Ford Australia has confirmed the reborn Mustang Mach 1 will be offered in Australia in 2021 with a 345kW/556Nm V8.
Earlier this week, Ford confirmed that the Mustang Mach 1 would be available in right-hand drive for the first time ever and Ford Australia has announced it will arrive Down Under in 2021.
The news comes on the 73rd anniversary of the breaking of the sound barrier (Mach 1) over Rogers Dry Lake in Southern California. To commemorate that achievement, Ford launched the Mustang Mach 1 in 1969 – that vehicle was intended to bridge the gap between the Mustang GT and Shelby models. It stayed in production until 1978 and was then revived, briefly, from 2003 to 2004. But now it’s back.
“Achieving Mach 1 for the first time was a significant human feat,” said Andrew Birkic, President and CEO, Ford Australia.
“That spirit and determination to keep pushing, never settling and always trying to go further is what the Mach 1 Mustang was all about – and it’s fitting that we can bring Australian customers, who’ve made Mustang part of our motoring landscape, a 2021 Mustang Mach 1 of their very own.”
The Mustang Mach 1 borrows heavily from the Bullitt (not including the same output from the 5.0L V8) but has refreshed the offering, by taking the uprated Tremec 3160 six-speed manual gearbox from the Shelby GT350; this offers shorter shifts, rev-matching and a stronger clutch. Ford will also offer its 10-speed automatic on the Mach 1 which boasts a stronger torque converter and tweaked calibration for quicker shifts. The transmission cooler is 75% bigger too, allowing for improved cooling when you’re flogging, er, the going gets tough.
But the gearbox isn’t the only thing from the GT350, the Mach 1’s engine has the same intake manifold and engine oil cooler with a staggering 50% more capacity than the cooler on the Bullitt. Also borrowed from the GT350 are thicker anti-roll bars, firmer front springs and stiffer rear subframe bushings.
In addition, the Mach 1 gets Ford’s updated MagneRide suspension, larger brake servo and Michelin PS4 tyres wrapped around 19×9.5-inch front and 19×10.0-inch rear five-spoke Tarnished Dark-painted aluminium wheels.
Look hard enough and there are plenty of design cues from the original car, like the new diamond mesh hexagonal grille, deep air dam and side skirts and a big wing borrowed from the GT500. On the inside, there’s contrast stitching, a white cue-ball style shifter, and a higher-definition 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, as well as Mach 1 badges.
Speaking on the confirmation of the Mach 1 coming to Australia, Kelly Racing Ford Mustang Supercars driver and Mustang Mach 1 ambassador, Rick Kelly said, “It’s a stunning looking vehicle, but above all it really is a Mustang made for enthusiasts – it is all about how it drives around a track, which is why I’m so pleased to be working on this project with Ford.
“Racing a Mustang Supercar around tracks like Mount Panorama, where we’ll be this weekend, has been a highlight of 2020 for me, but Mach 1 is such a unique opportunity for fans and customers, so I am pumped for its arrival here next year.”
The Mach 1 will be offered alongside the Mustang 2.3L High Performance and Mustang GT in 2021, with Australian specification and pricing to be announced closer to launch. But if you can’t wait for the Mach 1, then check out Herrod Performance’s latest special edition Mustang.
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