Ford Launches New 5.0L V8 Engine

The 5.0 is back! The 2011 Ford Mustang GT will feature an all-new 5.0L V8 engine, a spiritual descendant of the legendary 5.0L OHV engine that powered Mustangs during the 1980s. The modern 5.0L four-valve Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) V8 in the new Mustang GT will deliver 412 horsepower and 390 foot-pounds of torque.

The powertrain development community at Ford had long wanted to develop a new 5.0L powertrain, with strategic discussions beginning in 2000. By 2007, the Mustang competitive landscape was beginning to change, a sign that the time was right for advancing the Mustang GT powertrain to world-class levels.

A critical element in the 5.0L engine’s ability to deliver 412 horsepower, with improved drivability, tractability and fuel economy over the 2010 Mustang GT powertrain, is enhanced Ti-VCT, which is cam-torque-actuated variable camshaft timing. Using existing cam torque energy, with assistance from pressurized oil, meant that minimal upgrades to the oil pump were required, resulting in less parasitic drag. The aluminum block was developed for optimized windage and oil drainback under lateral conditions and high rpm, such as a track-day outing for an enthusiastic owner and driver. Increased main bearing bulkhead widths and nodular iron cross-bolted main bearing caps with upsized bolts were also employed to accommodate the significant performance increase.

The six-speed automatic transmission on the 2011 Mustang GT will deliver up to an estimated 25 mpg highway and 17 in the city. This is up from 23 mpg highway and 17 city for the 2010 model. Six-speed manual transmission Mustang GT models for 2011 are projected to deliver 24 mpg highway and 16 city, matching the 2010 model.