stanglife
Well-Known Member
To me, the mach1 isnt even really missing. In 03-04 we had the supercharged cobra and the NA DOHC Mach. I feel like the spirit of the Mach is here in the GT350.
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The 350 is more comparable to the BOSS cars, they were the corner carvers. The Mach1 was the light to light street brawler. Putting the 5.2 in a GT with a setup that more keeps it straight would be more Mach1 like.To me, the mach1 isnt even really missing. In 03-04 we had the supercharged cobra and the NA DOHC Mach. I feel like the spirit of the Mach is here in the GT350.
The problem there was SVT ego. The mach1 wasn't an SVT car and had to build to a lower limit. SVT wouldn't even allow them to use a Cobra Jet badge because they "feared confusion" so Mach1 owners had to settle for just an R VIN code. They even had to cut a shaker design that would open at higher speeds and closed at lower due to funding limits.Really, the roles were sort of reversed for 2003... the Cobra should have been the N/a IRS corner carver, the Mach 1 should have gotten the supercharger with the SRA to be a great straight-line car
You can't really go down that road without acknowledging that the Cobra was just a pulley and tune away from substantial destruction in the 1/4.The problem there was SVT ego. The mach1 wasn't an SVT car and had to build to a lower limit. SVT wouldn't even allow them to use a Cobra Jet badge because they "feared confusion" so Mach1 owners had to settle for just an R VIN code. They even had to cut a shaker design that would open at higher speeds and closed at lower due to funding limits.
For the price difference though you could easily make the mach1 faster at the drag strip. Just needs a 4.30, rubber and full exhaust.
Personally I've never cared for FI, I'm more impressed with a nice NA build. Probably why the GT500 never appealed to me. I was more of a fan of the Shelby GT, Bullitt and BOSS cars.You can't really go down that road without acknowledging that the Cobra was just a pulley and tune away from substantial destruction in the 1/4.
I had an 03 Mach. I tried the NA route with that car. Ported heads, cams and the FR500 magnesium intake. I was just so so impressed. Ended up with a built motor and whipple, trapping 131.
If Ford wants to make the Mach a drag-strip king, IMO, it should go A10 and do a 428ci - then I start wondering if they need to somewhat gimp it or if the price would be very high - so that it doesn't cannibalize GT500 sales.
Aside from the marketing, it's starting to get hard to make a unique car for a specific purpose. ZL1 kinda does it all - and the public, at large, expects a car in this class and price to be able to go, turn and stop, very well. Hellcat is neat but it's regarding as a one-trick-pony and I have to imagine that if it was smaller, 500lbs lighter and could turn a bit better, that it would be simply bonkers and much more desirable.
So, I think a Mach 1 (Mustang) will need to be able to do it all to be impressive, like any car these days....just to what degree it does it, will be Fords concern.
True enough, those are still sales and that is all Dodge cares about.It really appeals to the "Pissing contest" kind of guys though... you know, the ones who will brag for days about how their car is the fastest factory car, but will never actually run it. And unfortunately, those are usually the guys with the money to buy such cars. Turn over rate on Hellcats doesn't matter all that much, what matters is TONS of people are buying them new, and that's what makes money for the manufacturer. All it needs is curb appeal and braggable numbers, and that's really all that a drag strip king consists of.
Also, keep in mind, fully electric and Hybrid are 2 totally different animals... if you offered me either a GTR or a McLaren P1, I'm sure you could guess which one I'd take, and I'd take either over a Tesla
They are - it's called the GT500. That's my point - people expect the cars to do everything....as manufacturers start to succeed in this - the difference between their variants of a single model (Shelby, Bullitt, Mach 1) will come down to styling and marketing...and it makes it harder and harder to carve out a performance niche case for a Mach 1, for example. Long gone are the days of being able to order whatever engine you want in a specific car - so you'll take what you're given.THe big issue is that no one wants a "drag strip king" or a car that is only good in corners and not a line. Ford needs to find a way to merge the two like Chevy is doing. A car that is fast in a line, but can also turn. Let's face it most that buy it are if anything be enjoying it on the highway, not a track.
Agreed, I'm 100% a road racing guy. I really wanted a PP2, but couldn't stretch the extra $6500 :( but the straight line cars are kinda cool just for bragging rights :ford:For me the PP2, Bullitt, Shelby GT, Boss and GT350 are the ONLY Mustangs to interest me since the Mach1 came out. They all have in common that they are not the fastest, but the can take a turn better than your typical Mustang.
Performance niche case for Mach 1: dodge hellcat/demon salesthe difference between their variants of a single model (Shelby, Bullitt, Mach 1) will come down to styling and marketing...and it makes it harder and harder to carve out a performance niche case for a Mach 1
It would be kind of cool for Ford to release a 1-2 year limited run of Mach1 CobraJet JUST to be a Demon beater. Just as a "yeah can do that too, It's just not our focus."Performance niche case for Mach 1: dodge hellcat/demon sales