Back in 1969, Ford introduced the Mach 1 package on the Mustang to great acclaim and sales success. Then Ford went ahead and reintroduced the Mach 1 package at the end of the SN95 model cycle, adding more power and exterior enhancements to the outgoing Mustang. With the Shelby GT500 said to be on the outs though, could the Mach 1 stand to be revived?
For the second time this year we’re hearing rumors of a Mustang Mach 1 revival, and this time there’s some meat to these rumors. Ford Authority reports that the Blue Oval has filed a trademark application for the Mach 1 moniker, leading to speculation that a new package for the S550 Mustang is on the horizon
Ford filed for the trademark back in 2012, and the U.S. Patent Office published the trademark for opposition on January 1st, 2013. The trademark has been granted as of late August, which means Ford could make and market a Mach 1 Mustang should it so desire. That said, U.S. patent law makes it so companies constantly have to re-apply for trademarks, lest they lose them to some trademark troll.
It seems Ford is looking to bring the Mustang into the future, while maintaining ties to the past. The Mach 1 moniker would be a good mix of both, and with rumor pointing to the Shelby GT500 being replaced by the Shelby GT350, a return to the Mach 1 (rather than the Boss) would be a way to differentiate the new generation of Mustangs from the outgoing model.
What do you think? Should Ford bring back the Mustang Mach 1?