Performance
Comfort
Fuel Economy
Fun To Drive
Interior Design
Exterior Design
Build Quality
Reliability
Review
A true classic, I has lucky to find a 2004 Mach 1 with less than 5kmi (in Competition Orange). My first car was a 1969 Mach 1 in high school. So this is coming full circle for me. I have owned a 1985 GT, and a 1993 Cobra as well. The power on the Mach 1 is good, even by today's standards. The very low gearing makes it feel faster, but you really need 6 gears, as the drop between 4th and 5th is ridiculous, and does limit the fun factor and usability. The springs are very stiff, 600lb/in F, 250lb/in rear, verses the GT's 450lb/in F for example. The stiff springs, with the factory installed subframe connectors, AND stiff Tokico gas shocks, make for a punishing ride on the crappy roads we have in the US now. But the payoff is the amazingly tight handling. Very rewarding. The other obvious drawback is the horribly notchy shifter/transmission. My car has the Steeda shifter, so it removes the factory sloppiness, but the 1985 to ~2010 Tremec transmissions were just horrible, as far as refinement goes. Of course the best thing about the Mach 1 is the looks, just tremendous, and what makes it complete is the shaker hood. This great heritage touch is the reason they are so popular then and now. Back to the engine for a moment, since this was a Mach1-only engine, never used in another car, make it another reason for continued favor and collectabilty. And the 5-speed cars also get a forged crank, with a much higher redline of 6,700 rpm. So in summary, the Looks, Handling, & Engine make the 2003-2004 Mach 1 a forever classic.