Tags: #ev-technology #electric-vehicles #ev-ownership
The flagship Mustang Mach-E GT packs 480bhp, Tesla-baiting acceleration and a genuinely playful chassis – but is it worth the hefty premium over the already excellent standard car?
Discover EV expert verdict...
Our first taste of the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT was from the passenger seat, blasting up Goodwood Hill with stunt driver Paul Swift at the wheel. That weekend it was the fastest production car in the shootout, beating a McLaren 720S GT3X and a heavily modified Subaru WRX STI by half a second. It completed the 1.17-mile hill climb in 61.9 seconds, and to say it left a lasting impression would be an understatement.
Four years later, we finally have one on test. The standard Mustang Mach-E starts from £43,840 and we were big fans when we reviewed it, awarding it 4.5 out of 5. So on paper, the flagship all-wheel-drive GT looks even better – especially having experienced first-hand what 'Swifty' could do with one.
Prices start from £67,050, and for that you get Tesla-rivalling acceleration, uprated suspension and brakes, and a track-engineered drive mode. Exclusive to the GT is the optional Rally Pack fitted to our test car, which adds £2,250 to the price. Let's be honest, if you can afford to splash out this kind of money, an extra couple of grand is small change, right?
What you really want to know is how fast it is, right? The dual-motor setup produces a stonking 480bhp and 723lb-ft of torque, which propels the Mach-E GT from 0-62mph in 3.6 seconds before it tops out at 124mph.
The performance is surprising in a car of this size and weight, but so is the ride quality. The GT uses specially tuned coil springs and anti-roll bars, plus Magneride adaptive dampers to rein in its mass on the move, while our Rally Pack car also sits 20mm higher. It feels far more settled over undulating roads than the standard Mach-E, soaking up lumps and craters beautifully. The steering has a nice weight to it and feels pretty responsive too.
The powertrain progressively shifts torque towards the rear axle as you cycle through the Whisper, Active and Untamed drive modes, changing the car's character from a sympathetic, front-wheel-drive-biased SUV to a dynamic, rear-biased sports coupe. Whisper is probably the best mode for everyday driving if you don't want to spin the wheels up every time you put your foot down – it's far more civilised.
That said, it's good fun to unleash Untamed mode and see how easily you can get it into opposite lock on fast corner exits. It's certainly more playful than most EVs we've tested. It's when the back end steps out, though, that you really feel its two-tonne-plus mass. For that reason we steered clear of Rally Sport mode, as the car is very eager to step out – which is commendable and slightly mad at the same time in something this heavy.
Luckily, the GT's high-performance Brembo brakes are very adept at hauling it all in. There are no steering-wheel paddles to adjust the regenerative braking, just a one-pedal drive setting accessed through the touchscreen, which may bother some people. The same goes for the digitally synthesised 'engine noise' the car generates in Untamed mode. Personally, we have zero complaints about either.
The Mach-E GT uses a 91kWh (usable) battery, which gives an official WLTP range of 316 miles. In the real world, expect around 270 miles – respectable considering the performance on tap, though you'll see that figure tumble if you spend too long in Untamed mode.
It can rapid charge at up to 150kW, which means a 10-80 per cent top-up takes around 36 minutes. Plug into an 11kW home or destination charger and a full 0-100 per cent charge takes roughly 10 hours, so overnight charging is easily doable.
As you'd expect for a car with this much power, insurance won't be cheap, with the GT sitting in one of the highest insurance groups. Ford's standard three-year/60,000-mile vehicle warranty applies, while the battery and electric drive components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles.
The GT is recognisable by its special front grille and unique bumpers, along with 20-inch alloys that are an inch wider than the standard Mach-E's and wrapped in bespoke Pirelli tyres with a specific compound and tread pattern to cope with the extra power.
The Rally Pack swaps these for 19-inch wheels shod in all-terrain tyres – both setups have their pros and cons – and if you're a child of the seventies or eighties, you'll love them, as they're reminiscent of the iconic Compomotive TH alloys. The pack also brings exclusive Grabber Yellow paint, a large rear spoiler, bonnet racing stripes and side graphics, which we rather like but appreciate are a love-or-hate affair. You even get underbody shields, should you ever fancy rallying it.
One quirk shared with every Mach-E is the lack of conventional door handles. Instead, the electric latches open via the key fob, a connected smartphone or a keypad on the door pillar – but only when the 12-volt battery has enough charge. A handful of owners in California have since filed a lawsuit against Ford claiming this is a defect, as a flat battery means accessing the frunk to charge it before the doors will work again. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out.
Inside, you get rally-embossed Ford Performance seats with gloss white inserts that tie in with the steering wheel and stitching, doing a great job of breaking up an otherwise rather mundane black interior. The overall look is clean and modern, with a nice mix of quality faux leather, soft-touch plastics and textiles. Some of the switchgear is shared with cheaper Fords, though, and feels a little low-rent for the price.
Nobody is going to complain about being cramped in the Mach-E GT. There's plenty of space for five adults and heaps of storage, while the 402-litre boot is reasonable for a car of this size. There's also a frunk under the bonnet that's handy for stashing your charging cables. Those Ford Performance seats are comfy and supportive too, holding you in place nicely when you're making the most of Untamed mode.
The 15.5-inch portrait touchscreen sits in the middle of the dash and runs Ford's latest SYNC 4A infotainment, which is responsive and easy to use. A large physical rotary knob at its base lets you crank up the volume on the 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. A smaller 10.2-inch display behind the steering wheel shows everything you need to know at a glance.
Alongside all the latest safety, comfort and convenience features, the GT offers Ford BlueCruise, a 'hands-off, eyes-on' driver assistance system. The catch is that it requires a monthly subscription and only works on approved stretches of UK motorway, so it's only worth it if you regularly cover big motorway miles. It works very well, but we think holding the wheel keeps you connected to the car, and removing that could reduce driver attention. It's clever tech, but it can't tell if your mind is wandering off elsewhere!
In a world of soulless-looking electric SUVs, the Mustang Mach-E GT certainly stands out – even more so with the Rally Pack. It's exactly what the EV market is missing, adding a hefty dose of excitement. It's also spacious and practical, fully loaded with kit and has a respectable range considering its performance.
But at £69,300 with the Rally Pack, it's £17,310 more than the top-of-the-range Tesla Model Y, £11,165 more than the Kia EV6, £6,115 more than the Audi Q4 e-tron and £4,290 more than the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N. And while the GT is a quicker, better-handling, comfier and cooler-looking machine than the base car, we're not sure that justifies it costing almost 60 per cent more. As much as we like it, the Select RWD is still the Mach-E we'd pick.
Price (RRP OTR): From £67,050, £69,300 (with Rally Pack, as tested)
Top speed: 124mph
0-62mph: 3.6 seconds
Power: 358kW (480bhp)
Torque: 723lb-ft
Driving range (combined): 316 miles
Charging time: approx. 10hrs (11kW, 0-100%), 36min (150kW, 10-80%)
Insurance group: 47–48
Vehicle warranty: 3 years / 60,000 miles
Battery warranty: 8 years / 100,000 miles
Related Articles...
