The electric Ford Mustang Mach-E GT finally bears his name

SAUSALITO, Calif. — In the grand scheme of things, the names that automakers give to their cars don’t really matter. And yet, nearly two years after its first reveal, some people are still upset that Ford has decided to call its new electric crossover the Mustang Mach-E. It probably didn’t help that Ford focused its attention on the longer-range Mach-E at first rather than a car that would live up to the Mustang’s image as a popular sports car.

I am not entirely averse to this argument. When we tested a Mach-E in February, I found it to be a competent EV, but it wasn’t much fun. Using the Mustang name to gain brand recognition is fine, but only if it doesn’t dilute that name beyond all meaning. A Mustang is a wild horse, after all.

Well, Ford rectified that with the arrival of the $ 59,900 Mustang Mach-E GT. The concept is similar to that of the first Mustang GT in 1965. More power, better tires and seats that keep you in place, plus a few styling tweaks – don’t crush it by leaving Cars and Coffee.

For starters, the GT rolls 0.4 inches (10mm) less than a standard Mach-E, and it sports new Continental all-season tires on its 20-inch aero wheels. Red brake calipers are new, as is a black honeycomb insert in the front that houses an illuminated Mach-E logo. Ford stylists also revised the front air curtains, and on the back there is a GT logo in place of the Mach-E horse. As usual, people will have their own opinions on the style; I think the new nose treatment is quite effective here.

Inside are new front seats with much more side bolsters, and the new patterned aluminum trim, paired with anthracite fabrics, gives the Mach-E GT’s cabin a more upscale feel to the car. height of its price.

The Mach-E GT uses the same battery cells as the other Mach-E’s and has the same usable capacity of 88 kWh. However, the pack has upgraded power electronics to be able to deliver a higher peak power of 480 hp (358 kW) – 134 hp (100 kW) more than the previously most powerful Mach-E. The torque increased further, from 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) to 600 lb-ft (813 Nm).

That’s good for a 0-60 mph (0-98 km / h) time of just 3.8 seconds and an EPA range of 270 miles (434 km). These numbers correspond to the first edition we tested as well as the extended Premium Mach-E all-wheel drive range. (If you want to maximize your road trips in a Mach-E, you’ll need the California Route 1 version, which is rated at 305 miles / 490 km.)

However, this is not the sporty Mach-E GT that you will want. Instead, the Mach-E GT Performance Edition is where the real action is, although that option adds a sizable $ 5,000 to the asking price (although the Mach-E is still eligible for the IRS 30D tax credit of $ 7,500).

You get what you pay for, however. There are bigger front brakes, wider alloy rims and even better front seats. The front engine is improved over the regular Mach-E GT, so the maximum torque output is even higher by 634 lb-ft (860 Nm). This allows the 0-60 time to be reduced by a few tenths to 3.5 seconds.