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For those who choose cars based on horsepower, the 2010 Ford Mustang V6 will probably not have much appeal. The car has 210 horsepower and and 240 lb-ft of torque. Not horrible numbers, but they are a far cry from the 315 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque in the car's bigger, V8-powered GT brother. However, for the average Mustang driver who won't be taking the car around a race track or doing any drag races, that power is fine for pretty much all regular driving. Also, while the 4.0-liter V6 isn't the most powerful engine, it is a very consistent one, having a wide torque band that will give you a bit of oomph at your disposal no matter what speed you're driving at. The manual transmission is the trusty T5. Depending on your views of the transmission, this could be either a good or bad thing, but most of the buyers in the market for the V6 Mustang will probably opt for the automatic anyway.
What makes the V6 Mustang special is that aside from the changes mentioned above, a few small cosmetic changes, and standard 17-inch wheels, it is virtually identical to the GT. All of the great styling that went into the Mustang is in the V6 model, and the fantastically appointed interior of the GT is pretty much the same as in the V6. In fact, the V6 may just have an advantage: ride comfort. The chassis that contains the V8, but still allows a bit of rumble in the cabin, completely tames the less-powerful V6 making for a smooth ride.
There is a downside to the V6 engine, though, but it comes from its competitors. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro has a 3.6-liter V6 model that gets better fuel economy than the Mustang V6 and has about 100 more horsepower. The Mustang has a slight edge in the marketplace by offering a convertible version, but Chevrolet plans on adding a drop-top model to the lineup within a year, so that advantage is on a time frame. Right now, the Mustang V6 seems like a good option, but it desperately needs an engine transplant if it wants to stay competitive with other six-cylinder sports cars.
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