Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition will hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, Ford predicts
It's all about jumping to the front of the pack when the stoplight turns green.
Oh, and competing with the Tesla Model Y and Wall Street darling Elon Musk.
The all-electric Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition is "targeting" 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, the company announced Tuesday. The figure is "calculated via peak performance of the electric motor(s) at peak battery power," the automaker said.
It's unusual for an automaker to promote performance figures based on simulations.
The Mach-E GT Performance Edition will generate 480 horsepower and 634 pound-feet of torque. Ford says it is also targeting a 235-mile range estimate.
“We already pushed the envelope by creating an electric vehicle with the pony badge, so it’s only natural that we push it even further,” said Darren Palmer, Ford's global director, battery-electric vehicles, in a news release. “Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition not only gives you the added performance you expect from the GT name, but accentuates the thrill with the responsiveness of an all-electric powertrain.”
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Is the speed really necessary? Yes. Yes, it is.
"Elon Musk has made almost a game and certainly a reputation for his cars having, among other things, excellent performance. The Mach-E is so clearly a direct competitor of the Model Y. If Ford is going to compete, they have to have range, style, advanced technology and acceleration performance numbers to stand up to what Elon touts," said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars.com, a car listing and data site.
"There’s a joke that says horsepower is what you read about and torque is what you feel," Brauer said. "When you feel your neck muscles strain to keep your head level and not pull backwards, you’re fighting torque — not horsepower."
An electric motor has an advantage over the internal combustion engine because it can reach maximum torque immediately rather than a gradual crescendo.
In the fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) space, Tesla continues to dominate. The automaker based in California has set a bar among consumers for vision and excellence. No other competitor has the cachet that the billionaire from South Africa has established.
"The questions is, will the Mach-E finally break that not-so-glorious tradition of not having a successful, non-Tesla EV? It's got the best shot of any EV yet," Brauer said. "The reasons are basically because it offers almost the exact same package as a Model Y — the space, style, size, range and now performance. The Mach-E GT lines up on a technical level very well."
Ford is looking to woo consumers, especially in California, who want to buy from a company that supports strict air quality standards and employs the most hourly workers in the U.S. auto industry.
"Mustang is one of the most famous nameplates in automotive history," Brauer said. "Ford has got all the boxes checked that need to be checked and a couple other boxes no other electric vehicles offer."
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The 2021 Mustang Mach-E GT will start at an estimated $60,500 in the United States. Pricing on the Performance Edition Package will be available in the spring.
The company said the sporty SUV features:
19-inch front brakes with red-painted Brembo calipers
20-inch machined-face Ebony Black "painted pockets" in the wheels, which are fitted with 245/45R20 Pirelli summer tires
MagneRide suspension that helps to improve handling performance
Both Mustang Mach-E GT and Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition will be available in Cyber Orange Metallic Tri-Coat, Dark Matter Gray Metallic, Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, Star White Metallic Tri-Coat, Grabber Blue Metallic, Shadow Black, Iconic Silver Metallic and Space White Metallic.
The company is accepting Mustang Mach-E GT reservations online now. Customers who have already reserved the Mustang Mach-E GT will have the opportunity to add the Performance Edition package at time of ordering in the spring.
The Mach-E GT and GT Performance Edition will be available next summer.
The first Mach-E's should be delivered to customers soon.
All Mustang Mach-E vehicles are built at a Ford plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico.
Free Press staff writer Mark Phelan contributed to this story. Contact Phoebe Wall Howard at 313-222-6512 or phoward@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @phoebesaid. Read more on Ford and sign up for our autos newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition targets 60 mph in 3.5 seconds
