Ford to put more muscle in the Mustang

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The rivalry between U.S. sports cars Camaro and Mustang is heating up with Ford Motor Co. gunning for power and fuel efficiency, the company said.

Ford Motor Co. said it would put a 305 horsepower engine in the 2011 model year Mustang, a sizable step up from the 210 horsepower V6 engines in 2010 models, the Detroit Free Press reported Monday.

For seven years, the Mustang could prance around without a rival. But General Motors Co. re-introduced the Camaro this year and has sold 47,233 from March through October.

The Camaro, with a 304 horsepower engine, has been the obvious choice where power is the deciding factor, the report said.

Although Mustang had a two-month head start, the Camaro may outsell the Mustang by the end of the year, the newspaper said.

"The base Mustang V6 was a very unfortunate engine. Now they have an engine ... that is worthy," said industry analyst Jim Hall at 2953 Analytics.

Ford now predicts the 2011 model Mustang will be rated at 30 miles per gallon on highways and 19 in cities.

"We are the only ones that can provide 30 miles per gallon and 300 horsepower," said Barb Samardzich, Ford's vice president of global power train engineering.