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On June 23rd Ford Motor Company set out to drive a new 2011 Ford Mustang V-6 around Bristol Motor Speedway attempting to go more than 1,000 laps on one tank of gas. The 2011 Mustang V-6 not only did the 1,000 laps but shattered the mark with 1457 laps. The 2011 Mustang uses a new 3.7-liter V-6 rated at 305 horsepower and 31 mpg on the highway. For the 1,000 lap challenge Ford drove the Mustang with its 16 gallon fuel tank at an average speed of 43.9 miles per hour achieving 48.5 miles per gallon. Total miles driven on one tank of gas was 776.5--a feat unheard of for a 300-plus horsepower sports car. “To see a Mustang post average fuel economy of 48.5 mpg while running at Bristol is impressive,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “The new V-6 engine along with the advanced six-speed transmission in the car is a key element in delivering both fuel economy and performance for Mustang.”


For more information follow the link: Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge--Shocking Results - Mustang Blog


Press Release:
BRISTOL, Tenn., June 24, 2010 – The 2011 Ford Mustang, which made history when it became the first car ever to deliver more than 30 mpg and 305 horsepower, has set a new record by running 1,457 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway while averaging 48.5 mpg.
The Mustang 1,000 Lap Challenge was designed to demonstrate that a stock production Mustang V-6 could run 1,000 laps and 533 miles on a single of tank of fuel. With the aid of fuel efficient driving techniques by Ford engineers, the Mustang far surpassed its goal of 1,000 laps.
“To see a Mustang post average fuel economy of 48.5 mpg while running at Bristol is impressive,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “The new V-6 engine along with the advanced six-speed transmission in the car is a key element in delivering both fuel economy and performance for Mustang.”
Ford is committed to being a fuel economy leader in every segment it competes in and Mustang’s leads in its class along with other Ford fuel economy leaders like the Ford Fiesta, Fusion Hybrid and new Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, America’s most fuel efficient luxury sedan.
The Challenge team, which included NASCAR star David Ragan and four Ford Mustang engineers, completed the challenge in 17 hours and 40 minutes, showing off the 2011 Mustang V-6’s class-leading fuel economy by averaging 48.5 mpg over the course of the 776.5 miles logged during the Challenge. That distance is more than the two complete NASCAR Sprint Cup events that take place in Bristol every year.
Ragan pushed the Mustang past the 1,000-lap mark at 7:26 p.m., 12 hours and 26 minutes into the Challenge, but the car wasn’t close to being out of fuel. Mustang engineer Seong Park was behind the wheel when it finally came to a halt (on the backstretch) of the famed NASCAR track at 12:41 a.m. local time.