2011 Ford Mustang GT; 5.0L V8

enthusiasts, prepare to rejoice — the Boss is back. In response to ongoing requests from the faithful, Ford is bringing back one of the marque’s most revered badges. It’s just a couple of digits, but “5.0” means the world to this league of Ford pony car fans.

The 5.0-litre V8 was the engine that powered the Mustang to glory in the 1980s. Now it’s being revived in the 2011 Mustang GT being introduced this month at the North American International Auto Show in 
Detroit.

While this completely new engine shares the same displacement, it’s a huge step up from the pushrod small-block that initially cranked out about 175 horsepower decades ago. This new iteration is a sophisticated, lightweight (174 kilograms) DOHC gem that delivers an impressive 412 ponies and 390 pound-feet of torque, plus an expected fuel rating of 9.4 litres per 100 kilometres on the highway and 13.8 L/100 km in the city. It also produces fewer emissions.

In a video shown during an early media sneak peek, the engine spooled up to 7,000 rpm with ease. “And it can run at that speed all day,” says Mike Harrison, an engineer who has spent the past 2  years leading the 5.0 development team.

“The heart of this engine is in its breathing,” Harrison says. Its aluminum four-valves-per-cylinder heads have been configured to allow more room for high-flow ports, while the head structure has been designed to support higher cylinder head pressures and cross-flow cooling for sustained high-rpm use. Even the size of the head bolts has been increased one millimetre to 12 mm to keep the highercombustion pressures contained.

A technology developed by Ford engineers called twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) capitalizes on the improved head design, resulting in a substantial increase in torque and more immediate engine response across a wide rpm range. Basically, it works like a ratchet, using the torque of the four camshafts (two intake, two exhaust) to advance or retard the camshaft timing. Ford says the abundance of available torque and increased responsiveness will be immediately noticeable when the driver pushes the go pedal — and improved fuel efficiency will be 
obvious, too.

Ford first used Ti-VCT on its 3.0L V6 and plans to expand the availability of this powertrain technology to about 90% of its products by 2013.

It has been common practice for enthusiasts to toss out the original cast-iron exhaust manifolds of their Mustangs, replacing them with custom-built high-flow tubular headers to improve the engine’s breathing and boost horsepower. Well, owners of the 2011 Mustang GT won’t have to take that hot rodding step — the new 5.0 engine comes from the factory with specially designed tubular headers. And this footnote will warm the hearts of enthusiasts: Ford says those headers were initially fabricated by an engine team analyst in his home workshop.

The core of the 5.0 engine is an aluminum block that has been specifically designed to withstand the demands of an enthusiast, such as a day at the drag strip or weekend lapping sessions at a track. The main bearing bulkhead widths have been increased and the iron cross-bolted main bearing caps have been secured with upsized bolts to safely handle the increased performance. In addition to improved oil circulation within the block, the capacity of the deep-sump steel oil pan has been increased and baffling has been added to endure sustained high-rpm use. As a bonus, the additional pan capacity enables the lifespan of the engine oil to be extended to 16,000 kilometres before changing. Oil jets that squirt lubricant on the pistons are another performance-oriented feature — they also result in faster oil warm-up on cold starts.

Ford Is First To Offer Factory-Installed HD Radio With iTunes Tagging

2011 Ford Mustang Picture

Ford's 2011 Mustang GT will be among the Ford products to get factory-installed HD radio and iTunes tagging.
Ford is set to become the first automaker to offer a factory-installed HD radio option with iTunes tagging when it introduces the technology next year. This announcement follows a statement last week that the next-generation Ford Sync will essentially allow passengers to turn their vehicle into a rolling Wi-Fi hot spot by plugging a mobile modem or "air card" into the standard USB port.

Next year, all 2011 Ford vehicles will offer standard radio, HD radio technology, Sirius Satellite Radio and even Internet radio if you choose to set it up.

The system will automatically pick up HD signals and provide exclusive access to HD radio HD2/HD3 channels. These "mini-stations" or "sister" channels are found directly adjacent to the main channel on the dial, if they are available. Examples of these stations include a dedicated HD3 channel in Dallas to cover the Cowboys 24/7 and a similar HD2 station in Pittsburgh to cover the Penguins around the clock.

With the HD radio comes iTunes tagging capability. Through the Sync system, drivers will be able to simply press a button labeled "Tag" on the radio display, storing up to 100 songs heard over the radio in the receiver's memory. Customers can then connect an iPod to the Sync system to receive the data and a playlist of these "tagged" songs will automatically appear. They can then conveniently preview and eventually purchase the music if they choose.

"iTunes Tagging and HD Radio technology are strong new additions to the growing collection of Ford convenience features and technology we're offering customers to make driving even more enjoyable. This is another example of Ford's commitment to bring the widest variety of factory-installed customer-focused technology, features and conveniences to millions of people," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas.

Ford Mustang is still cool

2010 Mustang GT

Now 45 years old and revamped for 2010 with new styling and more powerful V-8, the "pony car" that debuted in 1964 is strikingly muscular, more energetic than before and thoroughly cool for a modern buyer.

You dont even have to pretend to be Steve McQueen, the lead actor in the 1968 film "Bullitt" who famously drove a Mustang in one of Hollywoods best chase scenes, to enjoy the new Mustangs unique persona.

Just take todays low-riding, sporty and sinister-looking Mustang out on the streets amid roundly styled sedans like the Toyota Camry and tall-riding sport utility vehicles and see how the Mustang stands out as a special ride.

Surprisingly, the Mustang remains a bit practical, too.

The federal government gives the 2010 two-door Mustang coupe across-the-board 5 out of 5 stars for safety protection of driver and front passenger in frontal crash testing. The coupe gets the same high marks for protection in side crash testing.

It gets an average rating for reliability from Consumer Reports.

Starting manufacturers suggested retail price, including destination charge, is $21,845 for a base, rear-wheel drive Mustang powered by a 210-horsepower V-6 mated to a five-speed manual transmission.

Unfortunately, the real gems of the Mustangs — models with V-8s — are priced much higher. The 2010 Mustang GT with 315-horsepower, throaty V-8 has a starting retail price of $28,845 with manual transmission.

A key competitor, of course, is the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro, which has a starting retail price, including destination charge, of $23,530 for a base model with 304-horsepower V-6 and six-speed manual. The rear-wheel drive Camaro with 426-horsepower V-8 starts at $31,595.

Ford officials rightfully play up Mustangs longevity, its status as one of the best-known nameplates in history and its notoriety over the years in film, television and even a magic act in Las Vegas recently.

The test Mustang GT seemed to have some magic, too, with its makeover for 2010. The car arrived wearing an eye-catching "Grabber Blue" paint color, and it was complemented by ambient blue lighting inside illuminating the door sills, cupholders and center console.

I couldnt miss the big Mustang horse badge in the middle of the steering wheel as I slid down and into the drivers seat. The Mustang rides low to the pavement, so a driver cant see anything but the back bumper and tailgate of a pickup truck or SUV ahead in traffic.

The round, deep-set instrument gauges on the dashboard looked old-school, but in a cool, not clunky, way. They also were easy to read.

Turning the ignition on, I heard the 4.6-liter, single overhead cam V-8 come to life. Even just idling, it sounded exciting, and a tap of the accelerator with the gearshifter still in neutral brought up the decibels considerably.

I grabbed the gearshift knob and moved into first gear. The Mustang GT rolled out of the garage as if it was on the prowl. I worried that the low front air dam might scrape at the dip of the driveway where it meets the street, but there was no problem. Indeed, only because I couldnt ever see where the front of the big hood ended did I bump the dam once against a concrete curb that marked the front of a parking space.

Torque in the Mustang GT is 325 foot-pounds at 4,250 rpm, and thankfully, the engine runs fine on regular gasoline. By judiciously selecting gears, I zoomed forward into and around traffic. Glancing frequently down at the speedometer, I found the car always was going faster than I had guessed. At highway speeds, the car almost seemed to be waiting to go faster.

The gearshifter was a bit notchy feeling in the test car, but it seemed to fit fine with the cars overall personality. A few times in city driving, I noticed some driveline lash.

Ford Fusion

The one U.S. automaker that didn't take federal bailout money has the only two American cars to make the Digital Drive Top 10 for 2010. Coincidence? We think not.

The sleeper car in our Top 10 is the Ford Fusion, and we're particularly fond of the hybrid version. It's relatively affordable, the hybrid gets great mileage compared to the gasoline version, and the Sync iPod-and-Bluetooth adapter is on virtually every Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury, which is how it should be. The Ford Fusion provides comfortable transportation and outstanding reliability, according to a number of surveys.

The Ford Fusion hybrid gets higher mileage than a Toyota Camry, which is a better comparison than the smaller, if hipper, Toyota Prius. Ford rates the Fusion at 41 mpg in city driving, which is only about $150 less per year in gasoline costs than a Prius. When I drove a Fusion hybrid, I couldn't match Ford's figures but still got in the high 30s. And it felt and sounded more like a mainstream gas-engine car with fewer weird electric-mechanical noises than competing hybrids.

The Fusion Hybrid's reconfigurable instrument panel dual LCD SmartGuage offers four levels of information from Just the Facts to OMG, I'm Controlling a Nuclear Reactor.

If hybrids are to be widespread, they have to save money over the life of your ownership, not just make you look good in front of your green neighbors. (Payback on a Lexus LS460h hybrid is on the order of 100 years.) The Ford Fusion hybrid will get back the hybrid premium and you'll have a decent driving experience to boot. Add Sync, the free 911 Assist emergency calling, a capless gas tank filler, and you've got a very nice car.

2010 Ford Fusion

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid was awarded the “Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year” by “blogazine” Earth, Wind & Power (EWP) at the Los Angeles Auto Show Wednesday. This award is in addition to its other recent accolades, including Car and Driver’s “10Best” cars for 2010 and the Motor Trend 2010 Car of the Year Award. The car also got the highest customer satisfaction rating of any Ford vehicle, ever.

So…what is so awesome about the Fusion? Fuel economy. The Ford Fusion Hybrid gets 41 mpg in the city. Ford reports that this is “70 percent better than comparable non-hybrid models and 8 mpg better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid.”

The Fusion also has a unique “eco-gauge” digital dashboard designed to teach drivers how to increase energy efficiency by following cues that leverage the car’s features. For example, through strategic braking and steady acceleration, drivers can increase the amount of electricity used from regenerative braking. When drivers maximize their eco-performance, a digital tree on the readout grows leaves.

When I took the Fusion for a test drive in NYC last April, I found the “Eco-Gauge” driving experience challenging and fun. In the few short blocks of mid-afternoon stop-and-go traffic, I learned how to drive more efficiently and delighted in watching the leaves blossom on my tree. But it’s not all bells and whistles: my driving coach, Praveen Cherian (Ford’s leader of Hybrid Programs), told me that he has been able to increase overall fuel economy to about 70 mpg when maximizing energy efficiency in this way.

Ford claims no recall link

Ford is adamant there's no link between a runaway car stuck on cruise control on a Melbourne freeway, and the largest recall in the company's history.

Chase Weir had to slam on his brakes repeatedly and pull the handbrake to finally stop his 2002 Ford Explorer yesterday afternoon after driving 54km stuck on cruise control at 80km/h down the Eastern Freeway.

The 2002 Explorer is part of a Ford global recall on faulty cruise control devices used in millions of its vehicles.

But the company says there's no link between its recall and Mr Weir's ordeal.

A Ford spokeswoman says Mr Weird's vehicle could have already had the cruise control fixed in his vehicle because of the recall, but even if it didn't, it's irrelevant.