It feels like only yesterday we were talking to former Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak, who currently manages the Ford Icons division, about the 2014 launch of S550-generation pony. Well, here we are, with the sixth-gen Mustang preparing to retire and the Blue Oval giving us one sweet special after another. The time has come to get up close and personal with the 2021 Mach 1 with the help of a rev battle.
Following a 17-year hiatus, the Mach 1 badge is here to replace the Shelby GT350/GT350R for the said model year. It's no secret that including the GT350, the Mach 1, and the supercharged GT500 in the range would've made for a tight squeeze, hence the change of guard.
Back in 1969, when the Blue Oval first introduced the Mach 1, it was a performance proposal aimed at those who didn't see the 'Stang as merely a lifestyle choice. And while the 2021 model sporting the 5.0L Coyote V8 of the GT instead of the Shelby GT350's 5.2L Voodoo means the newcomer won't be quite as raw as the model it replaces, the fresh arrival does borrow plenty of hardware from both the GT350 and the GT500.
As such, the GT350 parts involve the intake and throttle body, as well as influences for the intake manifold design, with the latter contributing to a 20-hp bump over the Mustang GT's 460 hp.
Other donated hardware involves the oil cooler and filter adapter, as well as the Tremec 3160 six-speed manual, although the latter features a rev-match feature.
As for the GT500 range-topper, it has offered the Mach 1 its rear axle heat exchanger, the lower part of the rear diffuser, as well as the rear subframe and toe links.
Now, the 46-horsepower premium that the GT350 offers compared to the Mach 1 isn't even the main difference between the two V8s in question. That's because the former model's Voodoo uses a flat-plane crank, which allows the motor to rev all the way to 8,250 rpm and emit a raspier, motorsport-grade soundtrack, whereas the Coyote sports a cross-plane crankshaft that brings a more traditional muscle car aural experience.
As for how this appeals to one's ears, you can check out a rev battle between a 2021 Mach 1 Premium (no Handling Package here) and a 2018 GT350 at the 3:09 point of the clip below. And yes, both vehicles came to the fight in factory form.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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