Dirt-Loving Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Coming to Canada
In nearly 60 years, Ford has never once offered a Mustang for anything other than paved roads and race tracks, but that’s about to change.
No, the legendary pony car won’t go down the same path as the Porsche 911 Dakar, but the company’s electric crossover will. Say hello to the new Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally!
- Also: Ford Again Cuts Mustang Mach-E Prices, Down as Much as $11,000
- Also: Ford Expects to Lose $4 Billion on EVs in 2023
Making its world debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, the vehicle will take on the famous hill climb driven by Ott Tänak, current driver of the M-Sport Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 entry and former World Rally champion.
Ford is sharing very few details, mind you. The prototype you see here sports a livery created by renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee. Some of the modifications include extra lights and a recovery loop up front, retro-looking wheels and all-terrain tires on the sides, and a massive new spoiler atop the rear hatch.
Inside, the main change can be found on the seats, which feature a reinforced structure and increased lateral support to keep the driver and front passengers in check during hard cornering and off-road manoeuvres.
No word about the powertrain, alas. We expect the upcoming production model to have a few differences, and we should get all the information along with additional pictures later this summer as orders for the Mustang Mach-E Rally will begin this fall in Canada and the U.S. Europe will follow.
Reduced Prices, Increased Production for 2023
As we reported in May, Ford made significant improvements and price cuts to the 2023 Mustang Mach-E. For example, the Premium RWD Standard Range model now costs $61,995 (MSRP), down $3,000. With AWD, the new price is set at $64,995, a drop of $2,250. The Extended Range versions of these models carry an MSRP of $66,995 and $69,995, respectively, which is incredibly $11,000 and $10,250 below the previous prices.
The California Route 1 eAWD Extended Range now starts at $69,995, too, representing a price cut of $9,125. As for the top-line GT Performance Edition Extended Range, a drop of $9,750 means it can be yours from $82,995.
The base Select model, which carries an MSRP of $56,995 and makes the Mustang Mach-E eligible to a $5,000 EV rebate from the Canadian government, is unchanged.
What’s more, standard-range Mustang Mach-E models will now use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Depending on the drivetrain, they’ll be able to cover up to 402 km or 364 km (previously 397 km or 360 km). In the case of the AWD variant, output is even increased by 45 horsepower.
Ford’s BlueCruise 1.2 hands-free highway driving assistant will be available with a complimentary 90-day trial since all Mustang Mach-E SUVs will be built with the necessary hardware for the capability.
Production of the Ford Mustang Mach-E will ramp up substantially in the second half of 2023 as freshly completed plant upgrades in Mexico support increased capacity. Delivery times will inevitably be shorter as a result.