Here's a surprising sight! This spy video catches two examples of the Ford Mustang Mach 1 lapping the Nürburgring Nordschleife during the industry pool testing period.
Motor1.com reached out to Ford to find out more details about these Mach 1's lapping the 'Ring. "Handling matters. The Mach 1 is our all-new pinnacle of Mustang 5.0L performance, as well as the most track-capable 5.0L V8 Mustang ever," spokesperson Jiyan Cadiz said. "And like many of our vehicle offerings, Ford often tests at the Nürburgring as it's one of the most dynamic and challenging roads in the world."
The two examples of the Mach 1 are identical other than their different colors. Since Ford is performing handling tests, we suspect that the pair are running slightly different suspension setups. Evaluating the lap times and driver feedback about the feel would help the engineers figure out the ideal settings.
It's worth noting that these Mustangs appear to be in European specification. They don't have the amber reflectors like an American vehicle would and wear clear taillights like the Euro model, whereas the lamps are red in the US. This might signal the Mach 1 being available outside of North America, like with the Bullitt.
"Right now we are focused on the North American launch of the 2021 Mustang Mach 1, with U.S. and Canadian dealer availability in Spring of 2021," Cadiz told Motor1.com when asked about the chance of the Mach 1 being available in Europe.
One thing that's clear from this clip is that the Mach 1 sounds good. The V8 makes a properly deep rumble that you can still hear even at the pony car drives away over the undulating course. The 5.0-liter makes 480 horsepower (358 kilowatts) and hooks up to either a 10-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual.
The Mach 1 goes on sale in the spring of 2021. Ford isn't discussing prices details, yet.
