The outgoing Mustang still has a performance to admire.
May 23, 2023 at 4:54 am ET
The sixth generation Ford Mustang is history. The horse car was discontinued due to the launch of the new seventh-generation model, with the final example rolling off the assembly line on April 6, 2023. We haven’t seen the new Mustang in action yet, but before let that happen, it’s time to remember what the outgoing Mustang Mach 1 is capable of.
A new video from the AutoTopNL channel takes us to the Autobahn for a top-speed test of the Mustang Mach 1. As far as we can tell, this is a stock example, but even in factory form, this pony has enough muscle to reach speeds of maximum of about 173 miles. per hour (278 kilometers per hour). The video was shot on an unrestricted stretch of German road where these speeds are legal.
Gallery: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1: First drive
12 Pictures
That performance and V8 roar to match comes courtesy of a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter engine under the hood. In the Mach 1 version, it generates 480 horsepower (358 kilowatts) which matches the Bullitt. This particular car has a six-speed manual gearbox, which probably affects performance a bit, but keeps all the fun in the driver’s hands. Still, when your goal is top vehicle speed and not track times, it makes almost no difference if you have two or three pedals to play with.
Speaking of the Tremec six-speed manual, it’s one of the components the Mach 1 borrows from the Shelby GT350, along with the intake manifold, oil filter adapter, engine oil cooler and the front and rear substructures. The rear axle cooling system, rear dropout linkage and rear diffuser are in turn sourced from the range-topping Shelby GT500.
As a final note, we would like to mention that on paper, the Mustang Mach 1 has a top speed of 166 mph (267 km/h). But as is often the case with high-performance vehicles, the factory numbers are understated, as we see a slightly higher top speed in the video. Note that the digital dashboard readings could be slightly off compared to the actual speed measured by the vehicle’s GPS.
