[fielderLS3]

To start, I just want everyone to know that I'm not a fanboy of either the Mustang or Camaro, and am currently going through the hard process of deciding whether to order a 2011 Camaro SS or a 2011 Mustang 5.0 (I've been leaning toward the Camaro for quite some time, but don't want to make the final decision until I've driven a 5.0).

Anyway, over the weekend, my local Ford dealer got in his first 2011 Mustang (a V-6 model), and let me take it out for a drive. This is a bit long, but I figured I'd post my first impressions of the car from my drive for anyone who might be interested in hearing about the car from someone who isn't a car magazine editor, and someone who isn't biased toward one brand or another. Again, this is the V6 model, not the 5.0.

Driving:

The first thing you notice in the Mustang compared to the Camaro is size. The Mustang feels much smaller than the Camaro, and feels much more nimble when driving in traffic around town, and when pushing the car through tight corners on narrow back roads. Both Mustang and Camaro stick like glue in the turns, but the Mustang feels a little bit more sporty (at least in terms of grip, more on that coming further down).

Engine:

The car only had 10 miles on it, so I didn't want to push it too hard. However, at half throttle, and about 3000-4000 RPM the 3.7L feels strong, and the car is noticeably quick. 80mph came quickly and easily. The engine is much smoother than the outgoing 4.0L (my brother owns a 4L mustang, and I actually mistook the sound for the diesel engine of a garbage truck one day when he pulled into the driveway). The exhaust note is interesting, almost like two exhaust systems in one. At low RPMs, it has the typical drole sound of a traditional American V6. Above 3000 rpm or so, it takes on more of a tuner car sound similar to the V6 Camaro.

Styling:

I wasn't much of a fan of the 2010 Mustang redesign. It is very slowly growing on me, but only a little. I like the looks/profile of it from the front. While the sequntial taillights are cool, overall, the back just doesn't look quite right. The 2011 still has the ring of plastic body cladding running all the way around the bottom. It blends into the Kona blue color I drove, but but in other colors, it is very noticeable, particularly from the back (it almost looks like the designer of the original Avalanche had a hand in the design). So, I'd have to say the styling of the Camaro is much better, particularly from behind. At least to me, the Camaro has better lines, a cleaner, more muscular look (particularly from the back), and looks good in almost any color, while the Mustang does not.

Gripes:

Overall, the Mustang seems to be a decent car, but there are two major gripes. First, the automatic transmission attached to the V6 is garbage. Painfully obvious how they got 31 mpg from the EPA (and 29 out of the manual). No one would shift their own car where this transmission shifts. Even when trying to accelerate, the tranny dives into the next gear very early, leaving the engine at about 1100 rpm after the shift. With the standard rear axle ratio, top gear is about as tall if not taller than 6th in the Camaro SS manual, but without the LS3 torque, the V6 Mustang is constantly bogged down. The transmission is reluctant to downshift. When you step into it, the transmission is slow to react, and when it finally does downshift, it doesn't quite seem to know which gear to go to. There is limited manual selectablity (Just a P-R-N-D-3-2-1 gate, no manual mode). I know I sound like I'm rambling, but this tranny is just that bad to the point that it was the most memorable part of the drive. If I had to sum up the whole car/drive with just one sentence, it would be "I would never buy that automatic."

The other grip is the steering. Despite what every car mag has said, Ford has not fully worked out the "feel" issue with the electric power steering. It really isn't that bad (the feel is actually close to the Camaro's), but it is nowhere near as good as the old Mustang (steering has traditionally been a Ford strong point, an advantage they have lost with the 2011). So, like the auto transmission, you can include steering feel on the list of driving fun sacrifices Ford has made at the alter of EPA ratings.

Overall, it was a pretty good sports car. It would have been much more fun to drive with a manual. I'm still leaning toward the Camaro since the Ford felt like it made more engineering compromises, but hope to drive a 5.0 before making the final decision. Interestingly, Ford must not be as backed up on orders as they are claiming, because the dealer offered almost $3000 off sticker on an order out after the test drive, bringing the final price in much lower than the Camaro.