Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Reincarnated Mustang has many modern twists
THE first-generation Ford Mustang Fastback from the 1960s is arguably one of the most visually arresting cars ever designed.
It is all-American muscle at its most quintessential, but now a British sports car manufacturer has launched a modern recreation of the original pony car. However, if, like us, you are a fan of old-school horsepower then there is a catch.
Just looking at it, you’d expect a rumbly V8 to fire up, before screeching it up the road in a plume of tyre smoke. But instead of that, you’ll hear something more akin to silence.
As its name implies the ’67 by Charge Cars is fully electric and has four-wheel drive to boot. The car also boasts a completely modern digitised interior. Just 499 examples are set to be produced by the London-based carmaker over the next three years, and they will also be exported to the US.
The vehicles are built using completely new steel body shells sourced from the US, which are wrapped in carbon fibre body panels.
The 63kilowatt-hours (kWh) battery pack is installed on the floor of the vehicle and allows a claimed range of around 322km between charges, depending on the circumstances.
Power comes from four Permanent
Magnet Synchronous Motors, which power all four wheels with a collective 400kW and 1520Nm. That, says Charge Cars, is enough to launch it from zero to 60mph (96km/h) in just 3.9 seconds.
The two-seat cabin features electrically adjustable and heated bucket seats and there are plenty of modern conveniences, including wireless phone charging, automatic climate control, a multifunction steering wheel and an “immersive” premium audio system.
Unlike the car that inspired it, there are two large screens inside the ’67 by Charge Cars, including a 12.3inch digital instrument cluster and 12.8-inch vertical touchscreen infotainment system in the centre, complete with built-in satnav and phone app integration, while over-the-air software updates will be available.
The original ’67 handled extremely well, as long as you were driving in a straight line, but dare we say its modern sacrilegious counterpart here would probably be somewhat tidier through the bends with its floormounted batteries, AWD set-up and traction control.
Owners can choose between various driving modes, and there are plenty of assistance gizmos too, such as adaptive cruise control and traffic sign recognition.
“We truly believe we’ve created something unique in the EV world,” said chief creative officer Mark Roberts.
“It’s a brand new, handbuilt design icon that gives customers a genuine emotional connection to their car. Classic looks, cutting-edge technology and zero emissions now have a heart and soul. And this is just the beginning for us at Charge Cars.”