Ford’s Bringing Back the Mach 1 Name, But Not Quite How You’d Think

Ford is using the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) to really stamp down some performance credentials.

First, there was the Edge ST, for some reason. Then the Bullitt Mustang. Now Ford’s executive vice-chairman Jim Farley has confirmed the resurrection of the Mach 1 badge. Don’t get excited just yet though.

Mach 1 is a name used very briefly by Ford for performance Mustangs. It first used the name in 1968 as a tuning package for fastback-bodied cars. A 1971 Mach 1 had a starring role in the Bond film Diamonds Are Forever. The name continued through to the end of the second generation, before appearing again for a single model year on the fourth generation.

That was 15 years ago, and clearly Ford thought it was time to bring it back. The Mach 1 name alone is enough to send shivers down a Mustang fan’s spine.

However, the new Mach 1 isn’t a Mustang. It’s not even a car. And as for propulsion, don’t go expecting any burbling V8s. The new Mach 1, it seems, will be an electric SUV.

https://twitter.com/Ford/status/952669356177096704

It’s not a huge surprise that Ford is working on an electric SUV. In fact it’s difficult to read anything about cars these days without hearing about a new electric SUV from somebody. The name might rankle somewhat, even if the Mach 1 can take on the Tesla Model X or Jaguar I-PACE at their own game.

Ford is yet to reveal the final form or performance of this vehicle, so watch this space for more information.

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