By Mark Gearhart

powerTV Media

Much noise has been made about the 2011 Mustang since it was unveiled late last year at the L.A. Auto Show. Following on 2010’s sharp new look come two all-new engines, the 5.0 liter V8 and the 3.7 liter V6. These engines came as a response to both GM and Chrysler, which offered 400+ horsepower V8’s in their respective muscle cars for under $40,000.

By now, you’ve no doubt read many a review on the 5.0 engine and its 412 horsepower and 390 ft-lbs of torque. You’ve heard it compared to both Camaro and Challenger, and no doubt it came out on top. And I’d be lying if we said the 5.0 didn’t titillate me with its impressive variable timing technology and all new intake design. But I have come to expect great V8 engines from Ford. V6 engines? Not so much.

For over a decade and a half, the Mustang has been weighed down by an anemic 4.0 liter V6. That particular engine produced a paltry amount of horsepower (even by V6 standards) and turned the base Mustang into a very bland and uninspiring experience. So when I heard that the new 3.7 liter V6 would make almost as much horsepower as last year’s 4.6 liter V8, I knew I had to get behind the wheel and take this new car for a test drive.

Click here for the full review on Stang TV.

By Michael Berenis

Tampa Sports Car Examiner

Good news! Despite the sour economy and everyone shoving green down our throats, our good friends in Kentucky are still hardcore into automotive rocketry. The Corvette might not be capable of space travel, but one WOT pull in a 638 horsepower ZR1 will make you feel like an astronaut. How long with the Corvette live? I hope forever. Read more about the 2011 Corvette commercial at Tampa Sports Car Examiner.

By Mark Gearhart

powerTV Media

The new 2011 Ford Mustang GT has been an absolute upper deck home run for the Ford Motor Company thus far, as blue oval fanatics and automotive enthusiasts alike clamor to get their hands on the venomous new pony car to find out for themselves just what the new drivetrain is capable of.

Since the release of the highly acclaimed 2011 GT this spring with its touted new 5.0L engine pumping out 412 horses, performance shops and owners have been raising the performance bar in short order as they continually push the limits of the five-oh. We’ve already seen headlines made with some astounding numbers by several different individuals with the car in many different forms. Bone stock, tuned, slick tires, radials, manual, automatic…you name it. Now, the guys at Evolution Performance have decided to work the stock rear tires for all they’re worth in an attempt to se just how fast this car really is virtually right off the dealer lot.

Evolution Performance, in Aston, PA, took their Grabber Blue, automatic-equipped GT on a series of laps down the quarter mile riding on the stock wheels and factory.

“We wanted to see what times could be achieved with D.O.T. Street Tires on Stock Wheels, which 80% of the people buying these cars will be using.,” said Fred Cook of Evolution Performance. “This car is geared more towards the Street/Strip group using 100% Street Components!”

Learn more about this pony at Stangtv.com

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

I’d say Jeep did a great job with the styling and I’ve been reading very positive reviews at Autoblog and Cars.com. The configurator is now live at Jeep.com and it looks like pricing is actually a tad lower than the outgoing model, despite the fact that they’ve added features. So what do you guys think? Chrysler definitely needs a win right now…

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Yeah, it looks kind of bland, but it’s bigger and cheaper, which for the US market should be a winning combo. Drivetrains carry over from the current car. Details are still a bit sketchy but you can see more pics at Autoblog. It should hit dealer lots in October.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

This new pony is fast. Ford just released this video showing the 2011 Ford GT500 lapping VIR a full 9 seconds faster than last year’s model. Wow.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Compare that to 364 RWHP for the Camaro SS! Looks like Ford is being pretty conservative with their hp ratings! Full story at Edmunds.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

One bright spot for Chrysler right now is the next generation Grand Cherokee, which will go on sale later this year. Pricing will be very close to the outgoing model. Here it is showing its stuff on the Rubicon Trail. More pics at Jalopnik

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

The 300 hp V6 Stang will start just under $23k, including destination charges, and the new 412 hp 5.0 GT will be priced just over the $30k mark, including destination charges. See the full PDF at The Mustang Source.

Which reminds me of the Mustang conversations I had with the Ford guys at NAIAS. J Mays told me that they have already started preliminary work on the 50th anniversary Stang for 2014. He said he’d like to see the car shrink down a bit and told me that IRS would be “logical” for the next generation pony car. Regarding the current generation Mustang, Mays said we can expect more special editions, though he refused to be specific when I asked him about Boss Mustangs, Bullitt Mustangs and the Mach 1.

Continue reading after the jump!

Continue reading "2011 Mustang Still a Bargain" »

By Speedhunters

Car Culture At Large

While Linhbergh was in Charlotte shooting the Mustang RTR and RTR-C last week, we stopped by Autosport Dynamics where we were able to check out the shell of my new competition car. The Falken Tire 2011 Ford Mustang chassis had just arrived from paint. Here is a picture of me getting acquainted with my new car for the first time. Something is so cool to me about seeing a freshly painted bare chassis. Anyone agree?

By Vaughn Gittin Jr.