April 9, 2002

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Preview:
2003 Ford Mustang Mach 1
by Greg Wilson

Once again, Ford is reaching back to its performance roots with a modern-day version of the Mustang Mach 1, a car that was originally a limited production version of the 1969 Mustang with an available 428 cubic inch V8 and a 'shaker' hood scoop.

The Mach 1 is the latest of Ford's "Living Legends" which now include the Thunderbird, GT40, Forty-Nine concept, and Mustang Bullitt GT.

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The 2003 Mustang Mach 1 is expected to deliver more than 300 horsepower from its modular 4.6 litre, 4-valve, DOHC V8 engine when it goes on sale at the end of this year. Mach 1 styling cues include the shaker hood scoop, revised versions of the original "Magnum 500" chrome wheels, and "comfort-weave" leather seats.

Of the approximately 160,000 Mustangs that Ford builds each year, just 6500 will be Mustang Mach 1 special editions. They'll be built on the same line of the Dearborn Assembly Plant that produces the V6, GT and Cobra Mustangs.

Each Mach 1 will come with a unique serialization found in the vehicle identification number (VIN) to enhance collectibility.

"Our lineup of Mustangs and special edition models are designed to turn today's customers into tomorrow's enthusiasts," said Ford's President, Jim O'Connor at the Mach 1's introduction at the New York Auto Show. "The Mach 1 is a glance in the mirror of Mustang's storied past, but it's steering straight into the future of Mustang and promises that there will always be a Mustang in the Ford lineup."

Mach 1 History

The original Mach 1 was introduced in 1968 as a concept car with a fastback bodystyle, aggressive hood and side scoops and a unique paint scheme. In 1969, the Mach 1 was one of three new Mustang models that made it into production. It featured the familiar fastback body with simulated side scoops high on the quarter panel, an aggressively raked air dam on the front and a spoiler on the rear, "comfort-weave" leather seats and the now famous, "shaker hood scoop" mounted directly onto the carburetor and fitting through an opening in the hood.

Underneath, the 1969 Mach 1 offered a 250 horsepower 351 Cleveland V8 or a 335 horsepower 428 Cobra-Jet V8. The Mach 1 and its stablemate, the Boss 302 Mustang, re-energized the fastback, tripling sales of the body style in 1969. In March 1969, the Mustang Mach 1 was named "the quickest four-person production car" ever tested by Car Life magazine.

There was another, less memorable Mustang Mach 1 in 1974 based on the much smaller Mustang II model – a car that was introduced in response to the "energy crisis". The 1974 Mach 1 featured a 2.8 litre V6 with dual exhausts while the other Mustangs of the period carried 2.3 litre four cylinders as the base engine.

From concept to reality

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Ford's 'Team Mustang', fresh from the success of the 2001 Mustang Bullitt GT, created a "one-off" project car in the summer of 2001 and took the car to various Mustang Club events across the country. The Mach 1 was shown, not as a concept car, but as an experiment to test the market of Mustang fans for more special editions. After receiving favourable response from Mustang owners, the project received the green light in the fall of 2001.

The Mach 1 was designed in Ford's Living Legends Studio in Dearborn, Michigan, where all other Mustangs, plus the Thunderbird and the GT40, are designed. The Living Legends Studio, which also directed the design of the Forty-Nine concept through Ford's California Design Studio, was created in July of 2000 to bring together the creativity of designers involved in related iconic cars of the present and future.

The Mach 1 features exterior enhancements that visually and emotionally connect it to the 1969 Mach 1 fastback.

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Perhaps the most visually arresting and totally unique design cue on the Mach 1 is the "shaker scoop." In keeping with performance Mustang heritage, the scoop is not only appearance enhancing, but functional. The "ram air" scoop, fitted through an opening in the hood, channels fresh air directly to the intake runners increasing the breathing and optimizing intake turbulence for improved power and torque.

The scoop operates on similar principals to that of its forebear, but because the 1969 Mach 1 was a carbureted engine, it was a much simpler task to mount the scoop atop the carburetor in place of a traditional air cleaner. The "shaker scoop" on the 2003 Mach 1 is mounted atop the intake manifold and directs air through a secondary filter box to the intake. The intake also pulls cool air from the front grille to ensure free breathing.

"At first, our colleagues from other teams thought we were crazy," says Hoag. "After all, modern engines are so well tuned and balanced, there really is no 'shake,' so people asked why we would bother with a 'shaker' hood. But Team Mustang is full of enthusiasts who know what it's like to pull a Mach 1 up next to a Chevelle SS with cowl induction and show off."

The scoop and the centre powerdome hood are finished in low-gloss black.

The C-pillars feature a unique trim appliqué that gives the roofline a subtle throwback appearance and distinguishes the car further from a GT. To enhance the low-to-the-ground appearance, the car features more prominent rocker-panel mouldings and another classic Mach 1 trait, an air dam extension, painted low-gloss black. A low-gloss black stripe runs the length of the side just above the rocker mouldings.

The Mach 1 will be available in Oxford White, Black, Torch Red, Zinc Yellow, Azure Blue and Dark Shadow Gray clearcoat finish.

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Interior a blast from the past

The experience of sitting inside Mach 1, with its woven leather seats, is a blast from the past. The seats are covered in one-of-a-kind "comfort weave" black leather that is reminiscent to the material that was unique to the original Mach 1. The seats offer increased lateral support and four-way adjustable head restraints.

The centre stack and shifter bezel are painted in a grey accent finish and highlighted by an aluminum shift boot ring and aluminum shifter ball. The accelerator, brake, clutch and dead pedals are polished aluminum. The grey-backed instrument cluster features unique retro-look dials. Mach 1 comes standard with the Mach 460 six-disc in-dash CD changer audio system.

300 horsepower 'MOD' 4.6 litre V8

The powerplant that shakes the scoop is a MOD 4.6 litre, 4-valve, dual-overhead-cam V8. The engine makes use of specially calibrated cams, a modified upper intake to accommodate the ram-air system, a heated PCV, a forged crank (cast crank in automatic transmission application) and performance exhaust manifolds combining to produce an expected output in excess of 300 horsepower. Upon completion of testing and certification, actual horsepower and torque data will be available.

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The 2003 Mach 1 will be available with a choice of a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission with electronic overdrive. The 4R70W automatic transmission is upgraded with a heavy-duty gear-set, auxiliary fluid cooler and brazed 11.25-inch torque converter to withstand the added power of the Mach 1's MOD 4.6 V8.

As well, the Mach 1 uses a new rear axle with a high-torque differential and a 3.55:1 axle ratio.

The Mach 1 is lowered half an inch compared to the GT and uses a firmer suspension for better-balanced ride and improved handling characteristics. The performance-handling package includes: new front and rear coil springs with adapted load and rate; re-valved Tokico struts in front and shocks in rear; unique stabilizer bars front and rear; added frame rail connectors to stiffen the body.

Thirteen-inch Brembo front rotors and performance calipres provide excellent stopping capability. The calipres have a black-anodized finish and are visible through 17-inch Magnum 500 wheel spokes when the car is parked, or when it is cruising the streets. The Mach 1 comes standard with ABS and traction control.

Engine and transmission modifications