Ford Mustang Mach 1 | Test Drive | Auto Class Magazine

Ford Mustang Mach 1 | Test Drive

11 June 2022 Redazione News, Stories, Tested

Forget any kind of addiction and start considering having a new maniacal need, the one for an irrepressible need to feel that V8 revving up, the tires biting the asphalt and that titanic bonnet that points a tongue of asphalt which still shows the glorious signs of the last MonteCarlo rally.

Words Alessandro Marrone / Photos Daniél Rikkard

I almost forgot that particular sensation invading the senses as you leave the last large town and with it the narrow and busy streets a few meters from the sea at your back. It seems like we haven’t been here for decades and instead 365 days haven’t even gone by. Today everything takes on a different meaning, whether it is because of the awareness that times like these could have their days numbered, or because of that constant fear of some sort of addiction and, without even realizing it, end up feeling numb while cruising along these wonderful roads. The fact is that we need days like this, we have to take it all in. The Col de Turini should not only be driven, it should be lived and breathed deeply, letting it tear you away from the comfort zone and put you to the test with its countless hairpin bends, habitat in which I decided to bring a car that among its many skills it certainly does not have the agility of a more typical sports car as we intend it here in Europe.

It’s a Ford Mustang, but not just any one. It’s called Mach 1 and it’s the most powerful version you can buy before considering the more extreme Shelby. Designed to entice fans of the old continent and produced in a limited series, it is a love letter for the 1969 Mach 1, which achieved 295 speed and endurance records at the Bonneville Salt Flats. In short, an opportunity to dust off the rich shelf of family trophies and in the meantime add spice to a car that better than any other represents the pleasure of driving according to US standards. And after having driven the “normal” GT and the exciting Bullitt, I wonder if perhaps it would not have been better to unleash this stallion on a race track, or on a road capable of enhancing the dynamics of a GT that at first glance hides its generous dimensions.

Let’s start from the aesthetics, where the Mach 1 is immediately recognizable thanks to the dedicated color called Fighter Jet Gray, combined with the inevitable stripes on the hood and sides and above all for a more threatening look granted by front and rear spoiler, dedicated 19″ wheels and an eye-catching rear diffuser that plays a key role once speeding. There are also various badges scattered here and there and a further reference to the ’69 model thanks to the additional (fake) headlights on the sides of the front grille. If the Mustang GT is indeed an exceptional grand tourer, the Mach 1 promises to maintain the typical character of the American pony car and add what it takes for an experience that can elevate driving pleasure once the pace turns tough. The 5-liter V8 has been raised to 460 horsepower, but it is not a simple question of power, as the cooling system has been improved with a more intensive use in mind (on track, for example). It is also essential to underline how it shares the Open Air Induction System of the Shelby GT350, which is nothing more than an intake manifold that increases the air flows inside the engine. Together with an engine management software and a dual injection system, they allow for a more full-bodied delivery that unloads all the power and a torque of 529 Nm to the ground more intensely than how it happens with a GT.

Traction is logically on the rear axle only and the gearbox can be a manual 6-speed, or an automatic 10-speed, as in the case of the model in my greedy hands. In automatic mode it prefers a reduced number of revs, while in Sport it uses a greater curve thus making the Mach 1 always ready for a sprint towards the following bend. Then there are two small plastic paddles on the steering wheel, through which you can go and act personally on gear changes, but you will often notice that the car can behave very well autonomously. At the rear, in addition to the aerodynamic appendages mentioned earlier, we have the Mach 1 logo in place of the racing mustang and two pairs of pipes that accentuate the typical baritone song of the V8 up front. Bringing the engine to life as well as racing towards the red line are the ultimate representation of stars and stripes pleasure on wheels.

Having therefore overcome the last glimmer of civilization, the climb to the Col de Turini implies a concentration that rises to maximum levels when you opt for Track mode and inhibit traction control. The weight of 1,750 kg is not perceived as the 460 horsepower available pump even at the slightest pressure on the throttle pedal, but once through tight sections I realize that the Mach 1 is much more than a Mustang on steroids. If in the city or on the motorway it almost makes you believe it is one of those miles-grinders preferring to appear rather than act, in the belly of one of the most famous roads in the world of rallies I discover a dynamics and a reactivity that I would not have thought possible, bringing with us a weight and dimensions far from what you’d expect to find here. With 22% more downforce than the regular GT, the Mach 1 gulps down the fastest curves while remaining pressed to the ground as if attracted by a huge magnet. The steering, which always remains soft and large in diameter, does not suggest how it will be possible to jump from one corner to another, straightening counter-steering with an ease that soon becomes dangerous.

Forget any kind of addiction and start considering having a new maniacal need, the one for an irrepressible need to feel the V8 revving up, the tires – Michelin Pilot Sport 4 – biting the asphalt and that titanic engine hood pointing a tongue of asphalt that still shows the glorious signs of the last MonteCarlo rally. In this context, there are few traits that allow you to benefit from the aerodynamic improvement, but when the road widens enough and the visibility allows you to move the bar towards exaggeration, the air flows are swallowed by the underbody and spat out beyond the diffuser, offering a grip that increases the feeling of confidence towards the Mach 1. The adaptive suspensions electronically control the fluid inside them and manage every slightest change on the road surface in real time, as we also have stiffer front springs and anti-roll bars, a fundamental aspect that turn into a surgical cornering precision.

We reach 1,607 in the blink of an eye and while we cool brakes and brain, we enjoy a light breeze that cheers a hot Wednesday morning. Fuel consumption is nothing more than a detail in these situations, which is why we do not let ourselves be discouraged by an average of 4 km/l – consider that in normal situations, the average values declared stand at 12.4 l/100 km – and indeed we fill the tank once again and after having washed a few families of midges from the windshield, we are ready to leave. The Mach 1 establishes a confidence that may seem unusual due to the character that is attributed to a Mustang by those who are not lucky enough to be able to drive it every sacrosanct day of the year. It often happens that you spend the first few days getting in tune with its strengths and weaknesses, but not this time. It is as if I had known it for a long time and it leads you to discover and touch the limits, demonstrating that actually there was still room to dare and ask for something more.

We go down towards Peira-Cava and after having passed Lucérame we reach l’Escarène in time to turn left for the Col de Braus, often unjustly considered part of the Col de Turini, but which despite a rather limited development is able to enhance the drive thanks to an intestine 8 hairpin bends bonus taking place in less than 900 meters. There is not a soul and this only means one thing: to exploit the Mach 1 for what it was conceived. The roar of the 5-liter fills the cockpit, it breaks the silence of an after-lunch which is far from ideal for digesting the freshly swallowed sandwiches, but the smile that is drawn on my face is only equal to that of the gas station owner every time he hears me arrive. It often happens that car manufacturers churn out celebratory editions just to sell a few small improvements, in most cases imperceptible at the wheel. In the case of the Mach 1, the Mustang maintains that comfortable and sly grand touring nature, but elevates driving involvement and performance with a model that manages to incredibly maintain a purchase price starting at € 63,740 for the manual g’box version and which once again stands out as the best buy you could think of with a similar amount of money. Not only because it is an icon, but because the Mach 1 is also a pure sports car with a character that enjoys almost an exclusive place in the heart of those enthusiasts who do not intend to look at the future without a big and noisy engine that gives life to intense days like this. Wild sensations that will echo inside me for a long, long time.