AUTO

Ford Mustang Mach 1 pinches from Shelby and is headed here

 CALLUM HUNTER

JUST five days out from the Bathurst 1000 and 73 years to the day since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, Ford Australia has confirmed that the Mustang Mach 1 is headed Down Under, albeit limited to just 700 units.

Designed to bridge the gap between the regular Mustang GT and the high-end Shelby variants, the Mach 1 nameplate can be traced back to 1969 when it was launched to celebrate Mr Yeager’s record-breaking fl ight.

Once again back to off er more Mustang performance but without the Shelby badge, the new Mach 1 will arrive in Aussie showrooms next year featuring more aggressive styling and additional fi repower.

The extra grunt comes courtesy of the same tweaked 5.0-litre V8 petrol engine as found in the Mustang Bullitt, meaning peak power is rated at 345kW while maximum torque is rated at 556Nm – 6kW more than the standard GT.

Unlike the Bullitt however, the Mach 1 will be available with the familiar line-up of Mustang transmissions, those being a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic, however both units have been upgraded with parts borrowed from the US-only Shelby GT350.

Visually, the Mach 1 brandishes a series of retro-inspired styling cues including a redesigned front grille with faux lamp elements, a more aggressive lower chin and intake combination with two new side grilles, low-gloss Mustang pony badge,

unique darkened body and bonnet decals and more aggressive aero features designed to increase downforce.

Under the skin meanwhile, the borrowing of Shelby parts has continued with the Mach 1 also scoring the rear axle cooling system and lower diff user from the GT500 as well as a new underbelly pan, stiff er sway bars and front springs, recalibrated steering system, stiff er subframe bushings and an enhanced brake booster.

According to Ford Australia president and CEO Andrew Birkic, the new Mach 1 still channels the spirit of the original and is a worthy successor.

“Achieving Mach 1 for the fi rst time was a signifi cant human feat,” he said.

“That spirit and determination to

keep pushing, never settling and always trying to go further is what the Mach 1 Mustang was all about – and it’s fi tting that we can bring Australian customers, who’ve made Mustang part of our motoring landscape, a 2021 Mustang Mach 1 of their very own.”

Mach 1 Australian ambassador Rick Kelly meanwhile described the new model as a “unique opportunity for fans and customers” and said he was “pumped” to see the car arrive next year.

Local pricing, specifi cation and exact timing are all yet to be detailed by Ford Australia, who has sold 2174 new Mustangs so far this year ending September, accounting for 49.8 per cent of the sub-$80,000 sportscar segment.

Great Wall takes aim at SsangYong and LDV with competitive Ute driveway price

 CALLUM HUNTER

Wall Motor (GWM) has revealed the initial driveaway pricing for the most affordable of its new Ute variants, with the entry-level Canon set to be priced from $33,990.

Pricing for the rest of the three-variant range – including RRP – remains unknown but is expected to be revealed in around two weeks along with the full specifi cation details.

Australia-bound Utes will be powered by GWM’s own 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder engine producing 120kW of power and 400Nm of torque, placing it at the lower end of the 4x4 pick-up segment in both respects.

Transmission duties will be taken care of exclusively by an eight-speed auto courtesy of ZF.

“We fi rmly believe that the new GWM Ute off ers a compelling all-round package that will make Australian buyers think diff erently about their next ute,” GWM Australia head of marketing Steve Maciver said

“The $33,990 entry price point for the 4x4 Dual Cab Cannon AT is quite exceptional given the high level of features buyers can expect.

“We understand both the competitiveness and the opportunity in the ute segment and as such, it was important that we come in with a strong product off ering and unbeatable value.”

In terms of power and price, the Ute can be seen more as a rival for the SsangYong Musso and LDV T60 than the all-conquering Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, besting the Korean on price and the Chinese off ering on both power and torque.

For reference, the equivalent Musso ELX automatic costs $32,490 plus on-road costs and generates 133kW/420Nm from its 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine.

The T60 Pro meanwhile can be had in automatic guise from $32,621 driveaway, with its 2.8-litre turbo-diesel mill producing 110kW/360Nm.

As previously reported by GoAuto, the Ute will come as standard with ‘all-terrain technology’ courtesy of Bosch to help make it as capable as possible off -road with the whole package riding on independent front suspension and heavy-duty leaf springs at the rear to maximise payload carrying capacity.

While standard equipment lists are also yet to be detailed, GWM has revealed all variants will come with plenty of safety features including lane keep assist, seven airbags and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian detection.

Mr Maciver added that GWM is expecting “to see increased customer interest in showrooms over the coming weeks” as the brand works towards the Ute’s national launch later in the month.

The Chinese fi rm has sold 1358 vehicles so far this year ending September, 106 more than it managed over the same period last year.

2021 Great Wall Ute driveaway pricing

Canon (a) $33,990 Canon-L (a) TBC Canon-X (a) TBC