After a 17-year hiatus, the legendary Ford Mustang Mach 1 is back. Ford is calling it the “Return of the Mach”, and I have to admit I’m absolutely gutted they beat me to it.
The new Mach 1 sets the standard for track-ready Mustangs and celebrates the “original model’s aggressive aerodynamic and handling enhancements”.
The 5-litre V8 under the bonnet has been upgraded to 480bhp and 420lb ft of torque. This boost in power is thanks to parts taken from the Shelby GT350 including the intake manifold and engine oil cooler. The Mustang Mach 1 utlises a six-speed manual transmission, which now comes with rev matching, but their 10-speed auto is still available.
On-track performance has been drastically improved over that of the Mustang GT thanks to more parts taken from the GT350 including the rear sub-frame with its stiffened bushes and rear toe-link. It also benefits from MagneRide dampers and stiffer springs as well as a newly calibrated electronic power-assisted steering system and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.
Downforce has been improved by 22% thanks to the Mach 1’s new front splitter, rear wing and underbelly pan, which has been extended by 20 inches to improve airflow under the front of the car. The Handing Package, which is only available with the manual gearbox, comes with wider, sportier wheels, a lower front splitter and a rear wing from the GT500 meaning downforce is improved by a massive 150% over the GT.
The Mustang Mach 1’s track endurance has been worked on, too. It has gained two side heat exchangers, one of which cools the engine while the other cools the transmission. It also gets additional rear-axle cooling thanks to the larger diffuser.
It was important that the Mach 1’s appearance celebrated its heritage as well as enhancing its performance. The deep 3D mesh grille, faux lamp elements and new side grilles below the indicators hark back to the original, as do the 19-inch five-spoke wheels, which are a modern version of the classic Magnum 500-style wheels.
I’ve already mentioned the new front splitter, large diffuser and rear wing. 4.5-inch exhaust exits add the finishing touches to the Mach 1’s muscular appearance. Watch the video below to hear the unsurprisingly raucous noise they generate with a couple of classic Mach 1s thrown in for good measure.
Exterior colour options include Iconic Silver, Shadow Black, Oxford White, Velocity Blue, Twister Orange, Race Red and Grabber Yellow. These colours are paired with Satin Black hood and side stripes with reflective accents in either red or yellow.
If you pay extra for the appearance package, you get the Mach 1-exclusive Fighter Jet Grey body paint and those yellow or red accents are swapped out for orange.
So it all sounds very, very promising, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not all good news as the limited edition Mustang Mach 1 will not be making it’s way across the pond. It’ll be available in America and Canada only, and is expected to hit showrooms early next year. No official pricing has been detailed yet but it’s expected to start from around $50,000.
The new Mustang Mach 1 has been rumoured and talked about for a while now but do you think it’ll live up to the hype? Let us know what you think in the comments section below or via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
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