Driving report: Ford Mustang Mach E GT
United contradictions
Ford Mustang Mach-E GT
© press-inform – the press office
Ford has now given the fully electric Mustang Mach-E a powerful flagship: 487 hp, 860 Nm of torque and a sprint of 3.7 seconds from zero to 100 – that sounds huge.
With its new electric flagship Mustang Mach-E GT, Ford has tried to pack a whole bunch of contradictions into a single car. It starts with the name. The Mustang has been a graceful sports car since the mid-1960s and, based on the logo on its radiator grille, helped establish the pony car genre. The Mach-E, however, no longer has much in common with a pony, at least visually. More like a full-grown Mustang with a pronounced tendency to be overweight. What kind of temperament he brings to the streets is a completely different matter. It is also difficult to understand that Ford has specifically built the Mach-E GT into being suitable for the racetrack. It is hard to imagine that this boom with its 2.4 tonnes empty weight, 1.6 meters high and 4.75 meters long will sweep over the curbs on the Hockenheimring.
But he can. According to Ford, the “Temperamental Plus” mode is “only intended for use on the racetrack” and helps the driver to balance the performance of the drive train on the racetrack. The racing mode adjusts the traction and stability control accordingly. The system reduces the activation threshold for ESP and traction control and modifies the torque distribution. That it is less about trophies than about having fun driving fast is shown by the fact that the artificially generated sound of the drive train is amplified again.
In any case, the Mustang Mach-E GT delivers enough power for fun on the racetrack from the very first turn. 487 HP / 358 kW of power are in the data sheet as well as a whopping 860 Nm of torque, which is available from the first rotation. That’s enough to accelerate the five-door to 100 km / h in 3.7 seconds. The top speed itself is 200 km / h. Even those who do not race over the Nordschleife every weekend will benefit from so much performance every day. When overtaking, for example. A kick on the accelerator – and washed, over. That is a noticeable gain in security.
Otherwise, the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is fully suitable for everyday use. The maximum range is officially 500 kilometers. In real terms, 400 kilometers are always there. At the fast charging station, it takes 45 minutes to fill the battery from 10 to 80 percent. Overall, the battery has a capacity of 98.7 kWh, of which 88 kWh can actually be used.
Inside, the Mach-E makes a rock solid impression: materials, workmanship, the thickness of the visible sheet metal – you feel safe and secure. There is plenty of space – both in the front, back and above the head. Four passengers are comfortable. The load space holds between 402 and 1,420 liters, plus another 100 liters under the front hood. The cockpit digitally informs the driver behind the steering wheel of the most important data from speed to charge status. In addition, there is a huge display in the middle of the dashboard, for navigation, among other things. Around 80 vehicle functions can be set. A comprehensive package of assistants is on offer – from automatic software updates to a wide range of auxiliary systems and the option of using your mobile phone as a key.
The suspension of the Mach-E GT is a little rough on bad roads and the steering looks a bit artificial. But the Stromer can be circled precisely around bends and serpentines, and thanks to the low center of gravity, it hardly has any side inclination. Maneuvering when parking, for example, is supported by a modern camera system and the turning circle of 11.6 meters also fits. The recuperation can be set to different levels – up to single-pedal operation, in which the Mustang can be driven purely via the accelerator pedal. The Mustang Mach-E GT is also an imposing appearance. With a little imagination, you can also recognize the design elements that are supposed to be reminiscent of the classic Mustang sports car. For example, the powerfully drawn front hood with the two power domes (here functionless but impressive) and the rear section with the typical three-part taillights of the Mustang models. The Mach-E GT is based on a vehicle architecture that Ford has newly developed for purely electric automobiles.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is driven by two oil-cooled permanent magnet synchronous motors. The GT drivetrain is calibrated in such a way that, depending on the driving mode, a steadily larger proportion of the torque is transmitted to the rear wheels. According to Ford, the electric motor on the rear axle reaches its maximum torque after a response time of just 0.5 seconds. Regardless of this, the electric motor on the front axle contributes additional power, torque and traction.
The bad news: cheap is different. The purchase price for the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is 72,900 euros. That doesn’t really make the state premium for electric cars any cheaper.