Displaying items by tag: Ford Mustang

Wednesday, 20 October 2021 06:20

New Ford Mustang Mach-E GT 2021 review

With 480bhp and a 310-mile range, does the new Ford Mustang Mach-E GT offers the perfect blend of performance and practicality? We find out...

 
 
Verdict

The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT proves that EVs can be engaging – to an extent. The performance is a given, but the sharp steering and extra agility in Untamed mode help the GT’s case. However, the mass means this is only true up to a point, although the practicality on refinement on offer, mixed with genuinely usable range and respectable charging, make the GT a solid flagship for Ford’s first bespoke electric model line and a good electric SUV.

Ford has long been known for taking its run of the mill family cars and souping them up into something special. This is the fast Ford recipe, so it’s no surprise that the Blue Oval is taking a similar approach in the age of electrification, and the Mustang Mach-E GT is its first hot EV.

The strength of the Mustang nameplate means that a performance variant should sit naturally here, so the Mach-E GT boasts more power and torque, offering 480bhp and 860Nm respectively. It’s dual-motor powertrain gives strong traction off the line for a 3.7-second 0-62mph time, meaning it’s easily a match for the Tesla Model Y Performance.

On the move it feels it. As with many performance-focused electric cars, the throttle pedal’s map means you get a massive hit of torque with only a little travel and instant response to your inputs, so the GT romps forwards with an incredible urgency.

There are caveats, however. As long as you have the Mustang’s mass moving the response is good; this big EV’s relatively high kerbweight, at 2,273kg, means from a standstill it takes a little coaxing, while the thump also tails off at higher speeds. But at anything from town to motorway velocity, the Mach-E GT is more than rapid enough.

The enhanced powertrain is joined by some chassis upgrades in the form of Ford’s MagnaRide 2 adaptive suspension set-up, while 385mm Brembo brakes help stop the bulky machine and rein in its extra performance – but these additions have also been tuned with fun in mind, Ford claims.

Ultimately, that high weight means that the Mach-E GT is compromised; its straight-line punch is startling, but nothing we haven’t seen before from the likes of Tesla, while, despite the chassis tweaks, its mass is still obviously apparent in corners as you start to push the GT harder.

The steering is positive though, with a nice, fast response and relatively good grip, but it’s never truly engaging like the best fast Fords from history have been. You can feel some lethargy in quick direction changes, but it’s still not too bad for a big, battery powered SUV, and we should credit Ford with trying to inject some interest for keen drivers. In areas it has been successful.

 
There are Whisper, Active, Untamed and Untamed Plus driving modes to choose from that subtly change the car’s character from a greater focus on refinement to a greater focus on fun, altering the car’s torque delivery and chassis settings.

You notice the difference as the latter offers an extra edge of adjustability that deserts some of its EV rivals, tightening its line noticeably on the exit of bends as you apply the power. Untamed Plus also preps the drivetrain for repeated high-power deployment. Exploit this punch frequently though, and you’ll not get near the claimed 310-mile range on a full charge. The GT is powered by a 98.7kWh battery, of which 88kWh is usable, while 150kW rapid charging capability means a 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes 45 minutes.

 
 
 
Drop the GT back into Whisper mode and refinement is improved, making this sportiest Mach-E yet a sound cruiser on the smooth tarmac of our Croatian test route.

The chassis is just compliant enough, with enough suspension travel to soak up smoother, more flowing bumps sweetly. However, riding on 20-inch wheels the worst imperfections in the road surface do cause a shudder, and the firmer set-up to control the Mustang’s mass and deliver an engaging edge means that it does feel stiff at times.

Along with the standard-fit alloys, the GT also features more bespoke trim, including Ford Performance seats with extra bolstering to deal with the higher cornering forces. There are also body-coloured wheel arches, redesigned bumpers bespoke to the GT, a 3D-effect grille in grey, and two new body colours – Cyber Orange and Grabber Blue.

Of course, the interior is still dominated by the central 15.5-inch Tesla-style touchscreen, which features Ford’s SYNC4 infotainment with connected nav. It’s an intuitive system to use and responds quickly, although with nowhere to anchor your hand it’s not always the easiest to use on the move. The letterbox-style 10.2-inch digital display behind the steering wheel is delightfully simple and easy to read, though.

GT spec inherits the Mach-E AWD Extended Range’s list of standard kit, so wireless phone charging, adaptive cruise with lane centring, all-round parking sensors and a 360-degree camera, dual-zone climate control, heated seats and a heated steering wheel, adaptive LED headlights and plenty of safety kit are all fitted. But then you’d expect as much given the price.

The tech is fine, but the £65,080 Mustang Mach-E GT could offer some higher quality materials in places compared with similarly priced premium rivals, such as the Jaguar I-Pace.

There’s also a hands-free powered tailgate, which reveals a 402-litre boot. Practicality is boosted by the 100-litre ‘frunk’ (great for storing charging cables), while room in the rear is fine despite the Mach-E’s slightly swoopier coupe-like profile, which the GT’s bespoke styling elements enhance to good effect.

(https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/mustang-mach-e/356340/new-ford-mustang-mach-e-gt-2021-review)

Published in Ford
Wednesday, 16 December 2020 06:43

Ford Mustang Mach-E (2020) review: a new breed

 Ford’s latest pony car is a near-silent, totally environment-friendly galloper shaped like a crossbreed cocktail of Aintree winner and steeplechase champion. Badged Mustang like millions of great American sports cars launched since the nameplate first popped up in 1964, the Mach-E is heralded as decidedly dynamic EV which puts street cred above cabin acreage and presence before lollipop aerodynamics.

Best electric SUVs

Similar to the reborn Bronco, the e-CUV is designated to build a bridge between the brand’s glory years and a planet-friendlier tomorrow. Question is, where exactly does the electric Ford rank in the fast growing catch-up queue which includes new arrivals like the VW ID.4 and the Volvo XC40 Recharge?

Give me a spec debrief

Designed in Dearborn, the Mach-E is arguably not quite centrefold pretty but well proportioned, functional and unmistakably Ford; like a grown up Kuga with pursed painted lips and a nicely rounded rear end with Mustang-style taillights.

The cosseting cabin of the electric Ford is a notably more up-market suite on wheels than the loveless driver environment of the Tesla clad in plastified hide and jinxed with below-par build quality, the cheapo somewhat off-the-mark interior of the ID.4, or the iPace work station which appears to be different mainly for the sake of nonconformism. There’s a larger-than-life centre touchscreen running Ford’s new Sync 4 infotainment, complemented by a smaller rectangular display in the driver’s direct field of vision. With the exception of the rotary volume control, the buttons on the steering-wheel and the circular gear-selector first copyrighted by Jaguar, access to all MMI areas is by touchscreen and voice control.

Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment: does it work?

All first edition models (like our test car) of the Mach-E are already sold out, so your choice in the UK comprises Standard or Extended Range versions, both available with either rear- or all-wheel drive. Prices start at just over £40k before the plug-in car grant has been applied.

Here are the different versions:

Standard Range RWD: 265bhp, 6.1sec 0-62mph, claimed 273-mile range
Standard Range AWD 265bhp, 6.2sec 0-62mph, claimed 379-mile range
Extended Range RWD 290bhp, 5.6sec 0-62mph, claimed 248-mile range
Extended Range AWD: 346bhp, 5.1sec 0-62mph, claimed 335-mile range

Ford is also planning a Performance Edition, though that’s as-yet unconfirmed for the UK. For comparison, the most potent Mach-E is around four grand more expensive than the 340bhp Model Y AWD, which fields a less potent 72.5kWh battery but will accelerate in 5.1sec from 0-62mph, reach a top speed of 135mph and can charge with up to 250kW. While the blue oval effort is restricted to 111mph, it matches its key rival against the stopwatch, and it boasts 21 miles of extra distance.

Let’s drive!
Oddly, the first few miles disappoint. What’s wrong with this chewing-gum steering which feels as if a rope with a sack of potatoes attached to both ends was straddling the rack? Switching off the lane guidance fixes it: no more woolly self-centering now, no half-hearted auto-corrections, no vague feedback with increasing lock. The insurance companies love these assistance systems, committed drivers hate them.

After many hours behind the wheel, the steering no longer feels quite so odd, though that V-shaped self-centering phenomenon and the on-lock lightness have not gone away completely. Instead, assets like the pinpoint accuracy, the relatively tight turning circle of 11.6 metres and the balanced damping have come to the forefront.

The low-speed ride is knobbly, but that weighty skateboard underneath gets into a rhythm above 40mph. Composure remains flat at all times (thanks to the low centre of gravity and a pair of anti-roll bars), and the straight-line stability is as unperturbed as the car’s stance through hurried changes of direction, under hard braking and when staging a borderline overtaking act which is obviously never ever interrupted by a potentially critical upshift action.

How fast is it?
Well, to make the best use of the Mach-E is to play with the new drive modes, poetically named Whisper, Active and Untamed. In Whisper, the steering is too light and there is a Do Not Disturb sign dangling from the accelerator pedal. In contrast, Untamed cannot wait to unlock the high voltage corral and speed up the direction determinator, but the computer-generated driving noise sounds like the tumble dry programme of a distant washing machine, lift-off exaggerates that controversial one-pedal feel, and fake downshifts are the rule under braking. No, thanks. So, Active it is, which strikes a purposeful balance between relaxed and excited, makes coasting a way of life, subtly synchronizes the sensations telegraphed to your palms and feet. Sadly, there are no shift paddles to play with, be it to trigger instant energy regeneration or release momentum for a more emphatic flow.

Still in Active, the brakes are every bit as attentive as the throttle, the stopping power is strong and progressive, and despite repeated attempts we could not detect the exact transition point between electric and hydraulic deceleration. If anything, this time-warp energy-squashing system needs a strong right foot to combat the slowly rising pedal pressure.

Ford Mustang Mach-E: verdict
Ford’s first fully electric planet-saver is fun to drive, commendably efficient as well as cool to look at and to be seen in. The brittle low-speed ride and synthetic steering mark it down, but there’s a little more flair here than a Tesla Model Y.

Source: carmagazine.co.uk

Published in Ford
Monday, 18 November 2019 13:07

Ford Mustang Mach-E debuts with 370-mile range

The Ford Mustang has a historic lineage that spans multiple decades, features hundreds of variations, and amounts to more than 10 million models sold. In the world of muscle cars, it is one of the most successful vehicles to ever do it. But with the future looming, the iconic Pony Car needs to take a dramatic new approach. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is both the first production-bound electric Mustang and the first Mustang crossover. It arrives as a vital stepping stone in Ford's push toward an electrified future, blending capability, performance, and efficiency into a single battery-powered package.

Mach-E For Everyone
So let’s get into the fundamentals. The Ford Mustang Mach-E comes with two lithium-ion battery pack options: standard range and extended range. The standard-range version uses a 75.7-kilowatt-hour, 288-cell pack, sending power to a large rear motor, while the extended-range option uses a larger 98.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack with 376 cells, sending power to both a motor at the front axle and rear. All that electricity gives the Mustang Mach-E a maximum range of up to 370 miles (under WLTP regulations) per charge on certain trim levels when equipped with the optional extended-range battery pack and rear-drive layout.

All-wheel-drive models with the same extended-range batteries will see their range drop to 270 miles (EPA estimated). The standard-range model with the smaller battery pack and rear-wheel-drive can cover 230 miles (EPA), while the same battery pack driving all four wheels drops that figure to 210 miles (EPA).

The only outlier is the Mach-E GT Performance. While the Mach-E GT Performance gets the same extended-range battery-pack and all-wheel-drive layout as the First Edition and Premium models, its performance-oriented approach means its total range drops to 250 miles (EPA). Naturally, range varies depending on how you spec it:

The Mustang Mach-E does come in a few different flavours. But consumers can only choose from two options beginning in 2020: Premium and First Edition. The First Edition model comes with the extended range battery pack and all-wheel drive standard, as well as unique visual treatments like red brake calipers, metallic pedal covers, and unique badging. But those hoping to get the least expensive Mach-E will have to wait until 2021, when the base Mach-E Select arrives.

That more affordable model offers a standard-range battery pack and either rear or all-wheel drive. The more-powerful California Route 1 model, which comes exclusively with extended range and all-wheel drive, won’t be available until early 2021 as well. The range-topping Mach-E GT Performance, the most powerful of the group ( for now), doesn't go on sale until later in 2021.

The Mach-E’s range figures are extremely competitive for the class. Not even top-end versions of cars like the Kia Niro EV (282 miles), Jaguar I-Pace (292 miles), or Audi E-Tron (222 miles) offer as much WLTP range. The Tesla Model Y, though not in production yet, beats the Mach-E with 336 miles of range on the long range RWD model.

Power Up
Ford guarantees its customers have access to 125,000 FordPass Charging Network locations in 21 countries across Europe. With the purchase of the Mach-E, buyers get access to said massive charging network using FordPass Connect, with the ability to recharge up to 57 miles in just 10 minutes with a maximum 150-kilowatt DC fast charging rate. Though, note that competitors like the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model 3 can charge at rates as high as 250-kilowatts.

For the U.S. market Ford also offers a few home solutions, as well. A Ford Mobile Charger comes standard with the purchase of any Mach-E. Plugged into a typical 120-volt outlet, the home charger will trickle out an estimated range of about three miles each hour. Plugging the same Ford Mobile Charger into a more-powerful 240-volt outlet yields up to 22 miles of range each hour. Ford says that this application will charge up to 80 percent of the Mach-E’s pack overnight and makes the most sense for consumers.

But those buyers really wanting to take their charging game to the next level can purchase the optional Ford Connected Charge Station. Plugged into a 240-volt outlet, the higher-powered, 48-amp option adds approximately 32 miles of range each hour to the Mach-E. Ford says this is an easy way to get full charging overnight without utilising a public station. And more importantly, the company works closely with Amazon services for installation of said chargers.

It is unknown at this point whether the Ford Mobile Charger or the optional Ford Connected Charge Station will be made available in the UK.

Dial 'E' For Excitement
Don’t fret, Mustang faithful, performance is still a major part of the Mach-E’s equation. Even with its impressive range and charging capabilities, Ford tells us the Mach-E "still drives like a Mustang." And has the horsepower of one, too.

The most powerful model, the Mach-E GT Performance, produces 459 bhp and 612 pound-feet of torque, giving it the ability to hit 60 miles per hour in about 3.5 seconds. But, as mentioned, that model won’t be available until the spring of 2021. Until then, buyers will have to make do with the next quickest models available in 2020: the Premium and First Edition.

With the extended-range battery pack and all-wheel drive, the Premium and First Edition trims produce up to 332 bhp and 417 pound-feet of torque. The extended-range California Route 1 (not available until 2021) and Premium models with rear-wheel drive produce 282 hp and 306 lb-ft.

Even the lowliest Mach-E is no slouch. The base Select model with the standard-range battery pack and rear-wheel drive produces 255 bhp and 306 lb-ft. Adding all-wheel drive to that same trim bumps the torque figure to 429 lb-ft. The base Select model, though, is the only trim that doesn’t offer an extended-range battery pack.

The stretched, revised pony logos on the six-sided grille and boot lid give away the Mach-E's family ties. But even the angled LED headlights share something in common with the coupe with which it shares its name, as do the tri-bar taillights. Outside of the obvious crossover cues and four-door setup, there are few areas where the Mach-E stands out next to its sibling.

For one, the Mach-E has no door handles. Instead, there are pillar-mounted buttons that pop the doors open upon pressing them, and a pull handle on the front driver and passenger sides. The rear doors, for whatever reason, don't get a pull handle. And the wheels don’t carry over from the coupe, either. Each version of the Mach-E gets its own 18-, 19-, or 20-inch wheel designs

The Mach-E's interior is all new, as well. The animal-free cabin uses high-quality materials like synthetic "Sensico" leather on the seats and steering wheel – a brand-new material for Ford – as well as Premium Black Onyx or Space Gray cloth on the dash and speakers, the latter of which looks ripped from an Amazon Alexa or Google Home unit. The dash, meanwhile, has a shape reminiscent of the first Mustang, which is a neat touch.

A massive 15.5-inch touchscreen sits front and centre on the dash, though it does feature a physical volume dial. That large touchscreen is standard throughout the range, as is the 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster and all-new steering wheel through which to view it. Ford's newest Sync infotainment system is also standard, as is Co-Pilot 360 2.0, Ford's latest active safety suite.

In terms of cargo room, the Mach-E offers a respectable 402 litres of space behind the rear seats. Fold the rear row, and there's 1,420 litres of room. And because there's no engine up front, the Mach-E has a "frunk," or front trunk (boot), with up to 136 litres. Not only is the frunk large enough for a traditional carry-on suitcase and then some, but is lined with a washable material and features a drain. Ford designers note it’s great for tailgating. Cabin space is equally impressive; the Mach-E's 1,029 mm of front headroom with the optional fixed glass roof is best in a class that includes cars like the I-Pace, Niro EV, and E-Tron, as is the 1,060 mm of front legroom.

Availability
The Mach-E goes on sale in Europe at the end of 2020 in Premium and First Edition trims only. Select, California Route 1, and GT Performance models won't be available until 2021. In the U.S. pricing for the Mach-E will range from just above $40,000 (approx. £30,890 at the current exchange rate) to the mid-$60,000s (£46,335), depending on how it’s spec'd. Ford will release European pricing information at a later date. But buyers interested in ordering the Mach-E early can place a $500 (approx. £390) refundable reservation deposit on the Ford consumer site right now.

Published in Ford

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