Mach 1 or GT350…

[Zelek]

I like the creature comforts in my Mach 1. I used the heated steering wheel a few days ago for the first time. Almost swapped my steering wheel to the GT350 one but I don't want to lose that, lol.

One gripe I have is the Mach 1 redline should be higher considering we have the GT350 manifold. (Yes, I know a tune can fix it.)

I don't think you'd make a wrong choice going either way. Both cars are great.

Sponsored

 

[IPOGT]

Given current circumstances, and only a two year run, I believe that the total number of Mach 1s will be far fewer than GT350s...

What irks me about the higher-end Mustangs is the lack of options choices on them. Why is it that a person has interior color options on a GT, and not the top tier cars? "Oh, you want a Shelby or Mach 1? Well, your interior color choices are black and black." Granted, there's always the aftermarket, but why the dearth of OEM choices? Look at the order guides, page upon page of options for an EB or GT, but like it or lump it on the top dogs (OK, horses).

Since someone brought it up, make the digital cluster a stand-alone option. A while ago I looked at a GT500 in a showroom just to see if the Recaros would fit me (no deal), and I honestly didn't care for the video game cluster. While it wouldn't keep me from purchasing a car, it would be nice not to be forced into it. Apparently I'm too much of a dinosaur to move beyond classic, easily read analog gauges.

Rant over.

I prefer the analog guages as well. The digital looks cute and techie, but the analog is more serious, consistent and focused looking. But, I'd rather have MY M1 rather than Someone Else's GT350 at this point.

 

[Angrey]

in comparison to what though? anything you compare the mach 1 to has also gone up in price.


i would disagree slightly here. the point of the mach 1 for me was a gt350 without the voodoo. i'd say its close enough to have achieved that. throwing in the name/heritage is a bonus on top. no one ever thought the 2021 mach 1 would come in $10k less than a 2020 gt350. if they did they weren't paying attention.


i hadn't thought of that but that is a good comparison.


i agree. i would love a gt500 but i can't justify that much money for a ford product.


many of us have purchased at 2% under invoice, at the same time prices of used gt350's have gone up. made the decision even easier.

I'd have to do a really deep dive to examine the complete differences, but I disagree with the notion that Ford sought to create a GT350 without the voodoo. If that's the case, they failed.

I think their effort was to cleanup some production inefficiencies and capture MOST of the car, where it made sense.

The brakes on the 350 are different. Obviously the body and styling is different. We'd have to check the radiator but that was different from the GT/Bullitt, not sure if the Mach1 includes the bigger radiator. The body panels are wider, meaning the suspension and associated parts are different (hubs, spindles, etc). We'd have to check things like axles (not sure if they included them on the Mach1), chain tensioners, all sorts of seemingly little but different parts.

If what you say were true, Ford could have simply did exactly that and put a CPC motor in the GT350, changed the styling and called it a Mach1. But I imagine they wanted to eliminate as many parts as they could that were exclusive to ONLY the 350 (not used on the 500 or the GT). Obviously the biggest exception was the 3160 and coolers. Hell, even the taillights on the 350 were from the 15-17 era and not being used on anything else. I'd be interested to see if the Mach shares things like fuel system (pumps), etc. I'm betting the Mach has different sway bars, end links, etc.

There's other little things that made a difference to some people. I love my heads up display shift light. Although I don't like not having Mycolor, the HUD is beloved to me.

 

[Coastal-Mach]

After I sold my 03 Mach, GT350 or 13-14 GT500 were the only options. As I started looking and reading about the differences in driving, and the price of both Shelby models my mind set changed.

Personally, the first time I saw the new Mach 1, I thought it was a joke of the Mach name, The term "Parts Bin Car", really stuck. Fast forward watching the prices of the Shelby models shoot through the roof, my mind set changed as well. I went back on the build simulator and built a fully loaded GT and a new Mach 1 HP, then noticed the minimal difference in price.

More reading and watching the reviews of the Mach 1, I really noticed how it truly is a special car. One of my friends bought a FJG HP car, after seeing it in person my order was placed for my 22 Mach 1.

Sure its not a Shelby, and you know the term "Parts Bin Car" actually has good meaning, that some thought went into this car, not left over parts from past and current models. So it doesn't have the shaker, my 03 did, but that was the only big thing that really separated it from the basic GT. At least the new one has a model specific front nose, decal package (if you like stickers) and the HP options.

I am 50, my first car was a 68 coupe 200CI auto, my Dad and I restored when I was 14. From that moment all I wanted was a Shelby. After owning 15 or so Mustangs from then until now, the Shelby is still on my list and the Mach 1 is the first brand new Mustang I have ever owned.

My goal now is to keep the Mach and own a GT350, so both of my boys will have, what will probably my favorite Mustangs of all time. If you read all of this, thanks.

 

[Atlas1]

I'd have to do a really deep dive to examine the complete differences, but I disagree with the notion that Ford sought to create a GT350 without the voodoo. If that's the case, they failed.

notice i said the point of the mach 1 for me was a gt350 without the voodoo
i think ford's goal was to introduce another model that was profitable. for team mustang, i think they've pretty much answered what the car was supposed to be.........the best track performing 5.0 ever. it was never billed as a replacement for the shelby. it just so happened to come out the year after the gt350 went away (which i think stayed in production longer than originally intended).

I think their effort was to cleanup some production inefficiencies and capture MOST of the car, where it made sense.

i agree in the end they captured most of the car but that wasn't really the goal they set out for, at least based on their public statements.

The brakes on the 350 are different. Obviously the body and styling is different. We'd have to check the radiator but that was different from the GT/Bullitt, not sure if the Mach1 includes the bigger radiator. The body panels are wider, meaning the suspension and associated parts are different (hubs, spindles, etc). We'd have to check things like axles (not sure if they included them on the Mach1), chain tensioners, all sorts of seemingly little but different parts.

every time i see pictures of a gt350 i am extremely jealous of the brakes. thats the one thing i wish would have been on the mach 1. everything else though is not that significant in the real world. hell even the brakes only show their difference on a track. stopping distances are identical between the 2 cars. not to take away from the gt350 but i think it says a lot about the package as a whole of the mach 1 that it can perform as well as it does without as much hardware as the shelby.

If what you say were true, Ford could have simply did exactly that and put a CPC motor in the GT350, changed the styling and called it a Mach1. But I imagine they wanted to eliminate as many parts as they could that were exclusive to ONLY the 350 (not used on the 500 or the GT). Obviously the biggest exception was the 3160 and coolers. Hell, even the taillights on the 350 were from the 15-17 era and not being used on anything else. I'd be interested to see if the Mach shares things like fuel system (pumps), etc. I'm betting the Mach has different sway bars, end links, etc.

ford would never have risked rebadging the gt350 with a coyote. you would have been able to hear the shrieking of shelby owners from outer space and rightfully so. as much as i think the gt350 is the best looking mustang of all time, i'm glad its unique look stayed with that car and didnt move to the mach 1.

There's other little things that made a difference to some people. I love my heads up display shift light. Although I don't like not having Mycolor, the HUD is beloved to me.

i would have liked the shelby recaro's in the mach 1!

 

[theruleslawyer]

ford would never have risked rebadging the gt350 with a coyote. you would have been able to hear the shrieking of shelby owners from outer space and rightfully so.

There was a lot of autistic screeching from AMG owners over the AMG43 models without hand-built engines. It wouldn’t have been the end of the world. Shelby American makes models that are handling and cosmetics. If ford decided on a GT250 with a coyote it would be fine imho. Thing is a couple snake logos would probably have added a couple grand in profit on the mach 1

 

[Angrey]

notice i said the point of the mach 1 for me was a gt350 without the voodoo
i think ford's goal was to introduce another model that was profitable. for team mustang, i think they've pretty much answered what the car was supposed to be.........the best track performing 5.0 ever. it was never billed as a replacement for the shelby. it just so happened to come out the year after the gt350 went away (which i think stayed in production longer than originally intended).


i agree in the end they captured most of the car but that wasn't really the goal they set out for, at least based on their public statements.


every time i see pictures of a gt350 i am extremely jealous of the brakes. thats the one thing i wish would have been on the mach 1. everything else though is not that significant in the real world. hell even the brakes only show their difference on a track. stopping distances are identical between the 2 cars. not to take away from the gt350 but i think it says a lot about the package as a whole of the mach 1 that it can perform as well as it does without as much hardware as the shelby.


ford would never have risked rebadging the gt350 with a coyote. you would have been able to hear the shrieking of shelby owners from outer space and rightfully so. as much as i think the gt350 is the best looking mustang of all time, i'm glad its unique look stayed with that car and didnt move to the mach 1.


i would have liked the shelby recaro's in the mach 1!

I'm an outlier who hates alcantara. The GT350 recaros, aside from being alcantara, which is a TERRIBLE material for all practical purposes, the bolsters are more aggressive in the 350. Makes long trips much more nagging and you end up with swamp ass and trucker nuts from your legs being forced together for hours on end. That and getting in/out of the car wears on the left bolster. I actually favor the "regular" recaros which to me are the perfect balance of stationary security but not to the extreme of the 350 recaros. That and I wanted leather.

Alcantara is one of those materials that briefs well on paper. It looks great in brochures and on test drives, but if you use the car a lot, it's awful. The steering wheel mats down from oil and sweat off your hands (I couldn't tell if it was dye or gunk coming out, but shampooing mine yielded black nastiness). The black alcantara is just like carpet in that it shows EVERYTHING, so you constantly have to clean/vacuum it if you're an OCD type person. And it just doesn't hold up to wear like leather. Yeah, it feels luxurious and looks cool, but the automotive industry has had a century to figure out which materials are best and that's why leather is widely used and alcantara is not. If it's an exotic car that you drive 1000 miles a year, it makes sense. If you drive 15,000 miles a year and get in and out of it often, not so much.

Anyway, I prefer the regular/FRPP Recaros. But admittedly, I'm a very minor minority in that area. I actually swapped my steering wheel for leather as well.

 

[BrakeFade]

After I sold my 03 Mach, GT350 or 13-14 GT500 were the only options. As I started looking and reading about the differences in driving, and the price of both Shelby models my mind set changed.

Personally, the first time I saw the new Mach 1, I thought it was a joke of the Mach name, The term "Parts Bin Car", really stuck. Fast forward watching the prices of the Shelby models shoot through the roof, my mind set changed as well. I went back on the build simulator and built a fully loaded GT and a new Mach 1 HP, then noticed the minimal difference in price.

More reading and watching the reviews of the Mach 1, I really noticed how it truly is a special car. One of my friends bought a FJG HP car, after seeing it in person my order was placed for my 22 Mach 1.

Sure its not a Shelby, and you know the term "Parts Bin Car" actually has good meaning, that some thought went into this car, not left over parts from past and current models. So it doesn't have the shaker, my 03 did, but that was the only big thing that really separated it from the basic GT. At least the new one has a model specific front nose, decal package (if you like stickers) and the HP options.

I am 50, my first car was a 68 coupe 200CI auto, my Dad and I restored when I was 14. From that moment all I wanted was a Shelby. After owning 15 or so Mustangs from then until now, the Shelby is still on my list and the Mach 1 is the first brand new Mustang I have ever owned.

My goal now is to keep the Mach and own a GT350, so both of my boys will have, what will probably my favorite Mustangs of all time. If you read all of this, thanks.

LOL, I did read every word.

 

[Atlas1]

I'm an outlier who hates alcantara. The GT350 recaros, aside from being alcantara, which is a TERRIBLE material for all practical purposes, the bolsters are more aggressive in the 350. Makes long trips much more nagging and you end up with swamp ass and trucker nuts from your legs being forced together for hours on end. That and getting in/out of the car wears on the left bolster. I actually favor the "regular" recaros which to me are the perfect balance of stationary security but not to the extreme of the 350 recaros. That and I wanted leather.

Alcantara is one of those materials that briefs well on paper. It looks great in brochures and on test drives, but if you use the car a lot, it's awful. The steering wheel mats down from oil and sweat off your hands (I couldn't tell if it was dye or gunk coming out, but shampooing mine yielded black nastiness). The black alcantara is just like carpet in that it shows EVERYTHING, so you constantly have to clean/vacuum it if you're an OCD type person. And it just doesn't hold up to wear like leather. Yeah, it feels luxurious and looks cool, but the automotive industry has had a century to figure out which materials are best and that's why leather is widely used and alcantara is not. If it's an exotic car that you drive 1000 miles a year, it makes sense. If you drive 15,000 miles a year and get in and out of it often, not so much.

Anyway, I prefer the regular/FRPP Recaros. But admittedly, I'm a very minor minority in that area. I actually swapped my steering wheel for leather as well.

i like the leather too. just from my limited time in a gt350 i loved how much tighter the seats felt. a little more track oriented i guess?
i'm probably going to swap to the gt500 steering wheel because theres something about the alcantara look and the stitching that matches the mach 1. wear shouldn't be an issue as the miles are kept so low but i'm sure if you're one of the guys that puts more miles on your shelby it would be a pain in the ass to keep up.

 

[Stage_3]

I haven't driven neither, but I would go brand new Mach 1 all day long.
Good luck!

 

[Angrey]

LOL, I did read every word.

The term parts bin car isn't a slight against the car, it's a slight in that Ford is laughing all the way to the bank because they're charging you for R&D and production costs that they aren't facing.

Just about every Dodge challenger/charger is a parts bin car. Chrysler laughs in their ivory tower everytime someone buys 30 year old tech, slapped in a retro body style.

I have no problem with a parts bin car, hell, as he pointed out, it should be a positive because in theory, it should be parts and components that have withstood the real world beta testing and you SHOULD see significant savings passed along for the efficient use of already developed production streams and contracts.

With the Mach1, that doesn't look to be the case. Ford is making good margins off selling you stuff that cost them virtually nothing additional to produce.

 

[Atlas1]

My goal now is to keep the Mach and own a GT350, so both of my boys will have, what will probably my favorite Mustangs of all time. If you read all of this, thanks.

reading that makes me happy as i'm doing the same thing. son due next month and the mach was purchased with him in mind. the next mustang will be for hopefully a baby #2. as many as we have i'll need that many mustangs. plus a 69 mach 1 for me

 

[traxiii]

Given current circumstances, and only a two year run, I believe that the total number of Mach 1s will be far fewer than GT350s...

What irks me about the higher-end Mustangs is the lack of options choices on them. Why is it that a person has interior color options on a GT, and not the top tier cars? "Oh, you want a Shelby or Mach 1? Well, your interior color choices are black and black." Granted, there's always the aftermarket, but why the dearth of OEM choices? Look at the order guides, page upon page of options for an EB or GT, but like it or lump it on the top dogs (OK, horses).

It seems if you want a Performance Pack or Premium your choices get narrowed down, not expanded. Kinda weird.

 

[traxiii]

With the Mach1, that doesn't look to be the case. Ford is making good margins off selling you stuff that cost them virtually nothing additional to produce.

You mean like NAV on the Mach 1 that is probably just enabling the software as the hardware is already there.

 

[Coastal-Mach]

reading that makes me happy as i'm doing the same thing. son due next month and the mach was purchased with him in mind. the next mustang will be for hopefully a baby #2. as many as we have i'll need that many mustangs. plus a 69 mach 1 for me

Sounds like a good plan.

Sponsored