we hoped this one would be good — The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally proves sideways is the best way Ford’s rally-inspired EV proves that sometimes a gimmick can be great.
Tim Stevens – May 30, 2024 1:00 pm UTC Enlarge / The Mustang Mach-E Rally is the latest version of Ford’s electric crossover. It features plenty of power and a new drive mode, as well as plenty of rally-inspired accoutrements.Tim Stevens reader comments 31 Ford provided flights from Albany, New York, to Seattle and accommodation so Ars could drive the Mustang Mach-E Rally. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.
Mildly off-road-ready performance variants are extremely trendy right now, and it’s easy to turn your nose up at them. But when cars like the 911 Dakar or Huracan Sterrato actually improve the day-to-day drivability and comfort of the road-focused machines upon which they’re lifted, you have to respect them.
Me? I’m a die-hard rally fan and someone who’d rather drive sideways than straight. It’s no surprise that I love these special editions, from their top-boxes down to their all-terrain tires. But I also love electric vehicles, and while there are plenty of electrified crossovers and SUVs out there, it’s slim pickings if you want something rally-ready.
Today, that changes.
Meet the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally, a car with a name so clear you can’t ignore the purpose. It takes the $53,995 2024 Mach-E GT and gives it a few key upgrades, all in the name of providing better performance for low-grip motorsportor at least the appearance thereof. But is this package more show than go? Ford has integrated fog lights into the front fascia panel. Tim Stevens The white alloy wheels are meant to remind you of the Compomotive wheels that Ford’s rally cars used. Tim Stevens The Mach-E Rally’s rear wing probably does nothing to help range, but it looks very cool. Tim Stevens Ford missed a trick by not giving the Mach-E Rally a suede or Alcantara wheel rim. At the very least we would expect a rally special to have a strip at 12 o’clock on the wheel rim. Tim Stevens The rear seat backs are a little different. Tim Stevens Here’s why: It adds more shoulder bolstering. The stripes have a triangular pattern on them that’s also replicated on some interior trim. Tim Stevens The Mach-E Rally is just as practical as all the other Mach-E variants. Tim Stevens
It starts with a standard Mach-E GT, which, for the 2024 model year, gets some significant updates in its own right. A new rear motor, lifted from the Ford Lightning, gives both the GT and Rally 480 hp (358 kW) and 700 lb-ft (950 Nm) of torque. That’s up from 634 lb-ft (860 Nm) before. Advertisement This Mach-E stands out from the crowd
A revised battery pack offers 265 miles (426 km) of range in the Rally, down slightly from the GT’s 280 miles (451 km), which is itself a 40-mile (64 km) penalty from the maximum range of 320 miles (515 km) you can now get in a 2024 RWD Extended Range Mach-E Premium. The new GT also gets slightly updated headlights, and the Brembo brakes and sport seats that were formerly an option now come standard.
Tick the “Rally” box, and you get several other goodiesmost notably a revised suspension. It’s still the Mach-E’s adaptive MagneRide dampers but now outfitted with new “rallycross-tuned” springs delivering a 1-inch (25 mm) lift. That suspension is designed to keep the new 19-inch wheels on the ground.
Ford calls them “rally-style” wheels, but fans will spot them as an ode to the classic Compomotive TH seen on many iconic gravel machines of the ’80s and ’90s. Someone at Ford has a good eye for classic rally style. Enlarge / This could be the ideal EV if you live near a bunch of forestry roads.Ford
The wheels look good and should keep the worst of the gravel from dinging up your brake hardware, but more significant is what they’re wrapped in. The Rally has Michelin CrossClimate2 tires on all four corners, an interesting proposition that promises good grip in all conditions yet low rolling resistance for EV use. Their chunky, V-shaped tread is not what you’d typically expect on an electric car, but they further seal the Rally’s all-terrain look.
Under the nose, there’s a slender bit of aluminum, a faux skid plate of sorts that I don’t think will protect much. Up higher, the Rally nose has a different grille insert with a pair of inset fog lights, while out back, a chunky, ornate wing hangs off the top of the rear hatch. The requisite custom graphics are here, including classy stripes running up the hood and tacky “Rally” graphics smeared across the doors. The more important appliqu, however, is invisible: Ford put paint-protecting film along the lower portions of the car to again fend off the worst of the gravel damage. Page: 1 2 Next → reader comments 1 Advertisement Channel Ars Technica ← Previous story Next story → Related Stories Today on Ars
