Introduced for the 1969 model year, Ford’s performance-oriented Mustang Mach 1 quickly became the car of choice for street racers, thanks in part to its relative affordability, quick acceleration, and aggressive appearance. The Mach 1 was based on a fastback-bodied Mustang and featured distinctive design and performance enhancements, which included a competition suspension, a Ram Air hood scoop, a loud color palette, a deluxe interior with wood-grain trim, and a matte-black hood finished with racing-style hood pins. Even the model’s name invoked supersonic speeds experienced by jet-powered military interceptors. Like every great muscle car of its time, all who found themselves fortunate enough to gaze upon a Mach 1 Mustang left the interaction without any doubts as to the motivations or aspirations of the model’s intended user.

By 1971, the Mustang’s fastback body had been renamed the SportsRoof, and Mach 1 buyers enjoyed a new and wide variety of high-performance engine options derived from Ford’s family of Cleveland V-8s. Better yet, the latest Mach 1 could be further specified with optional add-ons, including a rear deck spoiler, Magnum 500 wheels, tinted glass, a center console, and a gauge pack, just to name a few.

This attractive 1971 Mustang Mach 1 SportsRoof was acquired by the consignor in 2004, immediately after it had been treated to a restoration that wears well to this day. Presented in the archetypical Mach 1 color scheme of Medium Yellow Gold with accompanying graphics pack over a black vinyl interior, this example further benefits from a comprehensive suite of desirable, factory-correct add-ons, including front power-assisted disc brakes, a signal-seeking radio, the Ram Air hood, a rear deck spoiler, and chromed Magnum 500 wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires.

Its correct-type 351-cubic-inch M-code Cleveland V-8 is paired with a four-speed manual transmission operated via a chrome Hurst shifter. The consignor notes that this Mach 1 has been upgraded under his ownership with a final-drive ratio slightly lower than stock to provide more enjoyable highway cruising while maintaining low-end torque. Additionally, a pair of modern Sylvania halogen headlights have been fitted to aid visibility during late-night spins down main street.

The Mach 1 is simply one of the best and brightest models to emerge during Detroit’s ultra-competitive muscle-car era, before the 1973 Oil Crisis ended the so-called “horsepower wars” and shifted manufacturers’ focus from power and presence to efficiency and economy.