Ford to attempt 1,000 lap challenge at Bristol Motor Speedway

With all of the hoopla surrounding the new V6 and 5.0L Ford Mustangs, here's another PR stunt aimed at proving a point and selling some more metal. On June 23rd, Ford will be taking a V6 Mustang to Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee to try and run 1,000 laps on a single tank of gas.

That works out to about 500 miles on a tank of gas. Interested parties can check out www.Mustang1000LapChallenge.com and guess how many laps the car will run before it runs out of gas. Of those who guess correctly, Ford will draw the name of one lucky person who will win a 2011 Mustang V6.

FORD SET TO TAKE 1,000-LAP CHALLENGE AROUND BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY ON ONE TANK OF GAS IN 2011 V6 MUSTANG

DEARBORN, Mich., March 21, 2010 – Since first coming off the assembly line 45 years ago, Mustang has always been known for its sheer power and speed. Now you can add another element to that reputation – best-in-class fuel economy.

One year after the Ford Fusion Hybrid, America's most fuel-efficient mid-sized sedan, successfully eclipsed 1,000 miles on a single tank of gas, Ford will put its new 2011 Mustang V-6 on a similar quest as it attempts to run 1,000 laps on a single tank of gas at Bristol Motor Speedway on June 23, and they're inviting consumers to be involved.

A team of Ford engineers and celebrities will attempt to prove Mustang's ranking as the most fuel-efficient pony car to date by circling the half-mile NASCAR bullring at least 1,000 times – more than 500 miles – and highlight the 3.7L V-6 model's best-in-class 31 mpg.

Fans can be involved in the Mustang 1,000-Lap Challenge by entering a national sweepstakes in which they will guess the total number of complete laps that Mustang will complete during the Challenge. Ford has designed a specific website for fans, who can register their guess at www.Mustang1000LapChallenge.com between March 21 and June 23, 2010.

The grand prize winner will be randomly selected from all those who correctly guess the number of laps completed during the Challenge and will take home a 2011 Mustang V-6 coupe.

"We all know how much fun it is to drive Mustang, but in today's market it's also about fuel economy," said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. "By going 1,000 laps or more on one of NASCAR's most popular tracks, we expect to show that when it comes to Mustang, you can be mean and green."

The Mustang 1,000-Lap Challenge will begin the morning of Wednesday, June 23 with a team of Ford test drivers continuously circling the track billed as "the world's fastest half-mile" until the vehicle runs out of fuel with a goal of surpassing 1,000-lap mark.

"To go at least 1,000 laps at Bristol means we'll be going twice as far as the NASCAR drivers do during their races, and we'll be doing it without a pit stop," said Fritz Wilke, Mustang Brand Manager.

The V-6 Mustang will be no stranger to Bristol by then, having been selected to serve as pace car for this weekend's Food City 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event.

This event is a follow-up to last year's challenge in which Ford NASCAR driver Carl Edwards participated in driving the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid a total of 1,445 miles (an average of 81.5 mpg) on a single tank of gas around Washington, D.C.

2011 Chevrolet Camaro now has 312hp V6, ends Mustang's one day reign

Yesterday, we reported that the 2011 Ford Mustang V6 toppled the Camaro V6 in a head to head comparison. But one aspect of that victory was short lived, as today Chevrolet announced that it's V6 in the 2011 Camaro will be rated at 312hp, which is 7hp more than the Mustang.

The kicker here is that nothing has been done to extract this extra power. Turns out, the V6 was underrated all along, and only the rating has been altered. This of course means that although the Camaro will have horsepower bragging rights, the Mustang will still smoke it in the real world.

Other changes for 2011 are the availability of Synergy Green in any trim level, and the heads up display is will be standard equipment on 2LT and 2SS models.

Press Release

Chevrolet supports Camaro's consumer momentum with exciting updates for 2011

312 horsepower for V6, expanded availability of Synergy color and heads-up display new for 2011

The 2010 model year proved to be a very successful and exciting year for the segment-leading Chevrolet Camaro. For the 2011 model year, Chevrolet looks to expand the car's popularity among consumers with the introduction of additional features.

"We are pleased with Camaro's success in the market during its first year of production," said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Chevrolet Marketing. "The 2010 model year has been a banner year for us, and we plan to build on this momentum."

Horsepower increase for V6 engine

The 2011 Camaro V-6 engine completed SAE certification testing and is now officially rated at 312 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 278 lb-ft of torque at 5100 rpm. This rating is eight horsepower higher than the previous year and also marks an increase in torque from the 2010 rating of 273 lb-ft.

"The 304 horsepower in the 2010 Camaro was actually a conservative rating on our end," said Tom Sutter, GM V-6 chief engineer. "But we knew already that this award-winning engine produced at least the amount of power we stated, but now we've gone the extra step in certifying the engine for this application and have verified an additional 8 horsepower."

The 3.6-liter V-6 with variable valve timing (VVT) and direct injection employs four independent cam phasers to change the timing of valve operation as operating conditions such as rpm and engine load vary. The result is linear delivery of torque, with near-peak levels over a broad rpm range, and high specific output (maximum horsepower per liter of displacement) supporting overall engine response and drivability. When combined, direct-injection and VVT enable an unmatched combination of power, efficiency and low-emissions in gasoline V-6 engines.

SAE certification is a voluntary power and torque certification procedure developed by the SAE Engine Test Code committee. This procedure (J2723) ensures fair, accurate ratings for horsepower and torque by allowing manufacturers to certify their engines through third-party witness testing. Chevrolet was the vehicle brand to begin using the procedure.

Synergy color to be made available across the lineup

Earlier this year, Chevrolet introduced the Camaro Synergy Special Edition which is based off the concept displayed at the 2009 SEMA show in Las Vegas. The Synergy Special Edition is limited to a 1LT model, but the Synergy Green exterior color will be made available on all trim levels for a limited run during the 2011 model year.

"When we looked at the overwhelmingly positive reaction we received from SEMA attendees and consumers on Synergy Green, making the color available across the board was pretty much a no-brainer," said John Fitzpatrick, Camaro Marketing Manager.

Customers will be able to order this color for a manufacturer suggested retail price of $325.

Head-Up Display

Already available on the Chevrolet Corvette, the 2011 Camaro will become the second Chevrolet vehicle to offer the popular Head-Up Display.

Camaro's Head-Up Display will include:

* Vehicle speed
* Tachometer
* Compass
* Outside air temperature
* Manual Paddle Shift Gear Indicator (if equipped)
* OnStar Turn-by-Turn
* Audio functions
* Phone information
* Selected gear
* Turn signal indicators
* High-beam indicator signal
* Vehicle messages

"Head-Up Display has been a very frequent customer request" said Cheryl Pilcher, Camaro Product Manager. "People familiar with the HUD system simply love it. It truly enables drivers to keep their eyes on the road."

Production of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro begins on June 7, 2010.

Inside line pits 2011 Ford Mustang and Camaro V6 in first comparo

Right on the heels of the very first comparison test between the 2011 Ford Mustang GT and the Camaro SS comes this, the first between the base V6 models thanks to Inside Line. And while it may not have all the glitz and glamour of a V8 showdown, rest assured you will see more of these models in the real world of rental cars and high school kids.

The ultra heavy Camaro (3,790 pounds!) ran a respectable 14.3 second quarter mile, 6.1 seconds 0-60, and pulled a .83g on the skidpad. 60-0 braking took 111.78 feet. All of which are pretty good numbers.

But then along came the Mustang with its lighter 3,508 pound mass. It ran a 13.9 second quarter mile (!!!), took 5.6 seconds to get to 60, and pulled a .91g on the skidpad. 60-0 took a mere 103 feet.

So the Mustang handily beats the Camaro yet again. But rest assured that Chevrolet will not take this laying down. Word is that they are already hard at work making some changes, which we may see sooner than later.