2022 Ford Mustang Mach 1

In Europe we don’t get to drive the Gt350 or the Supercharged GT500 which we featured on a full episode of Jason Cammisa on the icons (Link). The sportiest version of the Mustang in the old continent is the Mach 1. In the world line-up of the Mustang, the Mach 1 seats in between the GT and the GT350. The mission for this Muscle Car is simple: be a better looking, faster and better handling GT. And it is! To some extent, it reminds us of the Mighty Boss 302 that came out in 2012.  What a car that was, and the Mach 1 is definitely a worthy successor.

If you look at it, it seems that the engineers at Ford picked all the right optionals of the GT and packaged them in a very racing feeling way. The star of the show is of course the 5.0-litre V8 with 460hp, same power as the standard GT, but you find the real upgrades in the chassis compartment:  stiffer front and rear suspension sway bars, a Torsen limited-slip differential, extra bracing, six-piston Brembo brakes and a high-flow radiator. But this is not the end of the story, the Mach 1 also features the stiffer rear subframe of the GT500 and the absolutely amazing MagneRide active dampers as well as the rear diffuser from the GT500 and a new splitter. The tires don’t lie also about the purpose of the car: the already amazing Michelin 4s have been replaced by the Pilot Sport Cup 2. So the Mach 1, might really be the best balanced Mustang to date. And then there’s the sound of the 5.0lt V8.

Taking delivery of the car in Rome, we drove across Tuscany and the Maremma region, famous for its wild horses. The driving on the twisty roads is a thrill, the performances are definitely there and for the price (something more than 65 thousand euro) it’s a bargain. Name us a better V8 – 460hp – RWD drive car (that also comes with a manual), we wait. There’s none. If driving is your purpose, the Mustang is definitely an option to take in consideration. And it’s a cruiser too, we drove it for almost 4000km in 10 days and we couldn’t be more happy and comfortable. And also the guys at the gas station were pretty happy too.

Long live the V8, long live the Mustang Mach 1.