The past few years have been incredible for muscle car enthusiasts in terms of new releases. Building on their unapologetic quest for high horsepower, Dodge's insane Hellcat models, and the quarter-mile-focused Demon have helped kick off the war for power not unlike what the mid-late '60s saw after the first Pontiac GTO. Several great historic nameplates have also returned, and while the Mach-E teased at this, the Mach 1 has finally made its glorious comeback.
Originating in 1969 as a performance package that offered the best a Mustang could be, without stretching into the territory of high-end high-power monsters like the Boss or Shelby models, the Mach 1 quickly became a strong selling legend, even more so than the normal Mustang GT, remembered today as an icon for its awesome graphics as well as the performance. Returning faithfully to fill that same purpose, the 2021 Mach 1 Mustang accomplishes its goal well, being below the Shelby models, and slightly above the GT power-wise, but also excelling with a focus on enhanced handling as well.
Proper 5.0 Muscle
To begin with, the Mach 1 is a Mustang GT-based package and unsurprisingly shares a whole lot with it. Powered by the same engine, the Mach 1 uses the beloved 5.0 L Coyote V8, pumping out a thrilling 480 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. One notable point of differentiation from the GT though is that the Mach 1 makes use of parts from the now-discontinued Shelby GT350, mainly the air intake manifold, oil filter adapter, and engine-oil cooler, all working together to give a 50% cooling capability increase over the Mustang GT - the first of many steps to optimize the Mach 1 for a day at the racetrack. As well, the awesome Tremec TR-3160 6-speed manual from the GT350 is also a standard feature on the Mach 1, for an automatic you also get a great option in the form of Ford's SelectShift 10-speed, which also comes with a second oil cooler boosting cooling by 75%. Aside from those changes though, most of the Mach 1's power and drivetrain is what you'd expect in a Mustang GT.
The Meat Of The Mach 1
The V8 muscle makes the Mach 1 great, but that's also true for the Mustang GT. What separates the Mach 1 are several awesome upgrades, the first set of which are evident just from looking at it. Like the original, the 2021 Mach 1 imbues the Mustang with some unique style, including Mach 1 specific paint colors like Oxford White, Fighter Jet Gray, Iconic Silver, Shadow Black, Velocity Blue, Twister Orange, Race Red, and Grabber Yellow - all of which look great on the Mustang's sleek lines. Furthermore, old-school Mach 1 style graphics like the hood and stripes also help to set it apart, and '70s Magnum 500 style wheels make it look even cooler.
Appearance changes continue beyond paint, with the front end receiving an aerodynamic treatment, with a Mach 1 specific front splitter, deeper 3D mesh grille with fog light cutouts that imitate the original's style. What you can't see though, is just how far those aero upgrades go. Included in the Mach 1 are side heat exchangers for engine and transmission oil, a rear axle cooler and lower diffuser from the wickedly fast Shelby GT500, as well as a new underbelly pan extended by 20" to smooth airflow and increase downforce, aided by further airfoils that send air through the brake vents to improve brake cooling and downforce. Not just for bragging points, these changes give a 22% downforce increase over the Mustang GT equipped with the Performance Pack 1.
If you want to take that number even further, the available (and quite worth it) Mach 1 Handling Package makes the downforce difference expand to 150% over the Performance Pack 1 optioned Mustang GT. Accomplishing this are further upgrades like an even bigger front splitter, Shelby GT500 spoiler with Gurney flap, special chassis tuning, and adjustable top strut mounts. As well, unique 19" snowflake style wheels come with the Handling Package, increasing tire width to a massive 11" in the rear.
Track Optimized Performance
The style and aero-upgrades on the 2021 Mach 1 are great without a doubt, but what it does best is handling and track performance. While the latest generation is a massive improvement over old models, Mustangs still aren't what you'd call a handling-oriented machine, and while the Mach 1 is no ultra-nimble racecar, it does offer some serious track performance over the Mustang GT. The previously mentioned downforce upgrades work in spades to keep it planted, but also all of the comprehensive cooling upgrades are perfect for a day at a track, where keeping things cool is a must.
Even beyond aerodynamics, the Mach 1 receives exclusive MagneRide suspension tuning to optimize it for cornering, which is further aided by a more agile steering calibration, stiffer front springs, anti-roll bars, and subframe bushings. Added to the handling-focused mix as well, the Performance Pack 2 brake booster, as well as Shelby GT500 rear toe links take things even further as standard features on the Mach 1. But you have to stop eventually, and 6-piston Brembo brakes come standard up front to increase corner attacking ability, with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (Pilot Sport Cup 2 on Handling Package) tires hold that grip wonderfully.
Interior, Practicality, And Tech
As expected, the Mach 1 is still a Mustang, and the interior is almost identical to what you'd expect with a current Mustang GT. A snug and modern cockpit with well-done retro-inspired touches, the Mustang's interior is a great one but suffers from some of the flaws seen across the muscle car segment, namely unusable back seats, mediocre visibility, and not-great cargo space - though its 14 cu-ft of trunk space does beat out the 2021 Chevy Camaro's 9 cu-ft, but loses to the 2021 Dodge Challenger's 16 cu-ft. For the Mach 1 in particular, a set of unique accents are included as standard, including “Dark Spindrift” instrument panel finishing commemorative Mach 1 plate with chassis number, sill plate Mach 1 logos, Mach 1 logo on the infotainment splash screen, and a classic muscle style white cue ball shift knob. You also can get optional Recaro sport seats, and with the leather interior package, accent stripes run across the seats.
Other than that, the Mustang is a great modern muscle car that can be daily driven (in climates that don't see snow). Modern tech-wise, this generation of Mustang made great strides, and the 2021 Mach 1 shows that with its 12.3" touchscreen that comes with Ford Sync 3, Apple Car Play and Android Auto functionality, smartphone connectivity, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, as well as a 9-speaker surround sound system. As well, driver assists are more expansive than any other muscle car in the Mustang, including pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, as well as blind-spot information system with cross-traffic alert coming standard.
In terms of fuel economy, the 2021 Mach 1 is about what you'd expect from a V8 muscle car, reportedly 15 mpg city, and 23 mpg highway. With a 5 star NHTSA crash rating though, the Mustang will give you peace of mind.
Pricing And Trim
The Mach 1 is already a package for the standard Mustang rather than a standalone model. There are two options for further trim though, as well as the aforementioned Handling Package:
Mach 1 - $52,720.
Aside from the Mach 1 distinctions as mentioned previously, the base level also comes with a suite of great standard features like 6-piston Brembo brakes, MagneRide adjustable dampers, Ford Track Apps, several driver assists as mentioned, Ford Sync 3, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, launch control, and many more other touches.
Mach 1 Premium - $54,315.
Carrying over the base Mach 1's standard features, the Premium trim adds a focus on a nicer interior, including features like heated and ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and other small touches.
The most important trim package for the Mach 1 though, is the Handling Package, and it costs $3,500 on either the base or premium trim. As mentioned, you get the super-wide and unique snowflake wheels, Gurney flap equipped spoiler, adjustable strut top mounts, bigger front splitter, chassis tuning, and more aerodynamic tweaks for a whopping 150% downforce increase over the Performance Pack 1 equipped Mustang GT - a well worth it package to turn the Mach 1 into a track weapon.
Whichever Mach 1 you chose though, you also get a 3 year / 36,000-mile limited warranty, and a 5 year / 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Sources: Ford Media Center, Ford.com, Car And Driver