This Is Probably The New Ford Mustang Mach 1

A Ford Mustang Mach 1 hasn’t existed since 2004, but after a long absence, the famous designation is set to make a comeback on the sixth-gen Pony Car. Rumours have been bubbling away nicely since late last year, fueled by prototypes spied in and around Dearborn, Michigan. Like this one.

Don’t let the Highland Green paintwork fool you - test mules are often mash-ups of existing products, and in this case, it seems Ford has chosen a Bullitt Mustang to work on.

The front end is unlike either the standard Mustang GT or the Bullitt, with a bumper design that looks more akin to the GT350’s. At the rear meanwhile, the diffuser is missing, which suggests this potential Mach 1 is in store for a redesigned part.

The absent trim piece also gives us a good look at the exhaust, which features a single outlet either side, rather than the twin back boxes used for the GT and Bullitt.

The last Mach 1 featured a decent power hike over its GT sibling, something we’re not expecting this time - it’d upset the current Mustang pecking order, after all. A small increase should be expected, however, something which might be done via the same GT350 intake manifold conversion enjoyed by the Bullitt.

Suspension upgrades will most likely be on the agenda too, along with unique colours and yes, many Mach 1 logos. We can also be hopeful that it’ll be making its way to the UK in right-hand drive, following Ford’s welcome decision to bring the Bullitt here.

It was originally thought that Ford would reinstate the Mach 1 name for a new electric crossover, but instead, that vehicle ended up being dubbed the ‘Mach E’. Sticking it on something with a V8 - we’re sure most Mustang fans will agree - seems much more befitting.

As for a release date, we can only vaguely - and unhelpfully - speculate that it’ll be revealed at some point this year. Ford may opt to reveal it at the Detroit Auto Show, which from 2020 will take place in June rather than January.