On paper, one would assume the Ford Mustang Dark Horse is a straightforward victor on this pony-versus-pony showdown. Packing 500 horsepower and Ford’s quick-shifting 10-speed computerized, it is the present efficiency champion within the Mustang household. Surely it may well outrun a previous-generation Mach 1 with a six-speed handbook, proper?

The Mach 1 debuted in 2020 as way over simply an look package deal. Ford tweaked the 5.0-liter V8 to make 480 horsepower, solely 20 hp away from the Dark Horse. That ranking dropped to 470 in subsequent years, nevertheless it’s nonetheless roughly equal to a brand new GT. We’ve seen simply how shut the seventh-gen Mustang trims are in a drag race, so there’s little cause to doubt this might be a detailed match, too.