"A Living
Legend Reborn"
source: Ford.com | Thirty-eight
years after the original was introduced in New York, the Mach 1 is
back. Debuting at the New York International Auto Show, the new 2003-model
Mustang Mach 1 special edition, with signature "shaker" hood scoop continues
its historical journey.
Click Here for Archive Pictures | "Of all our Living Legends,
Mustang might have the richest heritage. While everyone has a favorite, Mach
1 is one of the most memorable and most collectable Mustangs,"
- Jim O'Connor, Ford Division
president. |
The Ford Mustang was introduced 38 years ago and has earned its place as a
true American legend. From its inception, Mustang took the automotive world
by storm, spawning fan clubs of enthusiastic baby boomers that were just
coming of driving age in the mid-1960s. It seemed everyone wanted a Mustang
and Ford was all too happy to provide one.
In the first year, Ford
sold more than 600,000 Mustangs. Derivatives came quickly as customers
wanted to personalize their Mustang. There were numerous body styles, from
coupe to fastback to convertible, and scores of powertrain and styling
packages.
The original Mach 1 was
introduced in 1968 as a concept car with a hatched fastback, aggressive hood
and side scoops and a unique paint scheme. In 1969, the Mach 1 was one of
three new Mustang models that made it into production. It featured the
familiar fastback body with simulated side scoops high on the quarter panel,
an aggressively raked air dam on the front and a spoiler on the rear,
“comfort-weave” leather seats and the now famous, “shaker hood scoop”
mounted directly onto the carburetor and fitting through an opening in the
hood.
Underneath, the 1969 Mach 1
offered a 250-horsepower 351 Windsor V-8 or a 335-hp 428 Cobra-Jet mill.
Mach 1 and its stablemate, the Boss 302 Mustang, reenergized the fastback,
tripling sales of the body style in 1969. The much smaller Mustang II model,
introduced in 1974 as a response to the nation’s “energy crisis,” was the
weaker sibling to its older muscle car brothers. The 1974 Mach 1 featured a
2.8-liter V-6 with dual exhaust while the other Mustangs of the period
carried 2.3-liter I-4s as the base engine. |
MUSTANG
MACH 1 CONCEPT
Source: www.Stangnet.com
The
Mid-America Car Show this weekend in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Four days filled
with road course racing, drag racing and car shows made for a great
weekend. The highlight of the event was a bright blue Mustang parked
in the lobby of the Marriot. The buzz about Team Mustang and a live
axle, 4-valve motorcar has been confirmed. It is Team Mustang’s latest
concept, the MACH1.
In
its first public appearance, the MACH1 was scarcely left alone for a
moment after its unveiling. Mustang enthusiasts swarmed the
Azure-colored creation in awe. In just a glimpse of this automobile,
only true Mustang-lovers can appreciate what Team Mustang has brought
to life. After successfully seeing through to the production of the
Bullitt Mustang, the Mustang fans can rest assured that your “Team
Mustang” is striving to capture the heritage that all of us can share
in. This beauty will draw you in, not to mention that this thing is
also one wild looking ride.
Team
Mustang stressed to us that this is only a concept car and this is the
only one like it. The team at Classic-Design Concepts (http://www.classic-designconcepts.com)
helped tremendously in the creation of this car and is a
top-contributor in making it come to life. Roush Performance (http://www.roushperf.com)
also played a part in the development of the power train. The MACH1 is
targeted to arrive in performance and price between the GT Mustang and
the SVT Cobra. If the MACH1 makes it to production, expect to see
production dates around Fall of 2002
The
SN Staff are overly impressed with arrival of the MACH1 and the ideas
that Team Mustang Division are dreaming up. They are true enthusiasts
and only want exciting things to keep happening for the Mustang. The
creation of the MACH1 is intended to strengthen and enhance the
heritage of the Mustang and it will, with your help.
|
| | Team Mustang believes in the enthusiasts so tell them what you think. Did they hold
true to the MACH1 tradition? Did they make a car that you would want
to own? What might you do different?
Help Team Mustang by taking a survey. Do your part then tell your
friends to sound off! The more noise we can make, the better chances
we have of seeing the MACH1 hit the streets. I, for one, would love
to see this car cruisin’ the streets and hitting the track!
MRaburn ~StangNet
|
| The
NEW 2003 Mach 1 is expected to deliver more than 300+ horsepower from its
modular (MOD) 4.6-liter, 4-valve, DOHC (Double OverHead Cam) V-8
engine when it goes on sale at the end of this year. The preeminent pony car
remembers its roots with functional performance upgrades and Mach 1 styling
cues, including "comfort-weave" leather seats, a shaker hood scoop and
today's interpretation of classic "Magnum 500" chrome wheels. See spec sheet here. |
|
| "SHAKER RAM AIR"
So what's the scoop
on the scoop? The Mach 1 was designed in Ford's Living Legends Studio in
Dearborn, Michigan, where all other Mustangs, plus the Thunderbird and
the GT40, are designed. | The Living Legends Studio
was created in July of 2000 to bring together the creativity of
designers involved in related iconic cars of the present and future.
Living Legends is Ford's medium for engaging enthusiasts of the Ford
brand in a historical and memorable experience. The Mach 1 features
exterior enhancements that visually and emotionally connect it to the
1969 Mach 1 fastback. In keeping with performance Mustang heritage, the scoop is not only appearance
enhancing, but functional. The "ram air" scoop, fitted through an
opening in the hood, channels fresh air directly to the intake runners
increasing the breathing and optimizing intake turbulence for improved
power and torque.
The scoop operates on similar principals to that of its forebear, but
because the 1969 Mach 1 was a carbureted engine, it was a much simpler
task to mount the scoop atop the carburetor in place of a traditional
air cleaner. | | The "shaker scoop" on the 2003
Mach 1 is mounted atop the intake manifold and directs air through a
secondary filter box to the intake. The intake also pulls cool air from the
front grille to ensure free breathing. "At first, our colleagues from other
teams thought we were crazy," says Hoag. "After all, modern engines are so
well tuned and balanced, there really is no 'shake,' so people asked why we
would bother with a 'shaker' hood. But Team Mustang is full of enthusiasts
who know what it's like to pull a Mach 1 up next to a Chevelle SS with cowl
induction and show off." |
No doubt the buzz on the Internet is the #1 contributing factor to the
success of this special limited-edition Mustang. Shown as an "experiment" at
shows last year, it is the enthusiast that told Team Mustang to build this
car.
"People dropped their jaws when they saw the Mach 1 for the first time,
especially when we blipped the throttle to demonstrate the shaker," says
Scott Hoag, Mach 1 program manager. "These grassroots events started chats
all over the Internet of fans telling us to build this car."
This Mach 1 is
back because of you!
* Just as with the 2001 Bullitt GT, the new Mach 1 will come with a unique
serialization found in the vehicle identification number (VIN) to ensure
exclusivity and collectibility. This will be different from last years
Bullitt Mustang. The Bullitt carried a unique 'number' tag in the engine
compartment, the MACH1 will not. In the VIN number there will be an engine
code designation of 'R'. This will be exclusive to the MACH1 and will
denote the different engine and thus its uniqueness. Ford plans to produce 6,500 of this
limited-edition legend. Mach 1 pricing and detailed technical specifications
will be announced just prior to public introduction.
Source: Ford Motor
Company |
|