Yahoo Autos Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Proves EVs Can Deliver Huge Fun
Cars that have great on-road dynamics should, with the correct chassis and tire adjustments, have great off-road dynamics, too, That’s what my previous experience of the Porsche 911 Dakar and Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato has taught be.
But what about when a car doesn’t have great on-road dynamics? What’s the math on that?
The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT must have some fans, but I’ve never met one. I’ve never liked the performance version of Ford’s Tesla-fighting EV crossover, and I have plenty of experience to back that up. Since it was launched I’ve reviewed every variant of the Mach-E from the base model upwards, but I also leased a rear-wheel drive Extended Range version for my personal use, putting over 30,000 miles on it in three years. That version was great, but I would not buy a GT.
The Mach-E GT’s adaptive shock absorbers are far too stiff in every setting, and its ride is terrible. The combination of wide, sticky tires and all-wheel drive also make the steering feel heavy and unnatural. Hitting a bump wrong will make the traction control go crazy, shutting down any attempt at fun. I’m not one to tell people how much power their cars should have, but the extra 140 hp in the GT versus my Extended Range made zero difference in the real world. Not so the 20 percent reduction in range from the same battery, which absolutely did. Also, the GT’s price, $75,000 at launch, was far too expensive for what it offered.
My recommendation to Ford at the time was to combine rear-wheel drive with the GT’s nicer interior and magnetic shocks, but retuned for comfort, and label it as the LX for a bit of Fox body whimsy. Maybe even bring a throwback cloth interior and gauge cluster.
They went in a radically different direction, although the Mustang Mach-E Rally delivers a very different kind of whimsy.
On one level Ford didn’t need to do much to turn the Mustang Mach-E GT into the Rally. The basic formula is the same one used by Porsche and Lamborghini for their dirt-friendly sportscars: add a little height, soften the magnetic dampers a lot to allow enough suspension travel to absorb bumps, but not so much the body can’t keep up with rapid changes in direction. Next add some tough-looking wheels and all-terrain tires, plus a protection undertray. Lastly reprogram the torque-vectoring system for loose surfaces and make the traction control fully defeatable.
It works. The Mach-E Rally has fixed basically all of the GT’s problems, and added some compelling dynamic character to the mix.
The Rally has the same 480 hp peak output as the GT, which is plenty to compensate for the heavier wheels and tires. It feels as quick in a straight line as any sane person would ever need it to be. More significant is the advantage given by the unlinked front and rear motors, allowing an instant torque split not possible with a traditional all-wheel drive system.
On the road, the Rally has a beautiful, controlled, plush ride. On an expansion-jointed freeway the extra inch of suspension travel and supple shocks, plus tires with actual sidewall, results in an EV among the most comfortable riding vehicles at this price point. It has excellent body control even in bumpy, windy sections, but still enough body roll to allow a driver to play at the limit. The battery has 91kWh of usable capacity and the same official 240-mile EPA range as the GT, but in my experience over a week that estimate is a little conservative, so 260 to 270 miles is possible. Possibly more with a switch to more efficient tires.
The Rally's traction control goes all the way off, and if you go that route, prepare for movement. Paired with a new “RallySport” drive mode, which sends power to the rear and optimizes for sliding, the power of software to heal and improve became apparent. This is true on both dirt and on a track where the Rally can do huge slides, first by initiating rear-end breakaway under braking and then adding throttle to increase the angle. Sure, there’s understeer if you set up a corner wrong, but the Rally really is an EV with a marked enthusiasm for the Scandinavian flick.
On a winding road the limits of grip are lowered by the all-terrain tires, resulting in the possibility of oversteer on pavement. Something that responsible people typically avoid. The Rally would not be my first choice to attack canyon roads at maximum pace. Nevertheless, the ride over undulating, craggy asphalt was impressively compliant and controlled, and the seats – based on those of the GT – are phenomenal in their combination of comfort and support.
Find dirt, turn everything off, and playtime awaits. Instantly, the Mustang Mach-E Rally makes a strange kind of sense. Instant torque can create four-wheel spin on low-grip surfaces, even up to about 30 mph. The predictability of a slide and the subtlety with which it can be adjusted really sets the Rally apart from even the Dakar and Sterrato, despite the huge difference in price. And the transitions! The Rally can open, close, loosen, tighten, and swap radiuses at will. And it’s even rather polite while doing so - silent sliding is far less likely to draw the ire of neighbors than banging a rev limiter in first gear.
But hooning does beg the question: who will actually use their electric crossover to do this? Is this a gimmick that will be exclusively enjoyed by journalists attempting heroics in a manufacturer-supplied vehicle?
Possibly not. Those who live in colder climates and have to regularly deal with slush and snow, or those smart enough to specify Ford’s factory paint protection film are likely to engage with the Rally’s playful side on a regular basis. And even if not, the Rally is comfortable enough to make a superb daily driver – if you can live with the white wheels, showy graphics and XL rear wing.
Put it this way, right now the Mustang Mach-E Rally is the only EV I’d happily spend my own money on.
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