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Mustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the Gap

Do you ever just play around with online car configurators? You can access these at any time, from anywhere, and you can build your dream car in a few minutes. You may not afford to purchase it at the end of the day, but day-dreaming is for free. Who knows, maybe visualizing the process will eventually lead to you getting that car!
Mustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the Gap 10 photos
Photo: Edmunds
Mustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the GapMustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the Gap
When accessing Ford's online configurator, there are four different styles for the Ford Mustang that you can choose from. The Fastback has the lowest starting price, the Convertible is up next, and then it's the Mach 1 and the Shelby GT500. And those last two are the obvious choice if you're serious about going fast. Now, the Shelby GT500 is considerably more potent than the Mach 1, but I guess that's what you get for paying almost $20K more.

The Mach 1 comes equipped with a naturally aspirated, 5.0-liter V8. That's capable of producing 480 horsepower and 420 lb-ft (570 Nm) of torque. The Shelby GT500 packs a supercharged, 5.2-liter V8. That means it's good enough for 760 horsepower and 625 lb-ft (847 Nm) of torque. If you're running on a tight budget, it may be worth considering which of these two cars is the right choice for you. Otherwise, I would go straight for the GT500.

The question is, how much faster is the Shelby compared to the Mach 1? The following drag race should reveal the answer to that question. The test track for the day is Willow Springs International Motorsports Park, in California. Both cars are running on Michelin Sport Cup 2 tires. Strangely enough, it's the Mach 1 that's having wheelspin issues going off the line. It did manage to keep up for a short while, but the GT500 took control of the race and won.

Mustang Mach 1 Drag Races Shelby GT500, Brace for the Gap
Photo: Edmunds
After putting some heat into the tires, the two drivers line up for the second run. Both cars seem equally fast going off the line, but there's only one possible outcome. The GT500 wins hands down, and there's about a bus length between them at the end of the run. For the third run, we get to see a rolling start from 50 mph (80 kph). The Mach 1 is certainly slower than the GT500, but it sure isn't a slow car.

Further testing of the two vehicles reveals additional stats that can be useful in deciding whether the price difference is worth it or not. The Mach 1 can go from 0 to 60 mph (96 kph) in 4.1 seconds, while the GT500 only requires 3.7 seconds. For the quarter-mile (402 meters), it's 12.2 seconds versus 11.3 seconds. But the Mach 1 weighs less, so it came out on top in the 60 mph to 0 braking test.

As it weighs in at 3,907 lbs (1,772 kg), it required 94 feet (28 meters) to come to a complete halt. Meanwhile, the 4,168 lbs (1,890 kg) GT500 needed an extra 9 feet (2.7 meters) to achieve the same result. Without a supercharger or a turbocharger, a Mach 1 isn't going to be able to outrun the GT500 at the drag strip. But I'd dare to say that in the hands of a capable driver, it could be able to keep up or even be faster than a GT500 with a less experienced driver around a track.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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