Ford and Tesla are locked in a heated electric battle for the best-selling, battery-powered cars. This week, I was able to take the wheel of Ford’s new all-wheel-drive Mustang Mach-E GT, the pinnacle of its all-electric Mach-E range.
It’s brave of Ford to call an electric SUV crossover a Mustang. This Mustang is the iconic V8 petrol muscle car. The first Mach Es were impressive, but this GT is a step above. I drove the new Mach-E GT, which is slightly more powerful and has a lower ride height, around the beautiful, unspoiled Croatian region of Istria.
It shifts. In addition to Whisper mode (for relaxed driving), Active (the default comfort setting) and Untamed (for a full-on sporty drive), there is now Untamed Plus for even more speed when on the track.
Sparks will fly: Ford’s Mustang Mach-E GT, Ford’s fastest-accelerating five-seater, is here
Ford has cunningly taken the best of the stylish, minimalist Tesla and added raw Ford passion to make it less purist, with some handy user friendly touches. These include a smaller screen located in front of the steering wheels.
The Mach-E GT’s acceleration is phenomenal. A dual electric motor with all-wheel drive allows the Mach-E GT to accelerate to 62mph in 3.7 seconds. It can also reach speeds of up to 125mph. This Ford five-seater is the fastest-accelerating European five-seater, with 487hp. It is not as fast as the Ford GT supercar but it has 15% more torque than its lower-slung sibling.
It’s also calibrated to deliver more power to rear wheels than other all-wheel-drive variants. Ford claims the front motor is independent and provides extra power and traction for the front-wheels, resulting in seamless acceleration and enhanced cornering ability.
I could definitely feel myself being pulled back into the cossetting seats like an astronaut during lift-off. It’s a controlled power and it never feels overwhelming.
It handles well on twisting mountain roads and feels taut and muscular. This is what you would expect from a sporty crossover with a powerful petrol or diesel engine.
However, the adaptive safety brake kicked in on a particularly tight downhill hairpin bend. This was approached at a judicious speed. The same thing happened to all of the launch drivers. Perhaps the settings are a bit too cautious, or perhaps it is a glitch with early production cars.
Its versatility in different driving modes is excellent. The ‘active’ setting is great for general driving, and it’s a good combination when you want to combine cruising with some performance. Winding it up to ‘untamed’ takes it up a notch and is fun for a bit more driver involvement – but can be a bit wearing over time on a long journey. In my opinion, switching between them is the best option.
It’s also long-legged on motorways, and it tootles well in town.
Charging to 80 per cent takes 45 minutes and all that will set you back from £65,080. There is ample storage, with 402 litres in the rear expanding to 1,470 litres with the rear seats down, plus another 100 litres in the front trunk. An app converts the smartphone to a key.
Ford plans to launch a new family of electric Mustangs, possibly including a coupe-like two-seater and even a seven seater.
Entry-level Mach-Es start at £41,330 for a rear-wheel-drive 294hp that accelerates from rest to 62 mph in 6.1 seconds, and a 351hp all-wheel-drive from £49,650 that covers the same ground in 5.1 seconds.
Orders placed before the new year will be processed and the earliest GT orders will be received by the spring.
Millions spent on repairs to scuffed alloys
Scuffed alloy wheels would clock up an £890 million repair bill for Britain’s motorists — if they actually paid to repair them, says a new report.
Skoda UK’s research has shown that more than a quarter of motorists drive vehicles with damaged alloy wheels. 56% of this damage is caused by hitting a curb.
Nearly a third of UK drivers admitted to hitting another vehicle or object while they were parking.
Damage limitation: Skoda UK research has shown that more than a third (33%) of motorists have damaged alloy wheels
The study claims there are more than 13million kerbed alloy wheels across the country, which would cost more than £890million to fix, based on an average repair price of £67.50.
Safety concerns include hitting a wheel that could cause tyre faults, tracking issues, and steering vibrations.
Fittingly, the report — jauntily called ‘Kerb Your Enthusiasm’ — also highlights how Skoda’s Fabia features for the first time its Park Assist 3.0 technology, designed to help motorists avoid such parking mishaps.
Prices for the new Fabia start at £14,905 on the road, with the first UK deliveries early next year.
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