The new Ford Mustang Mach 1 employs a clever mix of components to bridge the gap between the regular Mustang GT and the fire-breathing Shelby GT500 and also sort of make up for the loss of the Shelby GT350, which is no longer available.
The Shelby GT350 may be dead but some of its parts are not, as the new Mustang Mach 1 borrows bits and pieces that make it arguably a more exciting pony car; things like the much-praised six-speed Tremec 3160 manual transmission are present to the Mach 1, albeit being bolted to a 5.0-liter V8 instead of the GT350’s screaming flat-plane crank 5.2-liter unit.
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The specific 5.0-liter V8 however is still a very enjoyable engine, offering a thunderous soundtrack as well as 480 HP and 420lb-ft (569 Nm) of torque. It’s almost the same engine as last year’s Bullitt, with an intake manifold, oil filter adapter, and engine oil cooler from the GT350, increasing the engine’s oil capacity by 50 percent.
In combination with the optional Handling Package, which is exclusively offered in manual cars only, the new Mustang Mach 1 offers a pretty much perfect driving experience, at least according to this review from The Straight Pipes.
It’s certainly hard to argue with a loud Mustang over whether it’s a fun car to drive, so imagine doing that with one that not only looks and sounds good but can take corners with sports car precision too.
Think of the new Mach 1 as a Bullitt with a selection of GT350 bits bolted to it and is no wonder why this Mustang is the best 5.0-liter ever made.