The Ford Mustang Mach 1 is finally back after a long, 17-year hiatus, and to every performance enthusiast’s delight, it comes fitted with all sorts of track-ready upgrades from the Shelby GT350 and GT500. The Mach 1 badge has a storied past that began in 1968 and has kept its focus on usable performance. For 2021, the Mustang Mach 1 is powered by a 480hp 5.0-liter V8. Buyers will get to choose between Tremec 3160 six-speed manual transmission with a short-throw shifter from the Shelby GT350, now with rev-matching, or a 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. In case you go with the manual, it comes with the same white cue-ball shift knob as the Bullitt. “Bold styling, great acceleration, and speed—Mach 1 says it all,” says Jim Farley, Ford’s chief operating officer. “This is one of those special Mustangs that truly brings a smile to the faces of our owners, enthusiasts, and fans—including me—so there’s never been a better time to bring back Mach 1 and have it go global, too.”
In terms of design, the exterior comes with updates to improve both cooling and aerodynamics. The front splitter and the rear spoiler not only look wicked but add 22% more downforce compared to a Mustang GT. The optional handling pack drastically improves the downforce by 150%. The handling pack consists of a new front-wheel lip molding, a larger front splitter for greater downforce, rear tire spats borrowed from the Shelby GT500, a low-gloss magnetic swing spoiler with a Gurney flap and wider five-spoke Tarnished Dark painted aluminum wheels. The Mach 1 comes with the choice of seven exterior colors: Iconic Silver, Shadow Black, Oxford White, Velocity Blue, Twister Orange, Race Red, and Grabber Yellow. Satin Black side and hood stripes are included with reflective accent strips in Red, White, and Orange. The new Mach 1 will arrive in the spring of 2021 in the US and the pricing will be announced closer to the launch.
[via: Autoweek]
