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Bruce Newton18 Nov 2019
NEWS

Ford Mustang Mach-E officially revealed

It’s electric, it’s an SUV and it’s a Mustang… really?

The covers have been officially ripped off the Mustang Mach-E electric SUV today.

British actor Idris Elba hosted the event in front of a crowd of Ford execs, media and invited guests in Los Angeles on Sunday night Californian time.

“Route 66 is getting an upgrade,” he declared. “It’s a new Mustang for a new age.”

Apart from Elba, stunt drivers Ken Block and Ben Collins, late great actor Steve ‘Bullitt’ McQueen’s grand-daughter Molly and the Detroit youth choir were all part of an all-star show.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E, which becomes available in the US, Europe and China next year, is the first model beyond a coupe or convertible in the Mustang line-up since it launched in 1964. Since then 10 million have been sold.

What we saw wasn’t a complete surprise as the car’s looks and specs were leaked online on Friday, after a series of speculative renders, teasers and official confirmation of its controversial name just hours earlier.

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While the concept of the car wasn’t such a shock, using the Mustang name has triggered even more debate than the Mach-E designation, which is a modification of the old Mach 1 badge applied to various high-performance Mustangs since the late 1960s.

So why use the name of an iconic sports car closely associated with petrol-guzzling V8 engines to promote an SUV powered by an electric motor?

“It’s got to be fun to drive, eye-catching and most of all it’s got to go like hell,” said Ford executive chairman Bill Ford.

“We are bringing performance and environmental friendliness in one vehicle in a way we have never been able to do before.

“It’s an incredible Mustang.”

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Ford stressed the Mach-E SUV would never replace the Mustang sport car.

“It’s a new family member … At some point … even the most rebellious Mustang owners move into a new phase of life, but you don’t have to give up your Mustang.

“This car fits the whole family and whatever you want to put into it.”

Apart from styling details like the pony badge in the nose and tri-bar tail-lights, the connection between the Mach-E’s exterior and the Mustang sports car isn’t that clear at first glance, although Ford argues the long bonnet, rear haunch design and headlights makes it obvious.

The organic lines are more suggestive of a Jaguar or an Infiniti rather than the traditional Mustang coupe.

It’s the same when it comes to the interior. While the Mustang sports car is retro, the Mach-E is dominated by a large Tesla-like 15.5-inch portrait-style touch-screen in the dashboard featuring Ford’s latest SYNC 4 infotainment system as well as a digital instrument panel.

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“It’s a new interconnected experience,” promised Ford global president and CEO Jim Hackett.

“This system adapts to each driver who interacts with the vehicle.”

Other interior touches include a Bang & Olufsen stereo system with sound bar-style speakers, a panoramic fixed-glass roof with infrared protection, a smartphone ignition key and up to 1688 litres of storage space with the rear seats folded.

A choice of standard 75.7kWh or extended-range 98.8kWh lithium-ion battery packs feed either the single-motor rear- or twin-motor all-wheel drive powertrain choices.

Range can go beyond 480km and acceleration to 60mph (96.5km/h) varies from as high as six seconds-plus to just 3.5sec for the flagship GT Performance Edition.

Power levels from the permanent magnet motors vary from 190kW (single-motor) to 342kW (twin-motor GT Performance) and torque from a minimum of 415Nm and a maximum 830Nm.

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The Ford Mustang Mach-E comes with three drive experiences – Whisper, Engage and Unbridled – each offering driving dynamics packaged with different tunes for such things as steering, ambient lighting, instrument panel animation and even sounds.

Ford announced the Mach-E will be available with all-new Brembo Flexira aluminium brake callipers that behave like a fixed calliper but have the dimensions of a floating calliper. The GT Performance Edition is equipped with a MagneRide adaptive suspension technology.

Ford says an extended-range, rear-wheel drive Mach-E can add an estimated average range of 51km per charging hour on a 240V outlet using a Ford home-charging station. A mobile charger included with the vehicle can add an estimated average range of 35km miles per charging hour.

With peak charging rate of 150kW, a Mach-E with extended battery and rear-wheel drive can add an estimated average of 75km of range in approximately 10 minutes while charging on a DC fast-charging station.

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The standard-range Mach-E is estimated to charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in approximately 38 minutes while charging on a DC fast-charging station.

In North America, The Mach-E’s starting price is $US43,895 ($A64,376), excluding a $7500 ($A10,999) tax credit. The GT starts at $US60,500, or $A88,787.

Potential Mach-E buyers in the US and Europe are being invited to place an order accompanied by a $US500 refundable deposit.

Australia did get a small plug during the launch in a video promoting the history of Mustang, when the Aussie Supercar racer briefly flashed on to the screen lapping Norwell in Queensland.

But the chances of the Ford Mustang Mach-E being sold Down Under appear slim.

“We have no specific Australia/New Zealand news with regards to Mach-E,” said a Ford Australia spokesman.

“We do however look forward to starting our electrification journey with the Escape PHEV next year.”

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