Some new cars are just going to end up modified. That’s a fact of life. The Ford Mustang is a prime example of that, whether the modifications are mechanical, or just visual. In order to make the latter sort of changes a bit easier on their new Mustang Mach 1, Ford has left some convenient spots in the front grille for you to do your business in. Maybe I should re-word that.
When I say ‘do your business’ I mean install fog lights. If you haven’t noticed, the new Mach 1 has two gaping circles inside its grille. These aren’t intakes—they’re backed by plastic. Instead, as highlighted by CarBuzz, they’re spots for you to install the round fog lights of your choice in an homage to the original 1969 Mustang Mach 1.
It’s a fun detail that got mostly lost in the coverage of the 2021 Mach 1’s Shelby componentry last week. Ford spokesman Mike Levine told CarBuzz that customers can “‘pop out’ the round parts of the grille and do your own lighting customization.” That’s sort of similar how you can remove the Toyota Supra’s fake vents for some added cooling. I suppose they don’t have to be fog lights, either. Some rally-spec high beams would be cool for…reasons.
These sorts of built-in customization bases are nothing new, as car enthusiasts—particularly those of an offroad bent—have been adding their own lighting to their vehicles for a long time, and vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler come prewired with accessory controls. It’s interesting to see a manufacturer using these baked-in DIY touches on a performance car, but Ford wants the Mach 1 to stand out.
Those added lights will at the very least make your 480-horsepower Mustang a bit more distinctive when things get dark. It will probably be easier to tell you’re coming thanks to the louder exhaust from the ‘Bullit’ edition Mustang and a smattering of other Shelby parts, but some blindingly-bright, billion-lumen LED bulbs will make even easier for others to know you’re not driving a standard ‘Stang.
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