Certain customers disappointed with missing features from their Ford Mustang Mach 1 and the Blue Oval brand’s first compensation offer have been given more options.
“Over the past few weeks we have contacted our Mach 1 customers who ordered prior to 29 April 2021 to advise them of the spec differences and to offer a special Ford Performance Experience and up to three years free scheduled servicing on their Mach 1, to help alleviate any disappointment resulting from our error,” said a spokesperson for Ford Australia.
“Now that we’ve had these discussions, over the next couple of days we’ll be writing to Mach 1 customers who ordered prior to 29 April to outline all options available.”
Customers who ordered prior to 29 April can choose one of the following offers:
- A cash payment of $5400
- A full refund of their deposit (or purchase price)
- The original offer of up to three years’ free scheduled servicing and a Ford Performance Experience
Customers who ordered after 29 April will receive a goodwill offer of up to three years’ free scheduled servicing and a Ford Performance Experience.
These customers will receive a letter outlining this over the next couple of days.
Customers on the Mach 1 Mustang Owners Australia Facebook group have appeared enthusiastic about the $5400 cash payment.
“If the second offer is true, that is brilliant from Ford Australia! Kudos to them!” said one Mach 1 owner.
Customers who instead take the original free servicing offer will save upwards of $1430, with the first three Mach 1 services usually priced at $390, $445 and $595.
As for the Ford Performance Experience, a Ford Australia spokesperson says it will be a “really special experience at the track featuring our Ford Performance vehicles, a course car ride and more”.
“A number of these events will be hosted at tracks Australia-wide, offering customers the opportunity to choose the event best suited to their location.”
The original issue was a brochure that listed features not available on the Mach 1.
Ford Australia had to subsequently revise the Mach 1 brochure to remove mentions of other features advertised at the model’s debut that won’t be available locally.
The more track-focused Mach 1 was initially advertised as having a Torsen limited-slip differential, however Ford Australia has confirmed it instead uses the same 3.55:1 rear differential as the Mustang GT and the now-defunct Bullitt.
The 3.73:1 Torsen differential is standard on US-market Mach 1 models and uses internal gears instead of clutch packs.
Rear parking sensors and adaptive cruise control were previously listed as being standard in promotional materials, however these features won’t be available on any Mach 1 models.
While the High Performance and GT models feature these items, the Mach 1 will make do with a reversing camera and regular cruise control.
“The Mustang Mach 1 is a purpose built product with a singular aim – to be the ultimate driving Mustang on the road and track,” said the Ford Australia spokesperson.
“Uniquely engineered parts, which are designed to improve downforce and cooling on the Mach 1, unfortunately mean that the vehicle does not feature Adaptive Cruise Control or audible rear sensors while parking.”
The use of the Shelby GT350’s lower light assembly also means there are no fog lights, while there are incandescent parking lights.
The Mach 1 coupe is priced at $83,365 before on-road costs in both manual and auto guise, or around $20,000 more than a GT manual.
When Ford Australia first announced the Mach 1 was coming Down Under, it confirmed the performance flagship would already be missing out on some items available in the US.
These include blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, plus Grabber Yellow, Iconic Silver and Race Red exterior colour options.
We also miss out on the optional Handling Package, which adds special 19-inch aluminium wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, plus adjustable top strut mounts, a front splitter, and a rear spoiler with a Gurney flap borrowed from the Shelby GT500.
Our Mach 1 also produces 345kW of power and 556Nm of torque from its naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre Coyote V8, down 13kW and 14Nm on the US-spec model though still up 6kW on the Australian-spec GT.
Like the US-spec model, however, our Mach 1 features a retuned suspension with recalibrated MagneRide adaptive dampers, springs, anti-roll bars and bushes, plus retuned steering.
The active exhaust has also been tuned specifically for the Mach 1, while there’s a choice of a 10-speed automatic transmission or a Mach 1-exclusive Tremec six-speed manual with rev-matching.
The Mach 1 borrows some pieces from the discontinued Shelby GT350 and the fire-breathing Shelby GT500 (above).
Its rear axle cooler and lower diffuser come from the Shelby GT500, while its intake manifold and engine oil cooler come from the Shelby GT350.
MORE: Everything Ford Mustang
