Mach 1 at the Ford Performance Racing School

[68Stang]

Hey guys don’t toss me out of here but just thought you might be interested. I was at the Ford Performance Racing School in Charlotte this week for the GT350 Track Attack. As we were getting signed in for the morning activities in walks Jim Owens! He was there to do some on track driving of the Mach 1. They had received a truck load of them for use at the school the day before. Sounds like they will be offering a driving experience for Mach 1 owners in the future.

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[ramairgt1]

I was hung up between VB and RR, that RR car just made up my mind

 

[dhborden]

I was hung up between VB and RR, that RR car just made up my mind

I did the FPRS weekend before last (it was an great experience!) and they mentioned the Mach 1 course is likely to run this fall. Looks like they're ahead of that. They also mentioned in when the Mustang Owners Museum cruise stopped by last weekend. Looking forward to the invitation and spending another day on the Roval!

 

[stageron]

I see that on the Ford website the Mach 1 is listed with the Ford Performance vehicles. When they announced it last year I believe it was Jim Owens (what a surprise) said it is not a Ford performance vehicle and that's why it would not be offered in Performance blue. My question is doesn't Ford offer a free day at the Performance Racing school when you purchase a performance vehicle? I wonder if we will get that, sounds like a fun day.

 

[Schwerin]

I see that on the Ford website the Mach 1 is listed with the Ford Performance vehicles. When they announced it last year I believe it was Jim Owens (what a surprise) said it is not a Ford performance vehicle and that's why it would not be offered in Performance blue. My question is doesn't Ford offer a free day at the Performance Racing school when you purchase a performance vehicle? I wonder if we will get that, sounds like a fun day.

There was conflicting info on if the Bullitt was a FP car or not also. Ford seems to have this grey area of FP engineers having input and work on "non-Shelby" Mustangs, but then also saying they are NOT FP vehicles. We know that FP helped develop the PPL2 suspension, and the Bullitt intake setup(as its a tweaked GT350 setup), and the HPP Ecoboost as lots of that's based on the lessons from the Focus RS and PPL2 tuning, but none of them are "FP vehicles".

Irony as someone at Ford even said some of the basis for the new Mach1 is based on lessons from making the HPP 2.3T.

TTLDR: What is or is not a FP car is a total mess unless it says ST or Shelby.

 

[stageron]

I'm sorry but Ford is gonna tell me an Explorer/Edge/Fiesta/Focus ST are performance vehicles but the Mach 1 is not? So those ST cars are more performance oriented then the Mach 1? Oh please, get your shit together Ford.

 

[cmxPPL219]

Yes, it's an interesting question. From what we can see, it appears to have a large part in branding/marketing goals, as opposed to whether or not the actual vehicle "can objectively perform on a level that can be considered to be branded under Ford Performance."

The SUVs - Explorer and Edge ST models - would, by many metrics, not meet "some" criteria to be branded under FP. Especially when you compare what a Mach 1 can do on track, compared to those "ST" SUVs. However, since we all know the SUV craze these days, in addition demand/niche for Hi-Po variants of certain SUVs, Ford elected to brand those under FP, probably, because "ST" was under the FP Banner, and when the decision to give those SUVs the ST badges was made, it made a fit.

The Mach 1 is interesting, because objectively, it performs at a high level on many traditional performance car "metrics," so on one hand, it would fit under FP - especially from the POV that it fills a wide gap left by the departure of PPL2, Bullit and GT350/R.

Ford not really "officially" placing it under the banner of FP is, in my guess, purely a positioning decision - perhaps to let the Mach 1 name stand alone and have it's own hill, especially since its been many years since we saw one.

But performance-wise, especially being so close to the now departed GT350, one can really make the case that it also belongs under FP.

 

[Schwerin]

I feel Ford needs to start clarifying what is a FP VEHICLE and what's a FP PACKAGE, like BMW has with M cars and M package cars.

Even if FP only had INPUT on the PPL2, Bullitt, Mach1, HPP cars they still assisted in them and in pre-release photos you saw Bullitt cars with GT350's and a prerelease GT500 in photos. So they were all tested together.

 

[stageron]

Yes, it's an interesting question. From what we can see, it appears to have a large part in branding/marketing goals, as opposed to whether or not the actual vehicle "can objectively perform on a level that can be considered to be branded under Ford Performance."

The SUVs - Explorer and Edge ST models - would, by many metrics, not meet "some" criteria to be branded under FP. Especially when you compare what a Mach 1 can do on track, compared to those "ST" SUVs. However, since we all know the SUV craze these days, in addition demand/niche for Hi-Po variants of certain SUVs, Ford elected to brand those under FP, probably, because "ST" was under the FP Banner, and when the decision to give those SUVs the ST badges was made, it made a fit.

The Mach 1 is interesting, because objectively, it performs at a high level on many traditional performance car "metrics," so on one hand, it would fit under FP - especially from the POV that it fills a wide gap left by the departure of PPL2, Bullit and GT350/R.

Ford not really "officially" placing it under the banner of FP is, in my guess, purely a positioning decision - perhaps to let the Mach 1 name stand alone and have it's own hill, especially since its been many years since we saw one.

But performance-wise, especially being so close to the now departed GT350, one can really make the case that it also belongs under FP.

Good points here but Ford has now listed the Mach 1 in the performance vehicles category. So is it or isn't it? Ford is saying it is but then maybe it isn't. They themselves cant figure out what they want it to be. So typical

 

[dps]

Whether it is or isn't an FP vehicle, I can confirm that FPRS is prepping to launch a Mach1 TrackAttack as the GT350 winds down. Was also in Charlotte this week and the cars were there and getting prepped.

 

[sakman84]

Big thumbs up, I will look into this event

 

[Madtel4]

I had the ST Experience planed but then came COVID. Hope I can go with the Mach 1.
Lee

 

[ChitownStang]

I saw they moved the Mach 1 to the performance vehicles now too… bout time!! Still doesn’t say Ford performance though .
I would really like to do this experience..
Do you bring your own car or use Ford’s Mach’s?

 

[Charlemagne]

Good points here but Ford has now listed the Mach 1 in the performance vehicles category. So is it or isn't it?

I don't see it in Performance Vehicles category on Ford Performance homepage: https://performance.ford.com/

Just having it in Performance category on Ford.com is kinda meaningless in this regard. It's not considered Ford Performance vehicle, if it was, it would be written everywhere.

 

[Hi-PO Stang]

When drivers start turning impressive laps times with the Mach 1 , it will be considered a Ford Performance Vehicle by us lay people rather Ford says so or not.

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