A Must-have motor for all thrill seekers

EDWARD STEPHENS GETS NOTICED IN THIS BRIGHT ORANGE PACE ACE

AFTER making a name for itself on the electric car scene with its dynamic Mustang Mach-E, Ford is back with an even more powerful

GT version – which is fast enough to give you whiplash.

With twin electric motors and allwheel-drive the new Mustang Mach-E GT boasts a whopping 480 bhp.

That’s enough power to rocket it from standstill to 62 miles per hour in a breathtaking 3.7 seconds and make it a credible alternative to the fastest Teslas and even the Porsche

Taycan.

But power like that inevitably comes at a price. And in the case of the GT that price is £68,030, some £23,000 more than the entry level Mach-E rear-wheel-drive version.

With the addition of a few extras, such as a panoramic glass sunroof and exclusive, eye-popping Cyber Orange paintwork, my test car hada price tag of just under £71,000.

So is it worth shelling out that extra cash. And if so what does it buy you?

Well, for starters it buys you a car to get noticed in with even more macho looks than the standard model, sleek sportscar styling and curves in all the right places.

There’s a more dramatic grille, unique GT bumpers and GT scuff plates.

Twenty-inch cast aluminium wheels are fitted with 19-inch Brembo brakes with their distinctive red calipers to catch the eye of performance enthusiasts.

Step inside and, as with the standard Mustang Mach-E, the first thing that you notice is the huge 15.5-inch i-Pad-style central touchscreen – similar to that on a Tesla – to activate all onboard operations.

Unlike on a Tesla, however – where the screen also displays the car’s speed – the Mustang Mach-E has a separate 10.2-inch digital cluster immediately in front of the driver showing speed, state of battery charge and range.

Apart from the dominant central touchscreen the dashboard itself has a minimalist appearance but that’s partly due to the fact that a large section of it is made up of a Bang & Olufsen sound bar to compliment the door mounted speakers as part of a 10-speaker system. Sports seats on the

come in a classy mix of leather and suede and are eightway, electrically-adjustable and heated.

But with such a hefty price tag you only buy the GT version for one thing – performance.

And when it comes to performance this model is up there with the best of the best electric SUV models. Accelerate hard at low speeds and the force is such that you feel as if you could almost end up in the rear seats. But even at the motorway speed limit the GT delivers in the blink of an eye to the merest blip of the accelerator, and you really have to curb your enthusiasm if you want to stay legal.

The ride on this high riding SUV is firm but comfortable with the MagneRide Suspension ensuring plenty of grip with minimal body roll.

As with the rest of the Mustang Mach-E range there are three switchable driving modes – Whisper, Active and Untamed – with each one offering more exciting performance than its predecessor.

And just in case you find the silence of an electric car a little boring you can switch on the “propulsion sound” while in Untamed to mimic engine noise.

There’s also the option to drive in one pedal mode, using the accelerator to both increase speed and – as you lift off – brake.

It’s an acquired taste but if you use it, it dramatically helps retain what battery charge you have, even if it doesn’t add to it.

And on the subject of battery charge Ford claims the car has a range of 310 miles which, while possible, is ambitious.

When I charged the car to 96 per cent of its capacity it was showing a range of 263 miles.

And for anyone interested in cost that jump to 96 per cent – from 34 per cent – cost me £34 using a 120 KW charger.

The Mustang Mach-E GT may be a totally different pony to the legendary V8 Mustang muscle machines seen in Hollywood films but there’s no denying it has the sort of performance that does credit to that iconic name.