RETURN OF THE MACH

THIS IS JUDGEMENT DAY. THE FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 IS THE BLUE OVAL’S CHANCE AT REDEMPTION FOR SHELBY-DEPRIVED AUSSIE MUSTANG ENTHUSIASTS

- SCOTT NEWMAN

A QUICK HISTORY LESSON. The FM Mustang, released in 2015, was very capable on both road and track (though the six-speed auto was a bit dim-witted), so when the FN was released in 2018 we rubbed our hands together in glee.

More power, an upgraded manual and new 10-speed automatic, MagneRide adaptive dampers, Racetrack and Drag Strip modes, and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires all suggested more of a good thing, but the reality didn’t quite live up to the promise.

On-road all was well, the new Mustang, especially in auto guise, is quicker, more refined, and more comfortable, but for those who wish to stretch their pony’s legs on track, there are problems.

The automatic can barely last a lap at full noise and, while the manual has slightly more stamina (as in, two laps, maybe three), the gearing of the new Getrag gearbox is so long that you will barely get into fourth gear at most tracks, second gear stretching to 133km/h and third to some 197km/h. This dulls the punch of the engine to such a degree that on the drag strip the FN manual is actually slightly slower than its less-powerful predecessor.

In the US the obvious response to this is ‘If you want a track Mustang, buy a Shelby’, but with Ford’s hi-PO ’Stangs limited to left-hand drive only, Aussies have been out of luck. Until now.

Ford has revived a famous nameplate to fill the gap between the standard GT and flagship Shelbys. Mach 1 has been synonymous with sportier, more focused Mustangs since the name was first revealed in 1969, but it has been 17 years since the badge last appeared.