2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Fast Facts |
5.0-liter V8 (480 horsepower @ N/A RPM, 420 lb-ft @ N/A RPM) Ten-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive 15 city / 23 highway / 18 combined (EPA Rating, MPG) 15.3 city / 10.1 highway / 12.9 combined. (NRCan Rating, L/100km) Base Price: $51,720 (U.S) / $68,055 (Canada) As Tested: $59,390 (U.S.) / $76,195 (Canada) Prices include $1,195 destination charge in the United States and $2,095 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada and, because of cross-border equipment differences, can’t be directly compared. |
Ford loves to dig from the well of history when it comes to naming various versions of its Mustang performance coupe. We all know that.
Perhaps, though, that inadvertently puts pressure on each edition to live up to expectations set by past models sharing a moniker. Expectations that may have been set decades ago.
Fortunately for us enthusiasts, Ford has generally made sure any Mustang that gets slapped with a special nickname has lived up to the name. That’s true of the most-recent Shelby models, the recent-vintage Bullitt, and now, the Mach 1.
It helps that the Mach 1 builds on the Bullitt, a model that left us after the 2020 model year. It builds on that car – which came standard with the Mustang GT’s Performance Pack (includes Brembo front brakes, oil pressure and vacuum gauges, aluminum instrument panel, heavy-duty front springs, K-brace, larger radiator, performance rear wing, a strut-tower brace, Torsen differential, unique chassis tuning, unique tuning for electronic driving aids, and larger rear swaybar) and adds, in manual-transmission cars, the GT350’s Tremec six-speed manual transmission.
But it also separates itself via the available Mach 1 Handling Pack. The Handling Pack changes the settings for the magnetic ride control and electronically-assisted power steering and gives the car stiffer springs front and rear and a stiffer rear bar. The Mach 1 gets the GT350R’s tire fitment and 305/315 Michelin Cup2 tires, front mounts that are adjustable for track camber, higher downforce from the front splitter, and the GT500’s swing spoiler with Gurney flap.
Engine-oil cooling is also improved, says Ford, by 50 percent over the Performance Package.
That’s in addition to a slew of exterior changes compared to both the standard GT and the outgoing, retro-themed Bullitt.
Consider the Mach 1 as a replacement not just for the Bullitt, but also for the Shelby GT350.
Whatever you consider it, it’s one bad-ass Mustang – though still far more civilized than the hairy GT500. It combines the daily-driver ability of the GT with the handling of the GT350.
It should not shock you, then, when I tell you the Mach 1 will accelerate like its hair is on fire when you drop the hammer. The 5.0-liter V8 is putting out 480 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque in this guise. That’s 20 more ponies than a GT, though the torque figure is the same. The Mach 1 is heavier than a GT, but it doesn’t feel, at least when measured by the seat of the pants, like the extra weight is hindering acceleration.
Speaking of torque, I found a shady spot to play with the available line-lock system and I found myself worrying I broke the car when I saw smoke coming out from the FRONT wheels. I later figured out that no, nothing was wrong mechanically – the car was just putting down so much power that the front brakes weren’t fully holding and the front tires were rotating a bit. I basically did a four-wheel burnout in a RWD car, quite by accident.
The biggest difference from the extra performance goodies is a feeling that the car is just better put together, both when pushed and when not. The Bullitt had this feeling, too, but it’s amplified in the Mach 1. It feels stiffer and firmer than the GT when pushed, even though it can’t quite shake the artificial feeling in the steering.
It turns in sharply and is a willing dance partner, though the car has the ability to wag its tail, and you keep this in mind when pushing it, lest snap oversteer leaves you facing the wrong way (or worse). If you get a little wiggle, you can rein it in, even in the more-aggressive drive modes with gentle throttle and steering corrections.
My test loaner was equipped with the optional 10-speed automatic, but between the time of the loan and the time of this writeup, I had the chance to drive the manual on the track at Road America (yes, at the same event in which I binned a Lexus). The car was a joy to drive, with mostly predictable cornering, even in Track mode, stout brakes, and a shifter/clutch setup that was a blast to work with. I did need to stay patient on corner exit in order to avoid getting the tail wagging, but that wasn’t hard to do, knowing how much power was on hand to make quick work of the straightaways when the wheel was centered.
I’d definitely recommend the manual over the automatic because it’s just more joyful to drive.
The Mach 1 feels more buttoned-down on the street than the GT, with less chassis flex and cowl shake over bumpy pavement. That said, the ride is stiff, no doubt about it. Oh, and this car is loud – not Shelby loud, but still enough to piss off killjoy neighbors. There is a quiet mode for the exhaust system, should you live in suburbia and have to leave at 5 a.m. to commute to work.
The rest of the experience is mostly standard Mustang – a backseat useless for humans much over the age of toddler, the aircraft-inspired interior with little in the way of storage, and a decently-sized trunk. There are, of course, Mach 1-specific exterior appearance bits.
The car doesn’t come cheap: It’s going to cost you around $60K, which is a few grand pricier than the outgoing Bullitt. My tester was $59K and change and standard features not already mentioned included rain-sensing wipers, dual-zone climate control, two USB ports, Wi-Fi, Ford Co-Pilot 360, keyless starting, satellite radio, and track apps.
Options included heated and cooled front seats, the 10-speed automatic, the Mach 1 Appearance Package (includes Fighter Jet Gray paint and hood and side stripes), the Mach 1 Elite Package (includes Bang & Olufsen audio), and navigation.
But it’s oh so worth it, especially if you miss the Bullitt or the GT350. It cleans up some of the GT’s biggest dynamic flaws while adding performance. And it looks cool.
I admit I was skeptical when the Mach 1 was announced. Why not keep the Bullitt around – it never made sense to me to make that car a limited-edition model – and also keep the GT350 as a track toy? Why replace them both with a car that borrowed another name from Mustang’s deep history, even if this one sort of mixed the two?
I did understand the need for a higher-performance model above the GT, I just wasn’t sure this car was the right one. Consider me a convert.
New for 2021
The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is an all-new, high-performance trim that’s meant to handle better, on street and on track, than any other Mustang currently on sale – save for the Shelby GT500.
Who Should Buy It
Those who want more than the GT can offer and can afford the extra spend but can’t swing the Shelby. Also, those who want extra performance from their pony without the sacrifices of the Shelby.
[Images © 2022 Tim Healey/TTAC]
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Sorry, Dodge, I pick this over a Challenger ten times out of ten.
Still, I think I’d opt for the GT Premium with the performance package, which I just built out for a touch under forty-nine (without the black wheels, thank God). That’s a damned solid deal for a car that performs like this one does.
I like the Mustang a lot but I’m largely committed to being a 1-car household and the Challenger is the only 2-door in my budget where I could make that work. I’m hoping the next gen Mustang will be a larger vehicle.
However, I’m likely doing another 4-door next anyway.
You could always get a Charger. Wait…
Seriously, though, if I was going the Mopar route, I’d just get a Charger – the Challenger’s size is a turn-off for me. I had one as a long term rental and found it to be unwieldly for a coupe.
It looks like most (but for sure not all) dealers are letting the IS500 go for MSRP so I think it’s pretty much a done deal.
Reader review time!
Yep, can’t wait to hear your impressions.
“I’m hoping the next gen Mustang will be a larger vehicle.”
Say it ain’t so. The last thing the Mustang needs is to be larger. What would be nice is if Ford decided to build a Falcon for the North American market but odds are that will not be happening.
Agree. If you need a larger car, there are lots of options not called Mustang.
Drove a PP2 GT offered at a fire sale price as the initial panic of the pandemic was taking hold in the spring of 20. I’m guessing the Mach 1 is fairly similar. It was an outstanding car.
Braking and acceleration were fantastic. Everything very well integrated for a solid overall experience. I think the stick had rev matching for smooth downshifts as well.
Wound up getting a GT convertible with Shelby-level brakes and suspension bits added by the dealer’s custom shop — but that car still crosses my mind. It was that good.
Mach 1 has to be as good or better. Would love to try one with the 10 speed auto — as that’s a very good transmission. No, not as connected as the stick — but good nonetheless.
Not picking on you, but your feet have rev matching too. It may not work too smoothly at first, but the more you do it, the better the ‘system’ adapts to your needs.
Learning to heel and toe was absolutely a revolution for me. I want as much engagement as possible; that’s what driving is, methinks.
“I want as much engagement as possible; that’s what driving is, methinks.”
…which is exactly why I modify all of my cars to use a manual spark advance lever.
https://www.fordmodelt.net/m/how-to-drive.htm
Love this car, but the graphics need to go. Using heat to pull them off would be the first order of business.
I think I’d also skip the Handling Package. The wheels look great but the Cup 2 tires are too much for street use and a lot of reviews of the GT PP2 with the same wheel/tire package said it was prone to squirrelly behavior on the street.
You can build the car with less ostentatious graphics — what’s shown here is mostly optional.
It looks like you can reduce them with other colors, but not totally eliminate them, and you have to get the full package with this otherwise wonderful color.
I’d still be in the garage with my “heat gun” (wife’s old hair dryer).
real heat guns are cheap enough now that i couldnt imagine dealing with a hair dryer. neither can be higher than 1500w
I don’t get why 2400w heat guns (or toasters, or dishwashers, etc.) aren’t readily available in the US. 120V/20A circuits and outlets have been required by electrical code in garages, basements, bathrooms, and kitchens since, what, the 1950s? These are normally identifiable by one of the two main holes in the outlet being sideways T-shaped.
I agree on the graphics – the Mustang’s basic shape is just lovely, and it’s a shame to spoil it with all the tape-on stuff. YMMV, of course.
Kudos to Ford on the continued proper management of the “infotainment”, its ergonomically convenient and doesn’t look like an afterthought glued on at the 11th hour.
So, a few grand cheaper than what a base Gt350 went for when new? My buddy at the time picked up a base GT350 for $61k in early 2020.
Thing is, the GT350 is no longer for sale. So this car effectively replaces the Bullitt, adds a bit more performance over that trim, and replaces the GT350 while bridging the gap between the GT and the GT500.
Kudos on a four-wheel burnout on a RWD car, by the way.
Yeah, except it doesn’t have the 5.2 which is what made the Gt350 the GT350.
Well the wonky flat-plane crank made the GT350 the GT350 as far as the engine goes but a 5.2 Mach would have been neat if for no other reason Ford could have called say a 5.2 with the DI heads and GT350 intake a “CobraJet” or something similar and tuning for more bottom end and mid-range rather than top end power (on it’s own the engine would probably end up closer to 500 than the 480 it has with a 5.0 bottom end). At the end of the day though it would have added cost to the project on an already expensive car.
Not to sound morbid but my overriding thought here is whether it will gradually lose horsepower or if they will just cut it off at the knees and replace it with an electric one.
How much GT350 can I get for the price of a Mach 1?
Better question is how many engines do you want to pay for in that out of warranty GT350?
Yeah, that’s definitely a consideration. Replace the GT350 with a SBY BOSS 302 and a Miata.
Now we’re talkin!
Very overpriced. Would much rather have the GT350 which was a similar pricepoint. The Tremec manual should be standard in the GT as is but Ford wants you to pay and additional $10k for the ability to shift a manual that won’t break on upshifts. Ford crap