Ford revised all the Mustang's engines for 2011, while retaining almost the same body styling from the previous year. Transmission options for the V6 or GT include a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic. Also, an Electronic Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system removes the conventional hydraulic power steering pump. This system does not use belts as previously required, and allows for easier turning in low speed situations, while providing firmer control at higher speeds.
The new V6 includes a smaller 3.7 L (actually 3.72 L or 227 cu. in.) aluminum block engine weighing 40 lb (18 kg) less than the outgoing version. The engine has 24 valves (4 valves per cylinder) and Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (TiVCT). These cams control intake and exhaust functions of the vehicle to maximize combustion and efficiency, producing 305 hp (227 kW) and 280 lb·ft (380 N·m) of torque. Fuel economy is rated by the EPA at 19 MPG city and 29 MPG / 31 MPG highway (with a manual or automatic transmission, respectively).
Ford announced on December 28, 2009 that the 2011 Mustang GT would feature a 5.0 engine (actually 4.95 L or 302.15 cu. in.) that produces 412 hp (307 kW) and 390 lb·ft (530 N·m) of torque on "premium fuel" (gasoline with an octane rating of 91). These numbers fall to 402 hp (300 kW) and 377 lb·ft (511 N·m) when using "regular fuel" (gasoline with an octane rating of 87).This Ford "Coyote" engine has 32 valves (4 valves per cylinder) with Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (TiVCT). An optional Brembo brake upgrade is available, which features brakes previously used on the Shelby GT500. A set of 19-inch wheels and performance tires is also included. Also new for the 2011 Mustang GT is the 6 speed manual transmission.
The Shelby GT500's 5.4 L supercharged V8 block is now made out of aluminum making it 102 lb (46 kg) lighter than the iron units in previous years, and is now rated at 550 hp (410 kW) and 510 lb·ft (690 N·m) of torque.
As Lee Iacocca's assistant general manager and chief engineer, Donald N. Frey was the head engineer for the T-5 project—supervising the overall development of the car in a record 18 months - while Iacocca himself championed the project as Ford Division general manager. The T-5 prototype was a two-seat, mid-mounted engine roadster. This vehicle employed a Taunus (Ford Germany) V4 engine and was very similar in appearance to the much later Pontiac Fiero.
It was claimed that the decision to abandon the two-seat design was in part due to the low sales experienced with the 2-seat 1955 Thunderbird. To broaden market appeal it was later remodeled as a four-seat car (with full space for the front bucket seats, as originally planned, and a rear bench seat with significantly less space than was common at the time). A "Fastback 2+2" model traded the conventional trunk space for increased interior volume as well as giving exterior lines similar to those of the second series of the Corvette Sting Ray and European sports cars such as the Jaguar E-Type.The "Fastback 2+2" was not available as a 1964½ model, but was first manufactured on August 17, 1964.
Lee Iacocca, who had been one of the forces behind the original Mustang, became President of Ford Motor Company in 1970 and ordered a smaller, more fuel-efficient Mustang for 1974. Initially it was to be based on the Ford Maverick, but ultimately was based on the Ford Pinto subcompact.
The new model, called the "Mustang II", was introduced two months before the first 1973 oil crisis, and its reduced size allowed it to compete against imported sports coupés such as the Japanese Toyota Celica and the European Ford Capri[citation needed] (then Ford-built in Germany and Britain, sold in U.S. by Mercury as a captive import car). First-year sales were 385,993 cars, compared with the original Mustang's twelve-month sales record of 418,812.
Ford Mustang Interior