Germany's Sport Auto often includes a timed lap around the Nürburgring Nordschleife when evaluating a vehicle. This time it's the latest iteration of the Ford Mustang Mach 1 that gets an opportunity to see how quickly it can do a circuit of the famous track.
It's worth noting that the European version of the Mach 1 is a bit less powerful than the one on sale in American. Over there, the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 has 453 horsepower (338 kilowatts) and 390 pound-feet (529 Newton-meters) of torque, versus 480 hp (358 kW) and 420 lb-ft (569 Nm) in the United States. The different emissions regulations between the markets are the reason for the difference.
Gallery: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1
The one in this video has the six-speed manual, rather than the available 10-speed automatic. It's riding on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
The Mustang Mach 1 starts at €60,800 in Germany. To put that in some context, an M440i has a base price of €66,800 there.
The driver offers no commentary, but judging by the video, the Mach 1 seems to handle the track well. The driver clocks a time of 7 minutes 58.29 seconds.
Take A Quick Look At The Mach 1:
We can get a better idea of how the Mach 1 performs at the Nürburgring by comparing its time against other Sport Auto tests there. For example, a BMW M4 Competiton completes a circuit in 7:30.39, and a Golf GTI Clubsport 45 does a lap in 8:02.66. A Supra needs 7:52.17.
When Ford launched the Mach 1, Icons Director Dave Pericak promised it was "the most track-capable 5.0-liter Mustang ever." The model functions as a stepping stone in the range between the Mustang GT and Shelby GT500.
The Mach 1 and GT will reportedly lose 10 hp (7.5 kW) and 10 lb-ft (14 Nm) of torque in the US for the 2022 model year. The alleged reason for this change is to make the 5.0-liter V8 meet stricter emissions regulations.
Source: Sport Auto via YouTube