Back in October, we learned that the reborn Ford Mustang Mach 1 would be sold in global markets. Shortly thereafter, it was revealed that pony car fans in the UK would get the car minus a few ponies under the hood. Specifically, the British Mach 1 delivers 453 horsepower (338 kilowatts) and 390 pound-feet (529 Newton-meters ) of torque, which is down from 480 hp (353 kW) and 420 lb-ft (569 Nm) in the States.
Richard Hammond doesn’t seem to mind one bit.
The iconic motoring journalist and self-professed Mustang fan recently had occasion to get behind the wheel of the new Mach 1 for Drivetribe. Hammond drove his classic 1967 GT to a “secret” Ford testing facility in Dunton Wayletts where a black-and-orange striped Mach 1 was waiting for him. During the drive, he answered a variety of questions submitted by fans, though for reasons that should be obvious, he didn’t have much to say about the ‘Stang’s fuel economy. Yes, that was actually one of the questions.
The takeaway from the video? There’s much to love about the new Mach 1. With the Bullitt and GT350 gone from Ford’s lineup, the Mach 1 literally and figuratively carries a bit of both going forward. It’s the spiritual successor to each steed, offering the same tweaked 5.0-liter V8 from the Bullitt. Underneath, it also borrows some parts from the GT350 and GT500 for improved handling, and since the GT350 never officially went to the UK, the Mach 1 is officially the best-handling factory Mustang to ever grace Britannia.
No doubt, the question you’re all dying to have answered is whether or not Hammond crashed. After all, he does have a tendency to lose control and Mustangs do love to go rogue. No, this video is comfortably crash-free but he does offer some preliminary insight into life behind the wheel of what’s believed to be the swan song for the sixth-generation S550 Mustang. In the US and Canada, the car will reach dealerships in the spring of 2021. Our friends across the pond should see it around the same time.