What Car?

Ford Mustang Mach-e Large electric SUV promises an impressive of cial range of up to 370 miles

Large electric SUV has an impressive of cial range of up to 370 miles and a high-tech interior On sale Spring 2021 Price from £42,000 (est)

- Darren Moss Darren.moss@haymarket.com

WHEN IT COMES to living up to a name, the new Ford Mustang Mach-e has one of the greatest.you see, the original Mustang was such a hit that almost 22,000 of them were sold on the day it was unveiled at the 1964 World’s Fair. Buyers loved the idea of a sports coupé with a big engine that didn’t cost the Earth to buy or run – and those attributes have contribute­d to the Mustang becoming one of the best-selling nameplates in the world.the Mach-e, however, is a very different type of Mustang.

For one thing, it’s electric. It will be offered with a choice of two battery capacities and three power outputs, plus the option of fourwheel drive. Entry-level models come with a 75kwh battery and 255bhp, while the 99kwh model offers 282bhp as standard but can be boosted to 333bhp.

How far you’ll get on a charge depends on which version you go for, but the Mustang Mach-e’s of cial WLTP range varies from 260 to 370 miles. If you go for the bigger battery and stick with rear-wheel drive,

RIVALS

then, the Mustang Mach-e has the longest range of any electric SUV.

As well as a long range, Ford is also promising performanc­e that be ts the Mustang badge, with the Mach-e able to reach 62mph from a standing start in less than seven seconds. Buyers wanting even more performanc­e won’t have long to wait, either, because Ford has con rmed that a high-performanc­e GT model will be coming later. For now, every Mustang Mach-e model is limited to 111mph.

Ford says the Mustang Mach-e’s regenerati­ve braking – which harvests energy normally lost as you slow down and feeds it back into the battery – can be set to such a level that you can drive the car without having to use the brake pedal most of the time.

The Mustang Mach-e can be charged at a rate of up to 150kw, meaning a 10-80% top-up could take as little as 38 minutes. Charging via a standard wallbox or a three-pin plug at home will take much longer. Ford is partnering with the Newmotion network of charging points, which currently offers sporadic coverage of the UK, to allow Mach-e owners to pay for charging using their own account.

The Mustang Mach-e’s dimensions put it into the same eld as the premium Audi

FIRST LOOK

E-tron, Jaguar I-pace and Mercedes-benz EQC, and like those cars, it offers seating for ve. Inside, a 15.5in, tablet-style infotainme­nt touchscree­n dominates the dashboard, while a 10.2in digital instrument panel sits in front of the driver. Apple Carplay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring are standard, while wireless updates will bring new features to the car without you having to visit a dealer.

Other technology includes the ability to use your mobile phone as a key, and for extra security, a small keypad is hidden in the car’s middle pillar, so you can unlock and even start the car using a personalis­ed code.

With a 402-litre capacity, the main boot is smaller than those of the Mach-e’s rivals. There’s an additional 100-litre space – enough for a couple of soft bags – under the bonnet, where you’d normally expect to nd an engine.the front space is waterproof and features a drain plug so that it can be cleaned out with a hose.

The Mustang Mach-e won’t be available to buy through Ford dealers. Instead, it will be sold through Ford’s website – a process that’s likely to make haggling dif cult. Prices are expected to start at around £42,000, before the Government’s £3000 electric vehicle grant is taken into account.

BMW 2 Series Convertibl­e

Comfortabl­e and fun to drive, with strong performanc­e.

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? Mustang Mach-e is similar in size to the Jaguar I-pace
Mustang Mach-e is similar in size to the Jaguar I-pace
 ??  ?? Huge,tesla-style touchscree­n controls most functions
Huge,tesla-style touchscree­n controls most functions
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom