The Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV took the iconic Mustang brand into new territory, and it’s doing it again with an upcoming performance model. Set to debut in 2024, the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally is designed for excitement on both roads and off-road trails.
Rallying is a type of motorsport where drivers compete to set the fastest time over various course surfaces like dirt, gravel, or snow, rather than on a dedicated racetrack. This sport has inspired some legendary road cars, like the Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, and Ford’s own Focus RS, but it’s never been linked with the Mustang until now.
The Mach-E Rally adopts some rally-car design features, such as spotlights in the grille, a rear spoiler similar to the Focus RS, and robust 19-inch wheels. Ford also added a new front splitter that supposedly improves clearance for the front end, along with racing stripes and contrasting exterior trim. Additional underbody protection helps safeguard the motors from gravel and debris.
But the Rally isn’t just about looks. It uses a version of the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system from the Mach-E GT, delivering an expected 480 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. While the horsepower remains the same as the Mach-E GT, it offers more torque than the GT’s 600 lb-ft and the GT Performance Edition’s 634 lb-ft. Ford anticipates the Rally will be faster than the Performance Edition, targeting a zero to 60 mph time of under 3.5 seconds.
Ford equipped the Mach-E Rally with a unique suspension that raises the ride height by 0.7 inches, upgraded brakes, and a RallySport drive mode. To reduce weight and improve handling, the glass roof was removed, lowering the vehicle’s center of gravity. A special course at Ford’s Romeo, Michigan proving ground was used for durability testing and tuning, benchmarking the WRX, according to Donna Dickson, the Mustang Mach-E chief engineer.
The Mach-E Rally features the same Extended Range battery pack as the GT and GT Performance Edition, with 91 kilowatt-hours of usable capacity. However, Ford expects a 250-mile range, compared to 270 miles for the GT and 260 miles for the GT Performance Edition. A DC fast charge from 10% to 80% is estimated to take about 36 minutes.
Like other Mustang Mach-E models, the Rally will come with Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free driver-assist system. By its launch, the latest BlueCruise 1.3 version will be available, offering improved lane change assist and in-lane repositioning functions. Ford is also updating the user interface for the Mach-E’s 15.5-inch touchscreen, adding a camera button and moving temperature controls to a physical knob beneath the screen.
Ford plans to release the Mach-E Rally for sale in early 2024, with deliveries following shortly after. The starting price will be around $65,000, making the Rally one of the pricier Mach-E models. However, it will stand out in the growing field of high-performance electric vehicles, which will soon include competitors like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and an electric Volkswagen GTI hot hatchback.