2011 Mustang Convertible

Drop Top Fun In The Sun

It was a long time coming but Ford finally jumped smack dab in the middle of the horsepower wars and I have to say, once again they’ve done it right. The 2011 Mustang convertible is sleek and muscular and a bit edgier than its predecessor and now powered by a V6 with V8 horsepower under the hood. The original pony car once again will keep up with or out perform just about anything comparable on the road, and yes I am talking about the Dodge Challenger SE and the Camaro V6. Oh by the way, it does it while getting up to 31mpg on the highway

From any angle there’s no mistaking the 2011 Mustang for anything but a more sophisticated iteration of the original pony car. It sports the iconic grille and hockey stick side lines and muscular haunches at the rear quarter panels which gives the car a “ready to rumble” stance reminiscent of the iconic ’69 429 Boss. The car looks great from any angle but it’s especially aggressive looking if you see it approaching in your rear view mirror.

The big 3 may not dominate the car market in the U.S. any longer but the pony car wars live on, and when two of the three entries generate over 300 horsepower while getting 29 and 31 miles to the gallon, it’s nice to be able to say that. Ford accomplishes this task with their new 3.7 Liter 24 valve Ti-VCT V6, and the alphabet soup denotes Twin-independent Variable Valve Timing. That’s as technical as I plan to get but suffice it to say, you get performance without sacrificing mileage.

Inside you’ll find a seamless one-piece soft-touch Olefin Skin instrument panel and Ford’s classic conical gauge cluster with a center stack and lockable storage console on the floor.  The Mustang also has the seven color ambient interior lighting which is actually pretty nifty. The seats are supportive yet comfortable and make driving the Mustang a pleasure.

The test car came with SYNC which accommodates most popular MP3 players and Bluetooth phones by using voice commands. SYNC provides roadside assistance and a vehicle health report. SYNC also allows for 911 Assist^{TM which} that connects you to a 911 operator through your paired mobile phone in an accident that deploys the airbags as long as the electrical system hasn’t been damaged and become inoperative.

But what the 2011 Mustang V6 is all about is driving and driving this car is nothing but fun. I happen to be a big fan of convertibles so I was thrilled that my first ride in the new Stang was the convertible. I’ve had the pleasure a driving a lot of cars that cause folks to pull out the camera phone and the Mustang convertible is one of them, much to the chagrin of my wife.

The pricing on our test car based at $30,845 and with the Rapid Spec Mustang Club of America package, 6-speed automatic transmission, the 3.31 Axle ratio, security package and HID headlights the estimated total price was $35,000. Not back for a drop top Mustang with over 300 horsepower and 31 highway mpg.

Bottom line, the all-new 2011 Mustang V6 is one potent pony car that once again can claim to be the top dog of V6 muscle. It’s fun, fast and a blast to drive while being miserly when it comes to fuel consumption. There will always be pushback from people that think you ave to drive econoboxes to get mpg but clearly that’s no longer the case. If you’ve been waiting for Ford to kick the Mustang up a notch, your wait is over.