Road Reality » sports car

Hot Car: 2011 Shelby GT500; Less weight + More power = More fun!

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:00:25 +0000

We’ve had some talk about the 2011 Mustang, both in V6 and GT trims. Ford has finally released information and videos of its 2011 Shelby GT500, the most powerful factory Mustang ever built, in both Coupe and Convertible trim. Follow the jump for high-resolution images, videos, and my take on what this new model means to fans of the iconic pony car.

The big news is the aluminum engine. The use of aluminum instead of iron makes for a much lighter front end, which leads to better handling. With only 10 extra horsepower, you’d expect the performance numbers to stay close to what the 2010 GT500 was capable of, but not so. The new aluminum engine is 102 pounds lighter than its predecessor, which should make a big difference. It also uses a Ford first: a special coating on the inside of the engine that increases durability by lowering the amount of heat and friction.

Due to the decreased weight and more fuel-efficient engine design, the 2011 GT500 nets fuel economy numbers of 15/23 city/highway, compared to 2010′s 14/22 city/highway. While it’s not a great increase, it keeps the Shelby’s price down, since consumers won’t have to pay the gas guzzler tax that’s been tacked onto the MSRP for years.

The Shelby GT500 benefits from all the Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) work that Ford’s engineers did for the regular Mustang for 2011, so the new car will let in far less road noise – 20% to be exact. Also, the electronic power steering system Ford has put into the new Mustang is also carried over, which is tuned in the GT500 to be variable, so slow-speed maneuvers are easier, while faster speed (read: track time) steering effort will be increased, which will make the new car easier to drive at speed.

Not to be left out, the convertible model of the GT500 has also seen some more strengthening to its underpinnings, leading to a convertible that acts more like its sibling, the coupe.

So, what are we left with? For sure, a faster, better handling pony car. Finally, the power and performance figures should be closer to what Chevrolet Corvette owners are used to, although the Mustang probably won’t ever be quite that fast. The Corvette just has the weight issue already taken care of, and is a much lower-slung car. Instead of always being compared to the Camaro, the Corvette’s little brother, the Mustang now lies somewhere between the two Chevy muscle cars, and may give GM the extra push to release its Z28, which would be the most powerful Camaro in its lineup, above the already potent SS model.

Videos:

Coupe:

Convertible:

Gallery:

by John Suit

Source: Ford

Green with Envy: 2010 Camaro Synergy Special Edition

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:00:51 +0000

At 2009′s SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas, GM showed off some special edition Camaros, promising to bring the most popular ones to market. Well, they’ve finally come through on that promise, by building the Synergy Special Edition. It’s the V6 Camaro, with the Camaro Convenience and Connectivity Package (Bluetooth, USB, iPod connections, plus remote start on automatic-transmission equipped cars), and lots of green, for $26,790. Continue reading for more details and pictures.

The special edition Camaro is painted in Synergy Green, with “Cyber Grey” stripes running the length of the car. Sterling silver-painted wheels and a standard spoiler complete the exterior modifications. Inside, green stitching on the jet black cloth seats, shift knob, center console and steering wheel let you know you’ve got something different from regular Camaros. Green inserts on the door panels and instrument cluster round out the changes on the interior.

While there aren’t any performance modifications done to the Synergy Special Edition Camaro, it’s sure to sell, as GM is only building them in “limited numbers,” whatever that means, and only from February to May of this year. It’s good to see a special edition sports car that doesn’t cost a ton of money, especially in this economy. After losing the sales race to the Ford Mustang in 2009, GM could use all the extra sales they can get, especially once the 2011 Mustang hits, with comparable horsepower to the current Camaro.

by John Suit

Source: GM

Video of Cadillac CTS-V Coupe Surfaces

admin — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:02:46 +0000

Remember the CTS-V Coupe we reported on last week? Well, video has surfaced showing it off. Not much to say, except, “wow.” That, and the video includes the space shuttle, the sun, lighting, hurricanes, lava flow and everything else you could think of that screams, “Power!” Click through the jump to watch it.

by John Suit

Source: YouTube, via AutoBlog

Under the Hood: 2011 Mustang V6

roadreality — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:59:05 +0000

When someone pictures a Ford Mustang, they picture a brawny V8, dual exhaust, and smoking tires. In the background, the V6 quietly saves its owner on insurance and at the pump, and is actually Ford’s bread-and-butter Mustang. For years, it’s had to make do with 6-cylinder engines that had neither the horsepower nor the refinement to truly compete in the sports coupe arena. But that’s all about to change.

Enter the 2011 Mustang V6. Powered by a new 3.7-liter V6 similar to the one found in the Lincoln MKS, it develops 305 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque – enough to best the 2010 Camaro, its closest rival. Not to mention its fuel efficiency, which Ford says is 30 MPG on the highway. The fuel economy is partly due to the new automatic and manual transmissions on offer from Ford. The new transmissions each have 6 gears, giving the new Mustang plenty of performance. Once up to speed, it also offers quiet, fuel-efficient highway cruising. Besides the performance and fuel economy, Ford’s new V6 engine will only require oil changes once every 10,000 miles, which is longer than Ford’s current 7,500 mile interval on its current vehicles. If you’ve been following the engine options available in Ford vehicles, this “new” 3.7-liter V6 looks to be closely related to the base engine in the 2009-2010 Lincoln MKS, albeit tweaked for Mustang duty with a little extra performance. Could we see this engine powering future Lincolns? Email me with your thoughts.

In addition to the engine and transmissions, almost everything else under the skin of the new Mustang is changed, from the suspension to the power steering. The suspension is retuned for comfortable highway cruising while maintaining the Mustang’s ability to hold its own in tight corners. The power steering is no longer powered by a hydraulic pump, but instead is using an electronic system disconnected from the engine. This allows for trick features that keep the driver in his or her lane and remove some of the shimmy of an out-of-balance wheel or warped brake rotors, as well as the automatic parallel-parking feature found on luxury cars. There will also be a V6 Performance Package available, which consists of summer tires riding on 19″ wheels, the suspension setup from the Mustang GT complete with a Sport mode in its revised programming, a strut tower brace to add some rigidity to the car and a shorter axle gear ratio for faster acceleration.

Even though the 2010 Mustang received a major refreshing, we didn’t see much of an improvement in performance. That was one of its biggest problems, considering the Camaro V6 puts out similar power figures to the 2010 Mustang GT, not to mention the myriad of engines offered in the 2010 Dodge Challenger. Now that the V6 Mustang has similar horsepower figures to the 2010 Mustang GT, it’ll be interesting to see what Ford comes up with for the 2011 Mustang GT. Rumor has it that a 5.0-liter V8 making 400 horsepower is in the running.

by John Suit

Source: Ford

Make your Mustang your own with a Mustang stripe kit from AmericanMuscle.com

Review: 2010 Ford Mustang GT

roadreality — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:23:17 +0000

When I began the process of setting up this site and creating a schedule of which cars to review, I wanted to take an in-depth look at one of the most iconic American cars, the Ford Mustang. Introduced in 1964, the Mustang broke sales records in its first year of production. The Ford Mustang has a distinct shape to it, and throughout the years it has developed a cult following, even outliving its competition. Each iteration of the Mustang has continued major design themes, based on the original’s short-trunk lid/long hood design. When Ford redesigned the Mustang for the 2005 model year, they melded visual attributes of the 1967-1969 Mustangs with modern running gear and electronics. Now the 2010 model has been introduced, with some very visible changes from its predecessor both inside and out, but do they make it better?

For 2010, Ford has given one of its longest continuously-running nameplates a refreshing, almost a complete redesign. Ford has changed the body slightly, to make the car look smaller and reshaping the front and rear ends to look more modern. While this gets slightly away from the mostly retro look of the 2005-2009 Mustang, it makes the car appear more aggressive, and in my opinion, much better. The front end slopes a little bit more forward, giving a more shark-nosed appearance, and a hood bulge adds more muscle to an already tough-looking car. The doors and roof line retain their previous shape, but out back the rear end is now sloped inward from the rear bumper towards the trunk lid. While retaining the classic vertical taillights that Ford brought back in the 1996 model year, they are separated by white bars, and are sequential, a feature Ford has used before. The sequential taillights illuminate from the innermost to the outermost lamp, giving the Mustang a distinctive appearance, especially at night.

While the exterior designers were giving the bodywork a makeover, the interior design department was definitely not sitting on its laurels. A lot of the interior materials have been improved, replacing hard plastics with soft-touch plastic and leatherette. A satellite navigation system is optional, as are heated seats and dual-zone automatic climate control, among other luxury-oriented options. The fit and finish of the interior has also been improved for 2010, a welcome change from past designs.

Turning the key in the ignition, the 4.6-liter V8 growls to life, filling the cabin with sounds that let your passenger know that he or she is in for a ride. The gauges in front of you are configurable in color with any of 125 choices, which while it could be gimmicky, aids the driver by letting them pick colors which are of better contrast than some other gauges in cars. I changed the gauge background color to green, which contrasts nicely with the red needles on the instrumentation. While the gauge design has dated somewhat since its introduction five years ago, the clarity is still very good. Looking right, you notice that the optional satellite navigation screen has come to life and shows a Mustang logo, followed by the “Home” screen for the in-car entertainment. This is divided up into three sections: the left half of the screen devoted to navigation, the top of the right half showing the audio information, and the lower portion of the right half displaying climate control settings. The screen is big and high-resolution, which makes viewing its contents very easy. The only problem with this screen is its position in the dash. If it higher in the dash, it would be far less of a distraction when actually trying to use the satellite navigation. Many times I left the screen on a menu because the display is out of sight when you’re driving. The regular (standard) radio display sits higher in the dashboard, near where just the top of the navigation screen lies. This would make it a better fit for drivers who don’t need the built-in navigation, important in a car whose main purpose is as a driver’s car. Ford has also added its ambient lighting setup to the Mustang, which includes lighted door sills which say “MUSTANG” and rings of light in the footwells and cupholders. The position of the cupholders presents a problem though; with the cupholder cover opened, you lose most of the armrest when not shifting. This and the placement of the navigation screen seem to be afterthoughts of the designers, marring what would otherwise be an excellent interior to spend some time.

While driving, you’ll notice that the steering is heavier than in most cars, making it easier to get the car to go exactly where you want it by providing more feedback to you, but only slightly more difficult in tight turning situations. You’ll also note an unusually light clutch pedal for a car of this power level, as well as a very direct and accurate gear shifter (on the standard manual transmission), which makes driving in traffic a bit easier. When shifting gears, you’d almost swear there is a conventional metal gate underneath the lever shift boot, guiding you from one gear to the next. It takes a little getting used to, but after several minutes of driving, it was second nature to change gears quickly and smoothly.

With a car like this, you expect more acceleration than most, and the Mustang GT definitely comes through in that regard, but whereas past muscle cars have been rough, noisy and generally rambunctious, the 2010 Mustang is mostly just noisy. The exhaust note is a bit loud for everyday driving, but after spending some time in the car during my commute, I got used to it, and it was less intrusive than when I first picked up the car. The wind noise is still a bit disappointing, especially at highway speeds, but since the Mustang is designed as both a coupe and convertible, this is to be expected.

Given that this car can reach some fast speeds in a hurry, it helps to be able to see what’s going on around you, and the Mustang shines here. Rear visibility is great in dry weather, but fairly poor in the rain, when water streaks down the rear glass, blurring the view. The only thing which impedes on the view is the tester’s optional spoiler, which stands up a few inches. Thankfully, the pedestal spoiler is an option, and a lower one can be had with different option packages. Side vision, unlike many of its competitors, is excellent, with just enough height to the side glass that you don’t feel confined or in a cave. Front visibility is good, with the hood and optional hood scope only slightly blocking your view of what lies ahead. At night, the high intensity headlights fitted to the review vehicle provided plenty of light, although the high beams left me wishing they lit up more distant objects.

Traditionally, Mustangs have been known to go fast in straight lines, and beg for forgiveness when encountering curves. With this latest refresh, Ford has continued to modify the suspension, leaving you with a package that if not relentlessly hammered by series of bumps, will corner very well, especially at the speeds most drivers will be driving their Mustangs at. While driving, if you spot a deer or several, as I did when first taking the Mustang home, you’ll find that the new Mustang’s brakes are definitely up to the task of bringing the car to a halt from the speed limit in a hurry, without introducing any unwanted drama into the maneuver.

Conclusion:

The tester I drove was just about fully-loaded. Only a few bits and baubles were missing, most notably the backup camera, which is fantastic when paired with Ford’s 8″ touch screen navigation display in other Ford products I’ve driven. This all leads to an as-tested price of $38,710, which is a little hard to swallow. Thankfully, leaving a few options unchecked will yield a car close to $30,000, and the V6 Coupe starts at just under $21,000. Anyone who will be commuting in rush hour traffic should consider an automatic, which on the V8-powered GT gets better gas mileage than its V6 counterpart. If your insurance balks at you having aV8, the V6 is just as sharp looking, if somewhat slower. The 2010 Mustang is an exciting drive, with plenty of muscle and a bit of loudness to remind you that you’re in a sports car, although it almost has too many creature comforts available, given its purpose. Continuing the commuting Mustang, I’d recommend the GT, with the lower spoiler (or none at all), regular radio (or optional Shaker) and the automatic transmission. For anyone looking to get a weekend cruiser, I’d still recommend the GT, and keep in mind that there is a convertible version available, for those who live where the weather permits top-down motoring. The 2010 Mustang definitely continues its tradition as a Pony Car, and now has a strikingly good retro look, backed up with a modern interior and drive train, and all the power anyone would realistically need. For those of you looking for yet more power, look at the Mustang GT500, GT500KR, and any number of Roush and Saleen modified 2010 Mustangs.

Competitors: Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger

As-Tested:

Year: 2010
Make: Ford
Model: Mustang GT Coupe

EPA Fuel Mileage: 16/24 City/Highway

Base Price: $30,995.00

Options:

$395: Premier Trim w/Color Accent (Rapid Spec 401A)
$395: Security Package (Active Anti-Theft System, Wheel Locks)
$525: HID (High Intensity) headlights
$595: Comfort Package (Heated Seats, Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control)
$2,195: Electronics Package (Satellite Navigation,
$895: 19″ Premium Painted Wheels
$495: 3.73 Rear Axle Package (faster acceleration)
$1,370: GT Coupe Accessory Package 5 (Decklid Panel, Hood Scoop, Quarter Window Louvers, Side Scoops, Pedestal Rear Spoiler)

Total: $37,860

Destination: $850

As-Tested Price: $38,710

Ford has an online Window Sticker viewer. Click here to view the Window Sticker for the actual test vehicle.

Special thanks to Steve Fransisco and Century Ford of Mt. Airy, MD for loaning the tester to Road Reality. Click here to view their web site.

By John Suit

AmericanMuscle sells replacement Mustang convertible tops for your ragtop Mustang.