Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Is an EV Built for Off-Road Thrill Rides
The Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally comes out of left field, but this is precisely the type of vehicle enthusiasts are pining for.
For the past few years, we’ve been told time and time again that all-electric vehicles are the future, an entity that will one day supposedly replace ICE completely. True to form, people began scooping up EVs en masse, but then, a funny thing happened – supply chain shortages stemming from the pandemic caused the prices of raw materials skyrocket, which meant that vehicles like the Ford Mustang Mach-E also experienced a sharp increase in MSRP and a sharp decrease in sales, shifting prices in the other direction. Regardless, we enthusiasts would argue that what we really need are fun, exciting EVs to convert the doubters, and The Blue Oval has conjured up precisely that with the somewhat surprising Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally.
On the surface, the idea of a rally-inspired EV crossover seems like something we’d see in the form of a concept – not an actual production vehicle. However, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally is not just some one-off – rather, it’s an actual addition to the Mach-E lineup, slated to launch in early 2024 with a price tag of around $65,000.
For starters, it’s the most powerful variant in that lineup (for now, at least), churning out 480 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque from two electric motors protected by underbody shielding – that latter number topping the GT Performance Edition‘s 634 pound-feet. Those motors are fed by a battery pack with 91 kWh of usable space, giving it around 250 miles of range if you don’t keep your right foot planted.
The Mach-E Rally isn’t just about power, of course, as it features a host of other modifications straight from Ford’s M-Sport led World Rally Championship efforts. Developed on a specially-constructed off-road track at Ford’s Michigan proving grounds, the bonkers EV crossover is also equipped with a 20mm/0.8-inch suspension lift, which makes room for a set of 19-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin CrossClimate2 all-season tires. Up front, 15.8-inch front brake rotors with Brembo calipers help slow it down, while MagneRide shocks with specially-tuned springs handle the bumpy stuff.
Obviously, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally was built to, well, rally, and it’s even equipped with a special RallySport drive mode that optimizes the vehicle’s settings for that type of activity. It also looks the part, thanks to tweaks including fog lights located in the front “grille,” a revised front fascia, a black roof and stripes, and a rather large rear wing that’s mounted on the hatch.
It goes without saying that the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally is a unique machine, one that seemingly came out of left field. However, it’s also clear that FoMoCo understands that to appeal to enthusiasts, it has to come up with EVs that are fun to drive – not just boring, silent, commuters for the masses, which we already have plenty of in this world.
Photos: Ford
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