The 2011 Ford Mustang GT is coming soon, and will be powered by a new 412-hp 5.0-liter V-8 engine. And better yet this model will achieve the best fuel economy in its class with an EPA rating of 26 mpg highway when equipped with the six-speed manual transmission. With the six-speed manual transmission, Mustang GT coupe is rated at 17 mpg city and 26 highway, while models with the available six-speed automatic achieve 18 mpg city and 25 highway.

Mustang GT is powered by an all-new 5.0-liter double-overhead-camshaft (DOHC) V-8 with a host of advanced features to deliver the combination of power and class-leading fuel economy. Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) adjusts the valvetrain in microseconds depending on driver inputs. A carefully tuned intake and exhaust system ensures free breathing at all engine speeds. And all-aluminum construction results in a lightweight yet durable powerplant. A pair of new transmissions, both with six forward ratios, also play a large part in making the 2011 Mustang a breakthrough car. Regardless of whether drivers want to shift for themselves or let the car shift for them, they’re treated to carefully chosen gear ratios to maximize fuel economy while still delivering high-horsepower performance

Any pregnant women wants to do what is best for her unborn baby. But car travel while pregnant definitely has some misconceptions. The most common: that seatbelts and airbags pose big risks and you are better off without them. Studies do show that while seatbelts and airbags can pose risks to a fetus, it’s almost always because the seatbelt wasn’t worn at all, was worn incorrectly or the pregnant driver was positioned too close to the airbag. After all, the leading cause of death to fetuses is the death of pregnant women in crashes. That said it makes since that the primary way to protect the fetus is to protect the driver

To reduce the risk to their unborn child, pregnant women need to drive carefully, of course. But because you can’t avoid all crashes, it’s important to wear the safety belt correctly — with the lap belt under, not across your belly and the shoulder belt between your breasts. Pregnant women who aren’t wearing safety belts and sit so their abdomens are right up against the airbag when it deploys are putting their babies at the most risk. Studies show that using seatbelts properly nearly eliminates the increased risk from airbags in car crashes.

Some other key tips are to move the front seat as far back as possible. Make sure your breastbone is at least 10 inches from the steering wheel. Move the seat back as your abdomen grows to keep as much distance as possible between the steering wheel and the airbag while still operating your vehicle safely. And keep the lap belt below your belly and the shoulder belt between your breasts.

Automakers are starting to pay attention to women’s needs.  Since the 1998 model year, cars with upper seatbelts that come out of the B-pillar are also required to have adjustable anchors. This helps everyone to keep belts from cutting into their necks or riding across their breasts.  Adjustable steering wheels, particularly ones that telescope in and out, can be especially helpful for drivers of varying stages of pregnancy. Even lower-end models often have manual devices that can help you point the center of the steering wheel away from the belly and toward the chest. Adjustable pedals, now available in many Fords and other models, can help shorter pregnant women drive more easily without sitting too close to the airbag. At least one company has developed a crash test dummy that simulates a pregnant woman that some automakers use to gather research that until recently has not been directed specifically to pregnant women. Furthermore, more education is needed so pregnant women know the keys to seatbelt safety.

Two vehicles selected as the 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year feature a number of lightweight, advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) technologies. The Ford Fusion hybrid and Ford Transit Connect won the awards for top car and top truck of the year respectively. The Ford Fusion hybrid – an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s “Top Safety Pick” and rated as the most fuel-efficient mid-size car in North America – features a lightweight high-strength steel body structure for added side and frontal impact protection and tailor-welded B-pillars between the front and rear doorframes. The Fusion body contains 55 percent high-strength steel. The Ford Transit Connect was developed to be durable and includes steel wheels, high-strength steel front crossmember, a high-strength steel reinforced body shell, and twin-side cross members and side-impact protection.

“Ford’s innovative use of carefully selected lightweight, high-strength steel grades in the Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect confirms that steel is the material of choice when it comes to fuel efficiency, strength, durability, cost and design,” said Ron Krupitzer, vice president of automotive applications for AISI’s Steel Market Development Institute. “Both vehicles earn top fuel efficiency marks in their class and feature clean, unique designs at an affordable price, making them ideal for consumers.”

The awards are judged and given by 49 veteran automotive journalists in the United States and Canada who represent magazines, television, radio, newspapers and Web sites. The awards are designed to recognize the most outstanding vehicles of the year based on factors that include innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. To be eligible, vehicles must be “all-new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model.

The 2011 Ford Mustang GT arrives with an all-new advanced 5.0-liter V-8 engine, developed by a passionate cadre of enthusiastic engineers who rallied around the common goal of delivering more than 400 horsepower.

The Ford Mustang GT is coming in strong for 2011 with some powertrain changes, and even more importantly the return of the 302. That’s right, the new 5.0 is just like the old 5.0 — 302 cubic inches or 4.9-liters or 4,951cc.  Employing 32-valves and Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing(Ti-VCT), the new 5.0 produces a mighty 412 horsepower. No word on performance figures, but expect a mid-four second 0-60 sprint and a quarter-mile in the high 12s. At least. Especially as the current Mustang GT (315-hp, 320 lb-ft of torque) hits 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and runs the quarter in 13.5. Oh, according to Ford, the new 5.0 weighs just ten pounds more than the outgoing GT.

Also new for 2011 is a choice of either a new six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic. Together with that variable cam technology (Ti-VCT) and EPAS (Ford’s electronic power steering), an automatic Mustang GT will be able to achieve 25 mpg on the highway. That’s up from 23 mpg for the current Mustang GT with an auto ‘box. Both the 2010 and 2011 get 17 mpg in the city, while the six-speed manual Mustang gets 24 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg in the big city, same as the current car.

The 5.0 badging get repeated on the engine’s cover and the speedometer’s top end rises to 160 mph. More importantly, the redline climbs from 6,500 to 7,000 rpm.  For enthusiasts, a Brembo brake package, with larger rotors and calipers from the Ford Shelby GT500® Mustang, unique 19-inch wheels and summer performance tires, is offered; new fender badges herald return of the 5.0-liter engine