Ford Hinted at a Possible Shelby Mach E…So, We Created One
The Mustang Source considers the EV’s performance capabilities and handling on and off the track. But will it be a Tesla-slayer?
Ford sent shockwaves through the automotive industry recently when they pulled the covers off their very first all-electric crossover, the Mach-E. But much to the chagrin of enthusiasts, the Blue Oval also attached their beloved, iconic Mustang name to the EV, which obviously didn’t go over to well, forcing Ford to essentially have to explain their controversial decision. But if you thought the idea of an all-electric Mustang crossover was sacrilegious, things got even stickier when news arose that Ford might also build a Shelby variant of the Mach-E.
This shocking bit of info came to us recently from British auto site Evo, which received confirmation directly from Ford Performance chief engineer Ed Krenz. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of applying the Shelby characteristics to an electric car,” Krenz said. “The trick for us is the fun-to-drive part, and sustainability in terms of charging. It needs to be capable to go all day on a trackday – you can’t do 20 minutes and then have to charge it all night.”
To us, that sounds like Ford is most definitely planning on building a Shelby Mach-E.
Thus, we’re left with two questions. First, what will this Shelby Mach-E look like? Secondly, what sort of performance can we expect from it? To answer the first question, we commissioned our resident artist, Pouria Savadkouei, to create a rendering of the electrified Shelby, which you can see at the top of this post in the main illustration. The result of that labor looks fantastic, integrating Mustang GT350 styling details into the ute’s existing bodywork. That includes the car’s highly attractive front end, which couples well with a unique vented hood. And of course, it has to have those iconic twin Shelby stripes.
Truthfully, our version of the Mach-E is significantly more attractive than the stock version. But that’s to be expected. Thus, we’re left to speculate what sort of performance we can expect from this shocking–literally–machine. We can certainly assume that the suspension on the Shelby Mach-E would be a focus, offering up improved corner-carving ability over the base and GT versions. After all, that’s one thing Shelby Mustangs, particularly the GT350, are known for.
Right now, the GT Performance Edition sits atop the Mach-E hierarchy. That model produces 459 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque, with an estimated 0-60 time in the mid 3-second range. We can safely assume that the Shelby Mach-E will trump these numbers, at least by a little. The current GT350 produces 526 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque, compared to the GT’s 460 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. This gap should be similar to what we can expect from Mach-E variants, too. Thus, we’d expect the Shelby version to be capable of hitting 60 mph in the low or flat 3-second range, at worst.
We can certainly assume that the suspension on the Shelby Mach-E would be a focus, offering up improved corner-carving ability over the base and GT versions. After all, that’s one thing Shelby Mustangs, particularly the GT350, are known for.
The biggest engineering holdup here, as Krenz alludes to, is making an electric vehicle suitable for the track. Ford must engineer a Shelby Mach-E for repeatable performance, not just something that can rip off one good lap. This has long been a challenge for EV builders. But Porsche specifically designed their new Taycan to stay cool and offer consistent performance, lap-to-lap. Tesla has also proven that it can do the same with the latest version of the Model S, and both cars have recently done battle at the Nuburgring to prove it.
The other thing you have to wonder is if Ford will target Tesla’s Model X in terms of performance. The Performance version of the Model X produces a peak 777 hp and 840 lb-ft of torque. It’ll do 0-60 in a scorching 2.7-seconds. But it also costs a whopping $138,000, which is significant. So perhaps Ford will split the difference and shoot for a Shelby Mach-E GT350 that’ll hit 60 in 3.0-seconds flat. Then do a GT500 later on that’ll go head-to-head with the Tesla for considerably less cash.
If nothing else, this is all pretty exciting news for fans of Ford performance in general. Obviously, attaching the Shelby name to an all-electric SUV won’t go over well with Mustang fans, however. But if you’re purely interested in buying a family-hauling utility capable of destroying most performance cars in a straight line and at the track, the future certainly looks bright.
Photos: Main illustration for The Mustang Source by Pouria Savadkouei; Ford Motor Company
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