2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 pays homage to 60s legend

Mach 1 is an emotional nameplate for Mustang enthusiasts, as it harks back to the legendary 1960s Mustang Mach 1. The last time the Mach 1 badge was pasted on to a Mustang was in 2003. And now, Ford has debuted the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 with Shelby parts and the engine from the Mustang Bullitt.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 is the reincarnation of a legend and as expected, it gets a bunch of nostalgic design elements. The circular air vents inside the grill of the original Mach 1 find a place here too. Instead of lighting it up with LEDs, here Ford has left them as functional air inlets. But the 2021 Mach 1 isn’t coming with a hood scoop as the air inlets and an open airbox supply enough air. There are enough Mach 1 badges on the body to set it apart from the crowd of regular Mustangs. A classic set of Mach 1 Magnum 500 five-spoke wheels are offered, which can be swapped for another optional design. The rear wing from the GT500 can also be added.

Inside the Mach 1, new Recaro seats, new shifter, a plaque with the chassis number, new sill plates, and more are added to provide an exclusive feel.

Powering the 2021 Mustang Mach 1 is the 5.0-litre V8 producing 480 hp, equal to that of the Mustang Bullitt. But unlike the Bullitt, the Mustang Mach 1 gets an optional 10-speed automatic gearbox, if a rev-matching six-speed manual is not what you need. The Tremec manual gearbox is built with gearing that matches that of the Shelby GT350 and its rev-matching can be turned off if you a fancy a bit of heel-toe shifting to get your pulses racing.

The pickings from the Shelby part bin continue with heat exchangers from the GT350, while the front and rear subframes are from the GT500, as are the massive exhaust tips at the back. The suspension is also upgraded but the details on that are still behind the curtains. With all these changes, the 2021 Mustang Mach 1 will be “the most track-capable 5.0-liter Mustang ever,” as per the Ford Icons Director Dave Pericak.

The price and production numbers of the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 are unknown as of now but Ford promises that it will be “relatively limited.” Expect this homage to the legendary Mustang Mach 1 to hit the streets by early 2021.