Greg@GLD
09-17-2003, 07:22 PM
http://www.abqjournal.com/wheels/843058travel03-08-03.htm
Mustang Mach 1 Proves There's Still Life in the Pony
By Ken Walston
Of the Journal
Ford's latest special-edition Mustang proves there's life in the old nag yet.
Hot on the heels of 2002's ultra-cool Bullitt GT, the 2003 Mach 1 pays tribute to the legendary 1969 Mustang Mach 1 with its thundering 428 Cobra Jet V-8.
But instead of cubic inches, the new Mach 1 employs multi-valve and -camshaft technology to produce 305 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque from a tidy 281 cubic inches. It's basically the motor that motivated the 2001 SVT Mustang Cobra, tweaked for better low-end torque.
Ford didn't just drop a beefier engine in a Mustang GT, add some retro stripes and wheels and shove the Mach 1 out the barn door. The suspension also received a thorough massaging, with unique stabilizer bars front and rear, stiffer springs that lower the ride height by a half-inch and Tokico struts and shocks.
The result is taut, flat handling and a ride that's stiff yet tolerably compliant.
Brakes, too, got an upgrade from standard GT fare by swapping in the powerful Brembo binders from the current Cobra model.
In a further nod to safety, the Mach 1 also gets ABS, traction control and a locking rear axle.
To make the Mach 1 look the part, Ford designed a Ram Air intake that pokes through the hood, which unlike the scoops on the Mustang's flanks, is actually functional. Tap the throttle at idle and the scoop shakes, just like the '69 version.
There is also a wide, flat-black stripe that runs the length of the hood; rocker-panel stripes; a flat-black rear wing and a deeper front air dam.
The five-spoke Heritage wheels, shod with sticky 245/45ZR-17 Goodyear Eagles, complete the look.
Inside, there's a pair of form-fitting buckets, upholstered in retro "comfort weave" black leather. A big, satin-aluminum ball tops the five-speed's shift lever, which sprouts from a matching aluminum shift-boot ring. Trendy drilled-metal pedals dress up the footwell.
The center stack, housing ventilation and audio controls, sports a gray accent finish and the instrument cluster features unique, retro numerals on a gray background.
So how does the Mach 1 drive? Definitely not like a car from 1969, thank goodness. But the Mustang's Fox platform, originally borrowed from the 1978 Ford Fairmont, has underpinned the pony car since 1979. That's an eternity in the auto biz, and despite steady improvements over the years, the Mustang exhibits its age.
First off is the car's nose-heavy feel, most noticeable at low speeds. Then there's the heavy clutch and stiff, notchy gear-shift action. And it's quite a reach to get a hand around that aluminum ball.
The rack-and-pinion steering is precise but fairly numb. Tire and wind noise is ever-present but tolerable. Despite the long (and heavy) doors, entrance and egress is never graceful. And the back seats? Best left to pre-teens.
Probably the least appealing aspect of the Mach 1 — and every recent Mustang — is the interior's cheap-looking, hard plastic trim. Although our tester was tightly assembled and squeak-free, the dashboard and door panels exhibited gaps through which you could lose a small pet.
And yet ...
Turn the key and the engine leaps to life with a pulse-raising rumble, then settles into a loping, burbling idle. Blip the throttle and the shaker scoop twitches in anticipation. With seemingly bottomless reserves of power, acceleration is effortless and immediate at virtually any speed.
The sounds and sensations transport you back to the era when a buck would buy you a cheeseburger, fries and a couple gallons of high-octane gas. One big difference between then and now: This 'Stang is rated at 17 mpg city and 25 highway, a far cry from the fuel-sucking muscle cars circa 1970.
Ford has promised an all-new, thoroughly modern replacement in a couple of years, well aware it's past time to put the current version out to pasture. But as long as Ford keeps coming up with appealing limited editions like the Bullitt and the Mach 1 (only 6,500 planned), the Mustang will be spared a one-way trip to the glue factory.
BASE PRICE: $28,370
PRICE AS TESTED: $29,290 (incl. destination)
ENGINE: 4.6-liter, 32-valve DOHC V-8
HORSEPOWER: 305 at 5,800 rpm
TORQUE: 320 lb.-ft. at 4,200 rpm
MILEAGE (EPA ratings): 17 city/25 highway
Copyright 2003 Albuquerque Journal
Mustang Mach 1 Proves There's Still Life in the Pony
By Ken Walston
Of the Journal
Ford's latest special-edition Mustang proves there's life in the old nag yet.
Hot on the heels of 2002's ultra-cool Bullitt GT, the 2003 Mach 1 pays tribute to the legendary 1969 Mustang Mach 1 with its thundering 428 Cobra Jet V-8.
But instead of cubic inches, the new Mach 1 employs multi-valve and -camshaft technology to produce 305 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque from a tidy 281 cubic inches. It's basically the motor that motivated the 2001 SVT Mustang Cobra, tweaked for better low-end torque.
Ford didn't just drop a beefier engine in a Mustang GT, add some retro stripes and wheels and shove the Mach 1 out the barn door. The suspension also received a thorough massaging, with unique stabilizer bars front and rear, stiffer springs that lower the ride height by a half-inch and Tokico struts and shocks.
The result is taut, flat handling and a ride that's stiff yet tolerably compliant.
Brakes, too, got an upgrade from standard GT fare by swapping in the powerful Brembo binders from the current Cobra model.
In a further nod to safety, the Mach 1 also gets ABS, traction control and a locking rear axle.
To make the Mach 1 look the part, Ford designed a Ram Air intake that pokes through the hood, which unlike the scoops on the Mustang's flanks, is actually functional. Tap the throttle at idle and the scoop shakes, just like the '69 version.
There is also a wide, flat-black stripe that runs the length of the hood; rocker-panel stripes; a flat-black rear wing and a deeper front air dam.
The five-spoke Heritage wheels, shod with sticky 245/45ZR-17 Goodyear Eagles, complete the look.
Inside, there's a pair of form-fitting buckets, upholstered in retro "comfort weave" black leather. A big, satin-aluminum ball tops the five-speed's shift lever, which sprouts from a matching aluminum shift-boot ring. Trendy drilled-metal pedals dress up the footwell.
The center stack, housing ventilation and audio controls, sports a gray accent finish and the instrument cluster features unique, retro numerals on a gray background.
So how does the Mach 1 drive? Definitely not like a car from 1969, thank goodness. But the Mustang's Fox platform, originally borrowed from the 1978 Ford Fairmont, has underpinned the pony car since 1979. That's an eternity in the auto biz, and despite steady improvements over the years, the Mustang exhibits its age.
First off is the car's nose-heavy feel, most noticeable at low speeds. Then there's the heavy clutch and stiff, notchy gear-shift action. And it's quite a reach to get a hand around that aluminum ball.
The rack-and-pinion steering is precise but fairly numb. Tire and wind noise is ever-present but tolerable. Despite the long (and heavy) doors, entrance and egress is never graceful. And the back seats? Best left to pre-teens.
Probably the least appealing aspect of the Mach 1 — and every recent Mustang — is the interior's cheap-looking, hard plastic trim. Although our tester was tightly assembled and squeak-free, the dashboard and door panels exhibited gaps through which you could lose a small pet.
And yet ...
Turn the key and the engine leaps to life with a pulse-raising rumble, then settles into a loping, burbling idle. Blip the throttle and the shaker scoop twitches in anticipation. With seemingly bottomless reserves of power, acceleration is effortless and immediate at virtually any speed.
The sounds and sensations transport you back to the era when a buck would buy you a cheeseburger, fries and a couple gallons of high-octane gas. One big difference between then and now: This 'Stang is rated at 17 mpg city and 25 highway, a far cry from the fuel-sucking muscle cars circa 1970.
Ford has promised an all-new, thoroughly modern replacement in a couple of years, well aware it's past time to put the current version out to pasture. But as long as Ford keeps coming up with appealing limited editions like the Bullitt and the Mach 1 (only 6,500 planned), the Mustang will be spared a one-way trip to the glue factory.
BASE PRICE: $28,370
PRICE AS TESTED: $29,290 (incl. destination)
ENGINE: 4.6-liter, 32-valve DOHC V-8
HORSEPOWER: 305 at 5,800 rpm
TORQUE: 320 lb.-ft. at 4,200 rpm
MILEAGE (EPA ratings): 17 city/25 highway
Copyright 2003 Albuquerque Journal