Selwyn_Times: October 04, 2023

40 Selwyn Times Wednesday October 4 2023
Electric Ford Mustang worthy of the badge
Motoring with Bob Nettleton
THE MACH-E is a truly
transformational EV that is
sending Ford’s iconic Mustang
charging into an exciting fully
electrified future, complete with
similar performance to the burly
V8 models associated with this
famous US muscle car.
This is the first production
Ford developed from the groundup
to deliver pure-electric,
zero-emission driving. There is a
choice of single-motor rear-wheel
drive and dual-motor all-wheel
drive performance. In GT AWD
form it has a claimed 0-100km/h
sprint time of just 3.7 seconds.
From the outside, the Mach-E
is instantly recognisable as a
Mustang with signature elements
such as its long, sculptured
bonnet, rear-haunch design,
aggressive headlights and
trademark tri-bar tail lamps.
Three models are sold here
starting with a 198kW rear-wheel
drive priced at $79,990, allowing
it to sneak, by the skinniest
of margins, under the $80k
threshold for the government’s
$7,015 clean car rebate for full
electric vehicles. From there it’s
a sizeable step up to the 258kW
AWD retailing for $109,990 and
the subject of this review. Those
wanting even more hyper-amped
performance, get it in spades
with the 358kW GT AWD.
All this performance
aggression comes at a cost with
a real world all-electric driving
range of 490km, compared to the
550km for our test drive vehicle.
The entry-level rear-wheel drive
has a respectable all-electric
driving range of 440km.
The Mach-E features Ford’s
Next-generation SYNC, enabling
owners to select more than
80 vehicle settings from cabin
temperature and seat position to
ambient lighting. An intelligent
range feature accurately
estimates your remaining electric
driving range based on past
driver behaviour and forecasted
weather conditions. This feature
goes a long way to de-stress
range anxiety sufferers worrying
about running out of battery and
being stranded on some remote
country road.
An all-new platform has been
developed to take full advantage
of the performance-enhancing
weight distribution and torque
delivery of an all-electric power
train. The lithium-ion battery
is located centrally between the
axles and beneath the floor for
a low centre of gravity for better
handling.
Recharging is fast and easy.
Ford offers an optional wall box
to make charging from home
faster and more convenient.
Available in 7.4kW and 11kW
versions, the wall-mounted
charger can top up the Mach-E’s
battery from 10 to 80 per cent in
approximately 6 hours.
There’s 1 pedal drive to help
return more kinetic energy to
the battery. Acceleration and
deceleration are controlled by
pressing or lifting-off the throttle
for a genuine all-electric driving
experience. The brake pedal
remains active in case greater
braking power is required.
The 258kW of power produced
by the test vehicle is plenty for
delivering an ultra smooth
and responsive drive that will
win this car plenty of fans.
Driving aggressively, which is
tempting given the exhilarating
performance at your disposal
that materializes in an instant
even with a modest prod of
the accelerator, is a sure fire
way to burn off a lot of battery
quickly. Making smart use of
the 1 pedal system goes some
way toward replenishing the
battery. If you want to amp up
the excitement you can switch to
untamed mode. This unleashes
the full potential of the Mach-E;
sharpening the steering,
enhancing throttle response
and even giving you the feel of
downshifting on deceleration.
Whisper mode is the most
relaxing way to enjoy this
revolutionary Mustang. It
makes intelligent use of the
brake traction control system to
provide extra grip on wet and
slippery surfaces. A clever single
speed automatic adds a more
assertive feel and appeal to the
drivability of the test vehicle.
Practicality is one area
where the Mach-E trounces its
traditional two-door Mustang
siblings. Ford engineers and
designers have in a master stroke
created a vehicle that’s not only
true to the Mustang brand, but
offers plenty of space for five
passengers and their luggage.
There’s a generous 402 litres of
load area behind the rear seats.
A front trunk storage unit, made
possible by the absence of a
conventional petrol engine under
the bonnet, offers an additional
81 litres of storage space. It’s
drainable, making it the perfect
repository for wet or muddy
sports clothing.
On board is a host of advanced
driver assistance technologies
to keep you safe. Heading an
exhaustive list is Intelligent
Adaptive Cruise Control with
Stop & Go and Lane Centring.
This maintains a comfortable
distance from traffic ahead and
helps keep the vehicle centred
in its lane. Park Assist takes
the guesswork out of parking
by automatically manoeuvring
the vehicle into parallel parking
spaces.
Pre-Collision Assist with Auto
Emergency Braking can detect
pedestrians and cyclists in or
near the road ahead, or who may
cross the vehicle’s path. It can
it apply the brakes if it detects a
potential collision and the driver
does not respond to warnings,
A Lane-Keeping System with
Blind Spot Assist, monitors the
driver’s blind spot for vehicles
approaching from behind, and
can apply counter-steering to
warn the driver and discourage
Ratings out of 10:
Performance 8; Handling
8; Build Quality 7; Comfort
7; Space 8; Styling 7; Value
for money 7; Safety –
5-star ANCAP crash rating;
Clean car fee $7015
Overall points out of 10:
7.5
a lane change manoeuvre if a
potential collision is detected
A backup code can be entered
into a keypad on the B-pillar to
unlock the vehicle. It can also
apply your preferred vehicle
settings before you enter by
identifying smartphones and key
fobs as you approach. A handsfree
tailgate simplifies access,
opening the rear hatch with a
simple kicking motion under the
rear bumper.
The All-wheel drive system
applies torque independently
to the front and rear wheels
for improved acceleration
and handling. Unique shock
absorbers, springs and anti-roll
bars settings are tuned to take
charge on our plethora of twisty
undulating roads, and they do
the job with aplomb. There’s
a nice balance between ride
comfort and handling, although
the ride may be a bit firm for
some tastes in low speed urban
driving. Nicely weighted steering
with a decent measure of road
feel, make a good driving vehicle
great. Poised and polished road
holding makes the Mach-E a
worthy bearer of the legendary
Mustang badge.
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