Mach 1 is how Ford calls the ultimate variant of the Coyote V8-powered Mustang. But due to emission regulations, the handling-focused pony car doesn’t make as much power in the United Kingdom as it does in the U.S.
Priced from £56,955 on the road, which converts to $77,645 at current exchange rates, the Mach 1 is listed by the British configurator with 338 kW. That’s 460 ps or 454 hp, down from 480 for the stateside model. Torque also takes a plunge from 420 to 390 pound-feet (569 to 528 Nm), which is kind of disappointing for such a rare car by European standards.
Be that as it may, it still is pokier than a Cayman and a Cayman GT4. The question is, can those additional ponies make any sort of difference over the quarter-mile showdown? As you already know by now, that’s a clear no.
For starters, the coupe-bodied 718 weighs 1,365 and 1,420 kilograms (3,009 and 3,131 pounds) as opposed to 1,807 kilograms (3,984 pounds). We also have to remember the German challengers are both mid-engined machines, which translates to more weight over the rear for slightly better traction.
This particular Mach 1 is equipped from the factory with the bone-stock 255/40 R19 front and 275/40 R19 rear tires, which are both a little wider than Porsche’s tires for the four-pot sports car and the six-cylinder GT4.
The least powerful of the lot is the 718 Cayman, but despite its low-displacement engine, this fellow is rocking a PDK dual-clutch transmission compared to the six-speed manuals in the GT4 and Mach 1. Therefore, don’t be surprised that it’s the quickest over the quarter mile at 12.7 seconds.
By comparison, the GT4 took 12.9 seconds for the same feat while the Mach 1 crossed the finish line in a pedestrian 13.7 seconds. Be warned these cars are quicker in warmer conditions and on a better-prepped track surface.
And finally, have a wild guess which car takes the most feet to come to a grinding halt from 100 miles per hour (161 kph). Obviously enough, the inferior brakes and heavier curb weight of the Mach 1 put it dead last.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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