Ford seems to be on a flyer with its unexpected and somewhat out-of-the-box cars lately, with the Mustang Mach-E Rally now joining the camp as its token electric off-roader.
After being previewed at the Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year, the rally-inspired EV has now been revealed in full at the IAA Mobility 2023 show in Germany.
The Mach-E Rally came about after merely being tossed around as an idea amongst Ford engineers who wanted to take the Mustang and its drivers where they hadn’t been before – to the dirt.
Under its skin, you’ll find the same dual-motor powertrain as the Mach-E GT which has been tuned to make 358kW and 880Nm of torque. Well, those are the target figures anyway.
It’s powered by a lithium-ion battery with 91kWh of usable capacity, meaning range should be in the realm of 490km but that has yet to be confirmed.
The fun part, its high-riding stance, comes from a set of specially tuned springs and MagneRide shocks which give the Mach-E Rally a 20mm raise.
Adding to its off-road credentials are a set of gloss white 19-inch rally-style alloy wheels wrapped in knobbly Michelin CrossClimate2 tyres, providing more sidewall and grip on loose surfaces. As for stopping power, the EV comes with 385mm front brake discs clamped by red-painted Brembo calipers.
The driver will be able to select from a new driving mode never seen on a Ford before, RallySport, which apparently allows for “bigger slides”.
With regard to looks, you’ll notice a Focus RS-inspired rear spoiler, a distinct front splitter, rally-inspired fog lights, a black roof, and all-important racing stripes. Colour choices include Grabber Blue, Shadow Black, Eruption Green, Grabber Yellow, Star White, and Glacier Gray.
The interior has also been given some special treatment, courtesy of gloss white accents on the dashboard, lower spokes of the steering wheel and seatbacks, and contrasting stitching on the doors.
“Mustang Mach-E Rally puts Ford’s decades of passion for rally championships around the world right in the hands of our customers,” says Jim Farley, CEO of Ford. “It takes Mustang where it hasn’t been before – to gravel and dirt roads.”
The Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally will be available to order for overseas customers early next year but we have yet to hear if or when the model will be offered in New Zealand.
