Something special is on the way for all fans of American V8 muscle, especially those who admire a good-looking silhouette as well as sheer grunt.
The Ford Mustang range in South Africa is soon to get a very special and exclusive model, the Mach 1 Fastback coupé, which by all measures is a top-end beauty as comfortable on the track as it will be on the road.
Think back to the revered 1969 Mustang Bullitt, which put this performance range on the map in the country.
That car bridged the gap between the standard Mustang GT and the high performance Shelby models.
Doreen Mashinini of Ford marketing says the Mach 1 will achieve a similar feat by “delivering V8 power, unique functional aerodynamic enhancements, competition-capable suspension upgrades, and a driver-focused cockpit”.
Let’s see how that claim measures up to the specs. First off, the performance. The Mach 1s specially calibrated 5.0-litre V8 engine matches that of the Mustang Bullitt, producing 338kW of power and 529Nm of torque. All this power is geared for the road through either a six-speed manual transmission or Ford’s 10-speed automatic, both with special cooling and calibration enhancements specific to the Mach 1.
With all this grunt, handling has been upgraded to include the latest adaptive suspension tech, stiffer sway bars and front springs, rear subframe with stiffer bushings and upgraded brake booster.
Of course, there’s a push button track mode and launch control for those weekend outings.
With performance parts derived from the Shelby GT350 and GT500, plus a newly designed aerodynamic front end and a rear spoiler that generates 22 percent more down-force than the Mustang GT, the track awaits those lucky enough to get their hands on one of the only 90 units destined for our shores.
Taking a long look at this V8 beast, it’s easily a track machine, what with the bold Mach 1 grille and new 19-inch spoked aluminium wheels giving that sporty look. The distinctive metallic Fighter Jet Grey, satin black highlight on the bonnet and side stripes accented with orange also add to its one-of-a-kind quality.
It’s bound to cost a pretty penny but, if you’re in that ballpark, you’ll want to reserve yours.