Modernizing a Classic | 2021 Mach 1 Mustang Gets an Updated Logo

Modernizing a Classic | 2021 Mach 1 Mustang Gets an Updated Logo

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While the design and engineering teams were busy making the all-new Mustang Mach 1 the most track-capable 5.0-liter Mustang ever built, Dave Mahoney, Ford design manager, and his team of graphic designers were obsessing about how to modernize its classic logo.

Mahoney and his team drew inspiration from their design colleagues – as they were working on the new Mach 1’s interior and exterior – who were writing a new chapter of Mach 1 history themselves by paying homage to the vehicle’s past while looking toward the future.

“From a brand standpoint, that vintage Mach 1 logo has such a classic look, there was a lot that we didn’t want to lose,” said Mahoney. “The unique letters, the outline – it was important to keep those features. What we did do is make it more modern, which really suits the new car.”

The graphic design team incorporated an updated, bolder sans-serif font to achieve a more modern look. The nod to the past comes largely in the form of the playful letter styling, which includes the easily identifiable down-sized lowercase “h.”

“When a nameplate like a Mach 1 comes back, you need to play up the heritage, but we didn’t want this to be a retro badge,” said Dean Carbis, Ford chief designer. “We wanted it to be modern, while still calling back to the original. I think the team nailed it.”

The updated logo appears in various places on the new Mach 1, including on the hood stripe, front fenders and rear appliqué, on the strut tower brace under the hood, as well as inside on the door sills, digital instrument cluster and center stack touch screen during vehicle startup. An etched dash badge shows the new logo along with every vehicle’s unique identification number.

The limited-edition 2021 Mustang Mach 1 will arrive in U.S. and Canadian Ford dealerships next spring.

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They want to remind you, in case you forget, that you own a Mach 1. LOL. Yeah, a bit of an overkill, but I do think they nailed the logo. Ford did something right.
 
The letters are proper upper/lower case....Mach 1. But the height of the lower case character are the same height as the cap 'M', making the 'c' look like a cap 'C'. I still like it, though.
 
Most track capable? More so than a 350R? Am I the only one confused? And if the car is such an earth shaker (pun intended) that there needs to be a conversation about the logo? I think they should have stuffed the 7.3 and a stick in there and made some REAL noise.... and paid tribute to the big block Mach. Just a thought from a Mustang guy..... then maybe people would have been excited for this car. I haven't read any comments saying they had to have it like a 350 or 500.
 
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Most track capable? More so than a 350R? Am I the only one confused? And if the car is such an earth shaker (pun intended) that there needs to be a conversation about the logo? I think they should have stuffed the 7.3 and a stick in there and made some REAL noise.... and paid tribute to the big block Mach. Just a thought from a Mustang guy.
*Mustang GT 5.0

Read it carefully
 
I did... in my mind a 5.0 based engine with a CPC is still 5.0 based. I'm hard headed. They could have done soooooo much better with this car. Don't call a GT a Mach 1.... at least the last gen had the Cobra engine....a far cry from the GT of the day.

*Mustang GT 5.0

Read it carefully
 
I did... in my mind a 5.0 based engine with a CPC is still 5.0 based. I'm hard headed. They could have done soooooo much better with this car. Don't call a GT a Mach 1.... at least the last gen had the Cobra engine....a far cry from the GT of the day.
Agreed. Last one had 4V, SRA, Automatic option and Hoodshaker - separating it from being just a badged Cobra.

I feel the option with this car would have been a GT with a DSG trans and optional drag wheel/tire package.

You have the GT350, aka 99/01 Cobra, GT500, aka Terminator and then thr Mach 1 slotting in as a more street/strip Mustang.

I think modern Ford absolutely detests the drag strip and is likely a bunch of liberal twats who look down on "redneck drag racers".
 
Yep they hate drag racers that’s why they invest so much in sportsman racing....Regardless the 7.3 isn’t going into the Mustang unless it’s the next OR CJ which seems unlikely. They absolutely tilted this towards the road race crowd but the HP is kissing the 07-09 GT500 N/A so there’s lots of room for upgrades for the strip. Dodge is hellcatting everything so maybe Ford does a Drag Pack Mach with the GT500 drivetrain but that seems unlikely. If there was enough interest and feedback about the option it seems like a Drag Pack with the current motor , 10 spd auto, beefed half shafts and deeper gearing combined with an aggressive converter and a launch controller could be a sales hit. Offer a base car with fabric interior ( leather optional and maybe Recaros ? ) windows locks cruise and a/c. Maybe a rear seat delete with harness bar for 5 points ( through Ford Racing of course) and dual mode electric cut out open exhaust, line lock and additional fluid coolers ( possibly a FR option for a deep cycle system and electric pumps for cooling in the pits between rounds ?) for the Super Drag Pack cars. Keep the price right ($50 ?) and warranty it like every other Mustang. Just a thought
 
Also the Mach 1 package had a base 351 2V IIRC you had to option a shaker 4v etc and then the Drag Pack was more and the SCJ Drag Pack was king of the hill and a pile of cash. So , historically it was just a higher end GT that had to be optioned to be a street brawler.
 
To be honest, before this release by Ford I had not even noticed they had changed the font on the badge. Keeping the letter proportions was enough to fool my eye.

I was too busy admiring how pretty the car was and how impressed I was with the aero-cooling-handling-transmission-power improvements to catch the Mach 1 font change. To be honest, I don’t care what they call it: Mach 1, Boss, Cobra: I like the package they put together: it hits right in the sweet spot of bang-for-the-buck.

Everyone complaining about this car Not matching your vision of a Mach 1: it could be MUCH worse. This is the company who was going to call a 4 door SUV a Mach 1, remember? Count your lucky stars that at least they gave this Mach 1 the right number of doors and a pony car platform.

Now if we can pry the Mustang nameplate off of the Mach E the world will be a better place...
 
To be honest, before this release by Ford I had not even noticed they had changed the font on the badge. Keeping the letter proportions was enough to fool my eye.

its not really a font change. its sans-serif version of a serif font. technically yeah its a change but not really.

I agree though that this car looks awesome. I think ford did a bang up job.
 
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I really liked the color in person and asked if I could order a ‘21 GT500 in this color (fighter jet grey) but sadly this will only be on Appearance Package Mach 1 with the Handling Package.
-J
 
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I like the front end overall. More than the huge open grill on the 2020 GT-500. The two "design elements" in the front grill serve no purpose except to mimic the original Mach's grill. I would prefer them left out, or add fog/driving lights. Looks more like an "option delete". The interior has original Mach styling cues, which is nice as well. I'm not a fan in any way of the hood, though. If the car itself looked more like the '71 Mach, I could grow to like it. Totally my opinion, though. I know a lot of folks like the hood. It least it's starting to take on its own persona, versus looking too much like the outgoing Bullitt or the GT.
 
Most track capable? More so than a 350R? Am I the only one confused? And if the car is such an earth shaker (pun intended) that there needs to be a conversation about the logo? I think they should have stuffed the 7.3 and a stick in there and made some REAL noise.... and paid tribute to the big block Mach. Just a thought from a Mustang guy..... then maybe people would have been excited for this car. I haven't read any comments saying they had to have it like a 350 or 500.
They did say most track capable 5.0-liter. The 350/350R is a 5.2.
 

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