Ford Mustang Drag Race: 2020 Shelby GT500 vs 2021 Mach 1 (Edmunds)
Sibling rivalry!
We've done lots of drag-race comparisons with our long-term-test 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Somewhat embarrassingly for the mega-powered Mustang, it ended up slower than just about everything we've thrown up against it, including a BMW M8, a Chevrolet Corvette and a Tesla Model Y Performance.
The combination of an unprepared street surface and 760 horsepower means the GT500 can't deploy its awesome power before the quarter mile is up. With that in mind, we began to wonder if the less powerful and less expensive 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 might be able to upset its bigger sibling in a heads-up drag race.
Crazy as the idea sounds, there is some logic behind it. The Mustang Mach 1 we tested ($65,340) came equipped with a 10-speed automatic and a handling package that included larger and sticker tires. The additional grip and sheer number of close-ratio gears could give the 5.0-liter V8 more opportunities to shine.
The Shelby GT500, which Edmunds owns and has tested for a year, set us back $81,280 after options. Its transmission only has seven forward gears and its tires are the same size as the Mach 1's. Would it be overwhelmed in a drag race?
(photo credit: Edmunds)
