The sixth-generation Ford Mustang is now history. The pony car was discontinued due to the launch of the all-new, seventh-generation model, and the final example rolled off the assembly line on April 6, 2023. We are yet to see the new Mustang in action but before that happens, it’s time to recall 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 muscles to reach a maximum speed of around 173 miles per hour (278 kilometers per hour). The video was recorded on an unrestricted section of the German highway where such speeds are legal.
Gallery: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1: First Drive
That performance and the matching V8 roar come courtesy of a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated engine under the hood. In the Mach 1 trim, it generates Bullitt-matching 480 horsepower (358 kilowatts). This particular car has a six-speed manual gearbox, which probably affects the performance a bit but keeps all the fun in the driver’s hands. Still, when your aim is the vehicle’s top 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, together with the intake manifold, oil-filter adapter, engine oil cooler, and front and rear subframes. The rear axle cooling system, rear toe link, and rear diffuser, in turn, come from the range-topping Shelby GT500.
As a final note, we’d like to mention that on paper, the Mustang Mach 1 has a top speed of 166 mph (267 kph). But as is often the case with high-performance vehicles, the factory numbers are underrated as we see a slightly higher top speed in the video. Bear in mind the readings on the digital dashboard could be slightly off compared to the vehicle’s actual GPS-measured velocity.
