Ford sneakily unveiled a sludge-shredding Rally version of its Mach-E electric vehicle at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, sending a camouflaged model up the infamous hill in anger to crowds of slightly bemused but impressed crowds.
Now, in a shock move, the manufacturer has said the Mach-E Rally model, which looks set to boast a whopping 480bhp and 880Nm of torque, will come to UK showrooms later this year.
Looking like something the late and great Ken Block might have dreamt up in a drift-induced fever dream, the Mach-E Rally rides 20mm higher than the model upon which it based. That's chiefly due to the addition of Magenride shocks for soaking up lumps and bumps found on unruly terrain.
To further improve its off-road chops, Ford has also thrown in specific 19-inch rally wheels, which we think look ace, shod in Michelin CrossClimate tyres that can shake off everything from mud to snow.
According to the company, the Mustang Mach-E "took the freedom and fun of Mustang and made it free from emissions".
“Now with Mustang Mach-E Rally, we’re providing our customers the freedom to venture off the asphalt and beyond the beaten path,” added Darren Palmer, vice president, Electric Vehicle Programs, Ford Model e.
The aforementioned performance stats are due to a re-tuning of the existing Mach-E GT’s dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain, complete with 91kWh battery pack. The system itself has been further protected from bumps and scrapes with additional underbody cladding.
Look closely at the imagery, and you’ll see a neat red tow hook at the front bumper, should potential customers need winching out of a ditch.
Inside, there are only subtle differentiations from the standard Mach-E (a few badges and colour elements), with the same Sync4A infotainment system used, featuring its portrait orientated layout that offers Apple or Android compatibility, over-the-air software updates and Ford’s voice control that can understand natural speech voice prompts.
Unfortunately, there is no official word on price, nor if Ford plans to release the Mach-E Rally in a limited run. But it has confirmed it is coming to showrooms in the UK and across Europe “later this year”.
That leaves you plenty of time to find a co-driver who is good with pace notes.
