MUSTANG V-6 AVERAGES 48.5 MPG; RUNS 1,457 LAPS AT BRISTOL ON A SINGLE TANK OF GAS
* The 2011 Ford Mustang V-6 sets a new record by averaging 48.5 mpg on a track while completing 1,457 laps with an average speed of 43.9 mph
* Mustang is powered by a new 3.7-liter V-6 engine that uses advanced engineering and technology to deliver great performance and fuel economy
* More than 51,000 entries were received for the Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge with 22 entries guessing the winning number of laps
* A team of five drivers, including four Ford Mustang engineers and Ford NASCAR star David Ragan, drove the Mustang during its record run
Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge
BRISTOL, TN., June 24, 2010 – The 2011 Ford Mustang, which made history when it became the first car ever to deliver more than 30 mpg and 305 horsepower, has set a new record by running 1,457 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway while averaging 48.5 mpg.
The Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge was designed to demonstrate that a stock production Mustang V-6 could run 1,000 laps and 533 miles on a single of tank of fuel. With the aid of fuel efficient driving techniques by Ford engineers, the Mustang far surpassed its goal of 1,000 laps.
“To see a Mustang post average fuel economy of 48.5 mpg while running at Bristol is impressive,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “The new V-6 engine along with the advanced six-speed transmission in the car is a key element in delivering both fuel economy and performance for Mustang.”
Ford is committed to being a fuel economy leader in every segment it competes in and Mustang’s leads in its class along with other Ford fuel economy leaders like the Ford Fiesta, Fusion Hybrid and new Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, America’s most fuel efficient luxury sedan.
The Challenge team, which included NASCAR star David Ragan and four Ford Mustang engineers, completed the challenge in 17 hours and 40 minutes, showing off the 2011 Mustang V-6′s class-leading fuel economy by averaging 48.5 mpg over the course of the 776.5 miles logged during the Challenge. That distance is more than the two complete NASCAR Sprint Cup events that take place in Bristol every year.
Ragan pushed the Mustang past the 1,000-lap mark at 7:26 p.m., 12 hours and 26 minutes into the Challenge, but the car wasn’t close to being out of fuel. Mustang engineer Seong Park was behind the wheel when it finally came to a halt (on the backstretch) of the famed NASCAR track at 12:41 a.m. local time.
Other Mustang Challenge team drivers included Tom Barnes, Jonathan Mehl and Carl Ek, who along with Park, rotated through one-hour driving stints during the event, which took place at the world’s fastest half-mile track.
“When we hit 1,000 laps we still had a quarter of a tank of gas left,” said David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing, and the man who drove the 2011 V-6 Mustang past the 1,000 lap mark. “The last driving stint before I passed 1,000 laps I was averaging 43.7 miles a gallon and that is unbelievable. These guys have run the distance of more than two Sprint Cup races at Bristol and they still have fuel left. Congratulations to everyone behind the Mustang and to everyone at Ford, because this 2011 Mustang V-6 is really something special.”
A team of Ford engineers prepared for the challenge by implementing fuel efficient driving tips like minimizing the use of air conditioning, steady and consistent driving, avoiding sudden stops/starts and by keeping the RPMs low. The engine in the Mustang is powered by a lightweight, all-aluminum 3.7-liter dual-overhead-cam (DOHC) V-6 engine that uses advanced engineering to deliver its combination of power and economy. Twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) adjusts the valve train in microseconds depending on driver inputs, further contributing to the engine’s overall efficiency. The Mustang used in the challenge is a stock production vehicle that can be purchased through a Ford dealer.
“This is beyond our wildest dreams,” said Tom Barnes, the lead engineer for the Ford Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge. “There have been a lot of people who have done a lot of things in preparing this 2011 Mustang V-6 to run the Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge and have the success we have had today. It was great when we went past the 1,000 lap mark with David, but nobody could ever imagine that we still had five hours ahead of us. This is a fantastic feeling and it shows again what a great car the 2011 Mustang V-6 is.”
More than 51,000 consumers registered their guesses for the event at www.mustang1000lapchallenge.com. One lucky consumer that correctly guessed 1,457 laps will be randomly drawn from all correct entries and will win their own 2011 Mustang V-6.
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About Christopher DeMorro
My 1991 Pontiac Firebird Formula with stock 5.0 L (305 cu.in.) V8 gets 30 mpg at 70 mph on the freeway!
The engine is still purring at 300,000 miles … it can still climb a mountain at 100 mph, although other parts of the car are starting to fall apart.
Truck and SUV manufacturers should take note, it’s not the engine, it’s the AERODYNAMICS!
The ’91 Firebird Formula has a very sleek front end, with gently sloped back window and spoiler that actually works!
My 1991 Pontiac Firebird Formula with stock 5.0 L (305 cu.in.) V8 gets 30 mpg at 70 mph on the freeway!
The engine is still purring at 300,000 miles … it can still climb a mountain at 100 mph, although other parts of the car are starting to fall apart.
Truck and SUV manufacturers should take note, it’s not the engine, it’s the AERODYNAMICS!
The ’91 Firebird Formula has a very sleek front end, with gently sloped back window and spoiler that actually works!
Why does anybody needs a 305 horsepower car?? Mine has 75 and that’s enough for me…A 95 would be perfect for all situations…But why 305???
Why does anybody needs a 305 horsepower car?? Mine has 75 and that’s enough for me…A 95 would be perfect for all situations…But why 305???
Well Hugo, my little Mustang has about 88 horsepower, and it struggles to get up even modest hills with just two of us and our camping equipment on board.
Also, merging with traffic requires the ability to accelerate at a decent pace. If you take 20 minutes to get to 65 mph you’re a danger to everyone on the highway.
Plus, some people just like being able to go fast. What is wrong with that?
Well Hugo, my little Mustang has about 88 horsepower, and it struggles to get up even modest hills with just two of us and our camping equipment on board.
Also, merging with traffic requires the ability to accelerate at a decent pace. If you take 20 minutes to get to 65 mph you’re a danger to everyone on the highway.
Plus, some people just like being able to go fast. What is wrong with that?
Most mustang (like Chris’ ugly ass mustang LOL) have doors that weigh in close to the curb weight of a SMART 2/4, no wonder the 2.3L 4 banger has a hard time… I can say they are built tough though, we do use stripped down mustangs for compact demolition derby cars.
Most mustang (like Chris’ ugly ass mustang LOL) have doors that weigh in close to the curb weight of a SMART 2/4, no wonder the 2.3L 4 banger has a hard time… I can say they are built tough though, we do use stripped down mustangs for compact demolition derby cars.
I have a 2002 Z28, 5.7L 305 hp. On my last long trip I ran about 70mph 2 people in the car, and a/c. I averaged over 29mpg (epa 28 hwy).
One thing about 300+ horsepower is that while I rarely use the power, it means the engine turns at only 1500 rpm at 70mph, and thus gets much better mileage than its gashog reputation would suggest.
As an aside, most people who like big V8s don’t care all that much about big hp anyway, since we don’t rev our engines that high; but we do like the huge torque that makes low-rpm driving such a pleasure. It feels like being pushed by angels.
I have a 2002 Z28, 5.7L 305 hp. On my last long trip I ran about 70mph 2 people in the car, and a/c. I averaged over 29mpg (epa 28 hwy).
One thing about 300+ horsepower is that while I rarely use the power, it means the engine turns at only 1500 rpm at 70mph, and thus gets much better mileage than its gashog reputation would suggest.
As an aside, most people who like big V8s don’t care all that much about big hp anyway, since we don’t rev our engines that high; but we do like the huge torque that makes low-rpm driving such a pleasure. It feels like being pushed by angels.
I have the vaguest possible memory of a Mercury Capri with a humongous V8 stuffed in it winning some kind of student-engineering mileage contest circa 1971, I think in Michigan. Does that ring a bell with anybody?
I have the vaguest possible memory of a Mercury Capri with a humongous V8 stuffed in it winning some kind of student-engineering mileage contest circa 1971, I think in Michigan. Does that ring a bell with anybody?
My 2010 VW Golf TDi diesel 6 speed manual averages 47 MPG highway at 65 MPG. It got the rated 42 EPA highway at first, but the fuel mileage crept up and plateaued around the 10k mark.
Also has 236 pounds of torque at 1750 RPM’s. Hills are no problem at 65 MPH with all that torque down low.