For a starting retail price of just $22,995, buyers get more than 300 horsepower, a six-speed transmission and the unmistakable sporty looks of one of America's favorite icons. The newest Mustang even has the best six-cylinder fuel economy rating ever in the car's 47-year history — 19 miles per gallon in city driving and 31 mpg on the highway, according to the federal government.
And this comes from a new V-6 whose 305 horsepower is just 10 less than the V-8 that was in the 2010 Mustang GT. It's a happy confluence of power and efficiency. But it's also surprising that it shows up in a famous sporty car. Mustang buyers typically don't make fuel economy a high priority.
Sold as a two-door coupe and convertible, the 2011 Mustang has a starting retail price of $22,995 for a V-6 coupe with six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic, which nets the top fuel economy rating, adds $995 to the price, for a total of $23,990.
Gosh, these prices aren't far from the $23,305 starting retail price for a more ho-hum 2010 Honda Accord coupe with 190-horsepower, four-cylinder engine and manual transmission.
Mustang V-6 prices also compare favorably with the starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, of $23,530 for a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro coupe with 304-horsepower V-6 and manual transmission. The lowest starting retail price for a Camaro with automatic is $24,525. Note that the top government fuel economy rating for the Camaro is 17/29 mpg with automatic transmission.
Meantime, a 2010 Dodge Challenger with 250-horspower V-6 starts at $23,695 and is rated at 17/25 mpg. There's no manual transmission in the Challenger. Neither the Camaro nor Challenger is available as a convertible.
The test Mustang was a 2011 Premium coupe with automatic transmission that had shift-it-yourself controls that don't require a clutch pedal.
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