Ford Mustang Mach 1

The Ford Mustang Mach 1 is a combination performance and appearance package offered as an option for the Ford Mustang.

It first appeared in August 1968 for the 1969 model year, and ran through 1978. After a long hiatus it briefly returned in 2003-2004, and most recently between 2021 and 2023.

The first generation of the package, available with various engines, debuted at its hottest, then was progressively eroded in performance as emissions controls, unleaded gas, fleet mileage quotas, and higher gasoline prices undercut the "horsepower wars" that had originally spurred the option. Similarly, early packages included other performance upgrades, such as suspension, that were deleted in subsequent model runs, leaving only a wide array of external and interior upgrades.

As part of a Ford heritage program, the Mach 1 package returned in 2003 as a high-performance version of the New Edge platform. Visual elements paying homage to the 1969 model were integrated into the design. This generation of the Mach 1 was discontinued after the 2004 model year, with the introduction of the fifth generation Mustang.

The Mach 1 returned again in 2021 in the sixth generation Mustang, offering marginally more power than the high-performance 5.0 L Coyote V-8 in the base GT V8, but borrowing front and rear subframes from the Shelby GT350 and various parts from it and the Shelby GT 500 models. It was produced until the debut of the seventh generation Mustang following the 2023 model year.