2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 at Lightning Lap 2022 (Car and Driver)
The perfect distillation of years of Ford Mustang development.
Lap Time: 2:51.4
Class: LL2 | Base: $60,245 | As Tested: $60,740
Power and Weight: 480 hp • 3811 lb • 7.9 lb/hp
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, F: 305/30ZR-19 (98Y) R: 315/30ZR-19 (100Y)
The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 didn't happen overnight. It's the culmination of years of development to the sixth-gen Stang bundled into a single package. The 2019 Shelby GT350R donates its camber plates. With the front wheels canted like the head of a curious dog, the Mach 1 enjoys precise turn-in and averages a 1.13-g ride through Turn 1.
The 480-hp 5.0-liter V-8 comes from the retired Mustang Bullitt. It's down 46 ponies to the GT350R, and that deficit shows up on long straights. Leading into the Climbing Esses, the Mach 1 is 3.4 mph slower than the GT350R, but aerodynamic and chassis bits from the Shelby keep the Mach 1 pressed into the tarmac, allowing liberal use of the accelerator. By the end of that treacherous combination, the Mach 1 is only 0.1 second behind its more powerful predecessor.
The Tremec six-speed manual is also a GT350R part, and engineers have added the ability to keep the accelerator floored during shifts. Enthusiasts might scoff at the rev-matching software (which can be turned off), but VIR is so demanding that having just a bit less to do and more foot on the brake pedal makes it a welcome feature.
The Mach 1 proved to be durable too. We tortured the Mustang over five consecutive laps to see whether its rear end would overheat like the Mustang GT Performance Pack Level 2's from a few years back. The Mach 1 never broke a sweat thanks to rear-differential, transmission, and engine oil coolers from the GT350R.
This cornucopia of Mustang parts seems to be the perfect combo. The Mach 1's 2:51.4 time is 0.4 second quicker than the GT350R's. Plus, that time is good enough to make the Mach 1 the new king of LL2, the mostly affordable sub-$65K class. We're guessing that record will stand for at least as long as it took to create the Mach 1.
(photo credit: Marc Urbano - Car and Driver)
