With flowing lines, fetching paint, and je ne sais quoi, some cars are chick magnets; others, with heritage, power, and performance, draw guys like hummingbirds to cherry-red sugar water.
When Ford parked a velocity-blue 2021 Mustang Mach 1 in the driveway, I suddenly found myself the most popular dude in the neighborhood. Heck, in town. At the grocery store, barbershop, coffee joint, in traffic, the car was an instant hit with guys who wanted to kick the tires, open the hood, hear the engine and talk about love affairs with Mach 1s of their youths. (The first rolled out in 1968).
Starting at $53,195, the 480-hp, 5.0-L V-8 Mach 1 is a track-ready coupe that grips like a gorilla but surrenders to bumps just enough to be an everyday driver. A replacement for three discontinued models, the Bullitt, GT 350, and GT with Performance Package, the Mach 1 has the sort of power and exhaust roar that Baby Boomers came to adore back in the day but manages to keep all that fury under control with modern chassis design and suspension geometry.
I challenged my favorite Aggie, Brent Ramage, to take her for a spin and keep the pedal on the right mashed to the floor for five seconds. He could not do it, but it took two tractors, a chain, a winch and three days to yank the smile off his face.
"It's visceral," he said. "It's such an emotional experience to drive that car. It was like I was back in high school, only better."
See what I mean? A guy magnet.
Well-rounded performance
Starting at $20,000 less than the 760-hp Shelby GT500, Mach 1 borrows heavily from the Shelby GT350/500 parts bins to get ready for running at speed.
Shelby-engineered engine oil cooler, throttle body, intake manifold, adjustable camber plates, rear toe-control link, rear diffuser, differential cooling system, and rear subframe with stiffer bushings, all make this car more racehorse than show horse.
To enhance track endurance, the team added two side heat exchangers one to cool engine oil, the other transmission oil as well as a rear axle cooling system and lower diffuser from Shelby GT500.
The same 302 c.i.d. engine remember the Boss 302? this car is so much faster is available in the Mustang GT fastback, starting at $36,285, but the Mach 1 gets 20 more horses and has a manufactured-claimed top speed of 166 mph, 11 mph faster than the GT. I didn't independently verify that. You'll have to ask Brent if he did, but from that grin
For those who want to shift their gears, or who even know how, a big difference between the GT and Mach 1 is that the GT gets a Getrag 6-speed, while the Mach 1 gets a Tremec TR-3160.
Getrag-equipped Mustangs are the focus of a class-action lawsuit that alleges they engage harshly, slip, jerk, cause premature wear and tear, and eventually result in failed transmission.
Tremecs, on the other hand, are preferred by racers because they have greater torque tolerance and higher rpm shift limits. For the first time, Ford has outfitted the system with rev-matching, and the transmission is paired with the GT350 oil cooler system and Mustang GT's twin-disc clutch and short-throw shifter.
Our tester came with the optional 10-speed automatic ($1,595), with paddle shifters. We've long been fans of this transmission in multiple products. Just like we did in a Raptor, we found the paddle shifters to be fun but superfluous. Ford's engineers dial in the algorithms perfectly, taking data from multiple points in the vehicle to select the right gear for the situation.
Ford offers a $3,500 handling package. Our tester did not have this option, but reviews from critics we respect give thus-equipped Mach 1s high praise.
The Handling Package includes a larger front aero splitter that Ford says increases downforce 150 percent, new front wheel lip moldings, and a low-gloss Magnetic swing spoiler with a Gurney flap, Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires, unique chassis tuning, adjustable strut top mounts, and rear tire spats from the Shelby GT500.
On the other hand, we found the standard handling package had greater handling limits than we had the nerve, yet the car was accommodating enough of road imperfections to make it a suitable daily driver. Full disclosure: Blonde Bride disagrees on this point. Then again, this ain't no car for no girlz.
True to its name
Mach 1 is quick: According to Car and Driver, 60 mph comes in 4.3 seconds. 100 mph in 9.9. 130 in 17.1 and 150 in 24.4. At 150 mph, there is still some throttle left.
Subjected to every backroads test we could find, the car is well-contained at speed and delivers a little understeer in a turn under lifted throttle, the way a well-sorted track machine should. The six-piston Bembro brakes exhibited no noticeable fade, even under prolonged demand.
As luck would have it, we've laid hands on both a Mach 1 and Shelby GT500 this year (Yes, I got one sideways in turn three at Texas Motor Speedway). Properly equipped, the Shelby will set you back more than $120,000. A Mach 1 will cost about half that and is about three-fourths as much car.
Is that enough?
"Shoot," said one friend as he tossed me back the keys. "I feel like I need to smoke a cigarette."