SEATTLE—The gravel is pinging like oversized hail against the chassis. I prod the throttle to get the rear to step out a little as I start to head left, then turn the wheel, smoothly, to the right and into the slide just like I was taught, then I lift off the throttle ever so slightly and get back into it as the rear end swings the other way and the process begins again. Fun!
The gravel noise intensifies, as I make my way over the dirt-and-gravel-covered test track at the Dirtfish Rally school just outside Seattle, because, well, there really isn’t anything else to compete with it — no engine sound, no music — because this is a Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally electric crossover and there’s simply no noise to be made.
It’s still incredibly enjoyable to drive around this circuit.
This is the capital-R, “Rally” version of Ford’s popular EV, and it’s been tuned to excel in these conditions.
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It has specialized suspension, tires and tuning to give drivers a leg up as they begin to push the car. It’s very cool, but one has to wonder — for the premium it costs over the standard Mach-E or even the more high-performance GT model — does it do things differently … enough?
First, the obvious: you’ve never seen a Mach-E that looks quite like this. Already a pretty sleek-looking car, the wick gets turned up in the style, thanks to an enlarged rear wing, unique grille with extra fog lights, racing stripes, side decals and large white alloy wheels that clearly draw a connection with Ford rally racing cars of old.
It’s a darn sight more aggressive than any previous Mach-E, especially when painted in bright Grabber Yellow paint.
Things are calmer inside; you still get the big central screen all Mach-E models get, as well as the low-profile digital dash behind the wheel. There are standard sport seats, which are more supportive, but even those aren’t really new, given that they’re shared with the GT model. Which is fine; the Mach-E’s cabin has always been low-clutter, properly airy, for what is essentially a compact crossover. Oh, and the Rally maintains the front-trunk — “frunk” — other models get, which is great for storage.
Power is rated at 480 horsepower and a sky-high 700 (!) pounds-feet of torque (motive force), tying the GT as the most powerful in the lineup — and who doesn’t like a little more power?
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The Rally answers the bell for range, too; it provides 426 km from a single charge. Charging is made easier for the Rally and all other Mach-E models, because Ford is one of the first brands to provide adapters for use with the Tesla Supercharger network. That’s right; by simply clicking a fist-sized add-on to the end of a Tesla cable, you can charge the Mach-E to the tune of a 10-per-cent-to-18-per-cent charge in just over 30 minutes.
That’s going to come in handy if you drive the Rally to the degree it can be driven, sideways at speed on a gravel road. Most drivers probably won’t do this, but the specialized suspension tuning for better off-road use also means a better ride on-road. Add larger tire side walls and smaller wheels than the GT and you have the best-riding Mach-E in the lineup.
It’s a sensation you feel as soon as you set off. I was given the chance to drive the Rally back-to-back with the GT and I felt the difference immediately. With the Rally, you also get more ground clearance, a boon for Canadian winters.
What really punches through is just how fun the Rally can be when pushed. With all that power and torque — especially the torque, when you consider the Rally weighs in at just under 2,260 kilos — this is a genuinely fast car. And power can immediately be sent to the front or rear axle as conditions require.
But what of the fact that it costs $5,000 over the $69,995 GT model? The ride quality of the Rally will be a boon for many, but this is a performance vehicle, and, for most conditions, the GT version hits the mark for less, while producing the same power. If you frequent rough roads or live in adverse conditions and want just a little extra performance from your EV, the premium for the Rally will be worth it.
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