in turbocharged cars or in the previous 4.6 Mustang GT. It's down 40 ft*lbs of torque vs the 4.6 (and 110 ft*lbs vs the new 5.0!), and I'm sure that's why.

Now, to be fair, this car was a base model with the base 2.73 differential. The V6 performance package and the GT have a limited slip with a 3.31 axle ratio. I'm not sure how much of a difference that would make but I'm hoping I can find out at some point. If it's pretty similar, then I really couldn't see it being worth the money to replace my Civic (which is paid off).

On the upside, the 6 speed manual transmission is pretty nice. Short throws with good positive engagement. Much better than the clumsy, truck-like shifters in the previous 2005-2009 Mustangs I've driven. I also liked the steering feel but the test drive route I took wasn't really given to testing that very well (I was more curious about the power).

Disappointing -- it's looking like if I ever do this, it'll require spending the extra $$ for the GT!

 

[eljefino]

but it gets 31 MPG and looks cool.

 

[Mr Nice]

The car feels like a dog with that 2.73 gearing, the 3.31 gears would make a day/night difference. My old Mustang had 2.73 gears and I swapped it out for 3.55 gears and it was a totally different car, same engine with the same amount of HP and torque but I was in heaven shifting gears.

It wasn't that fast but I managed very low 13's on motor just with bolt-ons.

 

[TXMXTruck]

I agree that with the Ford V6 jumping from the 2.73 economy gearing to the performance gearing will make it feel like a difference car.

 

[440Magnum]

+1 on the gears being a big part of it. To be quick off the line with 2.7x gears, you need 7+ liters of displacement. My '66 had 2.76 gears originally and was quick enough with the 440 (and holy cow, the top end was limited only by the aerodynamics of a shoebox). But in researching copcars from the 60s, I found that they used a 2.93 ratio- only a small change from 2.76 and I figured "useless" and wondered why they didn't use 3.23 or 3.55 gears like the muscle cars did (the answer of course is top end speed with no overdrive back then). But then a friend came across a 2.93 axle in a boneyard and I gave it a try... sure enough, even that little change made a noticeable difference in neck snapping ability. With a small turbo v6, going from 2.7x to 3.3x will reap double rewards because it will help the turbo spool up faster too.

 

[buster]

Test it with the 3.31, you may be surprised. I'm curious myself. Ford did a nice job with the Mustang.

 

[tenderloin]

Don't forget the tires with each package. There is a height difference between the standard tire and the HP models. Smaller diameter on the HP's for sure. That combined with the 3.31 gears is a double whammy over what I assume you were driving.

 

[rationull]

I do hope I can drive one with the 3.31 at some point -- but the opportunity probably won't come up with an MT in the V6 (at my local dealer anyway). Good to hear that the jump from 2.7 to 3.3 can make a big difference because it was basically as LT4 Vette says .. it felt like a dog. It's nice that the FE rating is so high but it seems like a waste of a 300 HP engine. At least it's still RWD!

Looking forward to testing the GT, though, when they get one in with a stick.

 

[IndyIan]

Do they keep the same transmission ratios from the 2.73 axle to the 3.3 axle? If so, that is a huge difference, like the difference between being in 2nd or 3rd. Heck even the 10% difference in gearing I get running my snowtires on my Neon is very noticable.
Does the 2.73 make the car feel like it has 3 overdrive gears?

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Do they keep the same transmission ratios from the 2.73 axle to the 3.3 axle? If so, that is a huge difference, like the difference between being in 2nd or 3rd. Heck even the 10% difference in gearing I get running my snowtires on my Neon is very noticable.
Does the 2.73 make the car feel like it has 3 overdrive gears?


Same transmission AFAIK. After doing a 1st and 2nd gear run and being unimpressed I didn't even bother seeing how well it pulled in the higher gears. But yeah, it did feel like overdrive gears now that you mention it. It was pushing but the revs build slowly and it really had to work.

 

[Mr Nice]

2.73 gears are very tall

I could do almost 120 miles per hour in 3rd with 2.73 gears

 

[BeanCounter]

Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
2.73 gears are very tall

I could do almost 120 miles per hour in 3rd with 2.73 gears


Judging by the calculation alone, mine would go decently over 120 in 3rd with that final drive. My current final drive is one full driveline revolution more.

 

[sciphi]

My Buick has similarly tall gears. It's an absolute dog in town, and a hoot on the highway.

I can see why your car didn't want to go. Those tall gears would do it. The 3.xx gears would make it far faster around town.

 

[Ben99GT]

You were probably also feeling drive-by-wire lag in addition to the tall gears. A tune transforms the 05+ DBW Fords in a major way.

 

[rationull]

Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
You were probably also feeling drive-by-wire lag in addition to the tall gears. A tune transforms the 05+ DBW Fords in a major way.



Nah, I'm familiar with DBW lag via my Civic. This wasn't a lack of response when mashing the pedal, it was suggish (for a powerful car) acceleration with the go pedal staying down in 1st and 2nd gear getting up to freeway speed.

 

[CBR.worm]

2.73 is really tall. I was wondering how they got the mileage up.

 

[OVERKILL]

2.73's are a common gear in the Mustangs. Most of the 5.0L LX cars came with them. The GT's came with 3.08's.

 

[kkreit01]

3.73s should be std. with a 6 speed.

 

[SteveSRT8]

good point. With all those OD gears in the manual trans there is no reason not to have a pretty "short" gear in there!

 

[rationull]

Drove the V8 6MT yesterday -- wow. It's quite a beast, almost scary in 1st gear. Would be an awesome car but as tempting as it is, more than I want to spend.

This was with the 3.31 gears. Still curious how the V6 with that axle pulls.