27th Mar 2008, 23:24

Before buying my 2007 Mustang, I test drove a number of prospects. One was the 3.8 litre Pontiac Grand Prix. I was surprised to find that the much larger V-6 was far slower and much less responsive than my 2001 Pontiac Grand Am with the Quad 4 engine. Engine size and horsepower ratings are very deceiving. My Grand Am 4-cylinder is only rated at 150hp, yet it comes very close to holding its own with my 210hp V-6 Mustang in acceleration and will out run the Mustang on top end.

I also test drove 3 Fusions, a 4-cylinder, V-6 automatic, and a very rare V-6 manual. The V-6 5-speed stick was a tire-smoking front drive Mustang GT wannabe. If it had come in a sport coupe I'd have bought it on the spot. Even the Fusion 4 was far more impressive than any similar car I drove (though it was also slower than my Grand Am 4), and the V-6 automatic was a smooth, powerful and extremely solid and good handling car. The Fusion will easily leave most other mid-size V-6's (foreign or domestic) in the dust.

22nd May 2008, 14:39

Interesting. I work for Ford. Ford has never sold or even produced a V6 manual Trans. on the Fusion. A manaual transmission is only available in the 4 cyl. (North American Fusion Model 2006, released in late 2005 on...)

23rd May 2008, 10:56

It may have been a special order or one-off, but our local Ford dealership had a V-6 5-speed manual Fusion in July of 2007.

28th Jul 2008, 20:59

Why would FoMoCo build and engineer a manual transmission for a V6, then only sell one? What did the car list at? $2.5 million? That's why they wouldn't likely have done a "one off". There is too much money wrapped up in bringing a significant change like that to market. So there wouldn't be a "special order" either unless Ford's SVT group is doing a few mods on the side. Not likely but hey...I'd be all for it.