HORSEPOWER & HEELS

Ha ha! That's is so very typical of not just Ford, but the entire industry. Sexist and stupid to the very bitter end. I worked for a car company for 7 years, and I can tell you exactly how that happens.

A very rich, very white, and very near retirement executive read a memo explaining women make or influence over 75% (approx)of vehicle purchase decisions. Eureka! Let's make a car for women! Sadly, this exec hasnt known what pleases a woman in the over 2 decades since before DeLorean got nipped. So, where do you go to learn about women in a large company? Yes. Sales. You go to the sales and or marketing department and they tell you the majority of mustangs sold are V6's. Not just to women, but all mustangs. (lame) Then, they tell you that women buy more mustangs than men, the reason they started the project in the first place, and they like pink. Wha-la a V6 mustang in pink. I will also bet it has an extra large make-up mirror, and an optional "shopping" package that includes some sort of bag holder.

Erica,

I have been following your progress and success since I was 17 and bought my first Mustang. I purchased a 1995 V6 Mustang, and aspired to drag race it. I met you at the Mid-Florida Mustang car show in 2002, shortly after my purchase, and shortly before beginning to race. Meeting you was certainly an inspiration. I started racing the car that summer.

While the ’95 V6 certainly was not fast, I had a blast with it. I feel that I learned an awful lot from it, from how to drag race, to performing general car maintenance, to formulating and performing modifications myself.

In 2006, I purchased a new Mustang; again it was a V6, and it was purchased with the express intent of modifying it. I certainly did not buy the V6 for lack of ability to drive or want of a V8. I merely wanted to do something different, to test the potential of Ford’s new 4.0L. The car currently has a Vortech blower running 15psi, with 395rwhp and 375rwtq. Shortly after the birth of my first son, at the end of this month, I will remove the blower, and outfit the car with twin turbos, with the intention of making even more horsepower.

I am quite proud of both of my V6 Mustangs, one because of its instrumental role in my development, and the other because of its achievements thus far. Furthermore, there are a number of V6 Mustangs, owned and driven by males, which make impressive horsepower and run even more impressive quarter mile times. I certainly am disappointed in your attitude that seems to dismiss the V6 as unworthy, and “only for girls.”

If you’d like to learn more about my car please visit www.prettygirlracing.com. Perhaps it will change your opinion of Ford’s V6 Mustang.
Rebecca Starkey

Hi Rebecca,

Thanks for following my blog! I'm afraid you've misconstrued my post as a digg against V6's, which isn't what I was intending.

I appreciate ALL kinds of horsepower...4/6/8 cylinders combined! Even more impressive when the smaller engines can run with the larger, in my opinion. I think what you've done with your car is FANTASTIC! In fact, prior to me buying the 2005 GT I drive currently, I had a V6 just like yours. They are cute, still quick, and the insurance is less expensive! I wanted very badly to put a turbo on it! But, I needed something still factory for all the driving that I do, and something I could still have fun with too... and the only way I could do that is with a V8 still under warranty.

The problem I have with this package from Ford is that they assume that the ONLY model that women would want is the V6. Why? Why not offer both? Or better yet, why not offer the color combo in the Cobra or Shelby package?

Heck, I'd love to see them offer a roots blower or turbo ON the V6! I'd buy one in a heartbeat!

A blower is a nice power adder, but so is 2 more cylinders. Too bad Ford is not offering either on this model.

They are being very stereotypical. Its typecasting to a "T". I don't think you sounded like you were dissing small engines, but lets face it, its cheaper and easier to make more power with an 8 cylinder than using a smaller, less available. The average person doesn't smack a blower on anything, so they are left with what ford produces them.