2011 Ford Mustang
Fifth generation · S197 2005–2014
The S197, whose retro styling revived 1960s-fastback cues, produced 2005–2014.
Photo: Si11gtcs / Wikimedia Commons , licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 . Cropped to 16:9.
The 2011 model year
Overview
The big powertrain leap. Ford replaced the aging 4.6 V8 with the all-new 5.0 "Coyote" DOHC 32-valve V8 — 412 hp on premium fuel — and swapped the 4.0 V6 for a modern 3.7 Duratec V6 making 305 hp, more than the old GT V8. The GT500 also went to an aluminum-block 5.4 (550 hp), shedding over 100 lb off the nose. New 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions arrived across the line.
Specifications
- Engines
-
- 3.7 Duratec V6 305 hp
- 5.0 "Coyote" DOHC V8 (GT, premium fuel) 412 hp
- 5.4 supercharged aluminum-block V8 (Shelby GT500) 550 hp
- Transmissions
- Getrag MT82 6-speed manual, Ford 6R80 6-speed automatic, Tremec TR6060 6-speed manual (GT500)
- Body styles
- Coupe, Convertible
- Base price
- $22,145 (V6 coupe) ≈$30,900 today (inflation-adjusted) Original MSRP adjusted for inflation (CPI, 2024); not the car's current market/collector value. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U (U.S. city average, all items), annual average.
- Production
- 70,438 (U.S. build)
Year over year
What changed
- New 5.0 "Coyote" DOHC V8 (412 hp) replaced the 4.6 3-valve in the GT.
- New 3.7 Duratec V6 (305 hp) replaced the 4.0 — base power leapt past the old GT.
- GT500 switched to an aluminum-block 5.4 (550 hp), over 100 lb lighter.
- New 6-speed manual (MT82) and 6-speed automatic (6R80) replaced the 5-speeds.
- Electric power steering and standard stability control across the range.
Living with it
Reliability & ownership notes
- The Coyote 5.0 is a strong, high-revving engine; early MT82 6-speed manuals drew complaints about notchy/balky shift quality (later revised).
- The 3.7 V6 is robust and a clear upgrade over the 4.0.
Worth knowing
Notable
- The Coyote 5.0 became a tuner and swap legend — a defining S197 engine.
- The 305 hp V6 made the base Mustang genuinely quick for the first time in the lineup's history.
Famous variants this year
Sources
Other Fifth generation years
Explore the S197 generation → All Fifth generation · S197 years →