In the ongoing competition between his 2021 Mustang Mach 1 and 2024 Mustang Dark Horse, Ross from Ross Spec headed to the drag strip to settle a debate. After a surprising dyno test where the older Mach 1 made more power, the question remained: which car is quicker in a real-world quarter-mile race?

To get the most accurate results possible, Ross explained his method. “The best way to run any comparative test is to minimize the variables. That’s why I’m the dummy in the driving seat for every run,” he said. Ross ran both cars on the same track one week apart in nearly identical weather, with full tanks of fuel and rear tire pressures set to 32 psi.

He also chose not to do burnouts since it affects street tires. “You are just as likely to do a really nice burnout and overheat the tires and as a result run an even slower time,” he said.

A Faster Horse?

The Mach 1 was up first, and Ross admitted to struggling with the car. After his first pass, he said, “I had a complete brain fart shifting from first to second and lifted in the middle of a no-lift shift.”Throughout his six runs, he fought to find the perfect launch RPM, either bogging the car down or spinning the tires. His best effort of the night in the Mach 1 was a 13.7-second pass, a time he felt was slower than the car’s potential.

The following week, it was the Dark Horse’s turn. The difference was immediate. On its initial pass, Ross said, “It was already better than any time that I ran in the Mach 1,” clocking a 13.6-second run at 109 mph. After adjusting the launch control, he put down his best time of the night, a 13.4 at 109 mph. He did have one complaint about the newer car, though. “The biggest downside with the Dark Horse was the rev limiter; it felt like it was at a random point,” he said.

Modern Marvel

Even though the Mustang Mach 1 made more power on the dyno, the Dark Horse proved to be the quicker car at the drag strip, with a consistent advantage of about a quarter of a second.

Ross summed up the comparison perfectly, saying, “It also felt so much easier to do it,” he added. “The Mach 1 felt more like a dance to get it ready to run.”

With the drag race evening the score at 2-2, the comparison was set to continue, but Ross ended the video with a dramatic statement, revealing that after a later circuit test, “While I started the day with two cars, I only went home with one…” he teased.