The Ford Mustang Mach-E preview

Everyone’s seen the classic Mustang – how does the Mach-E compare?

While the classic Ford Mustang is a sharp-looking coupé speedster – illustrated by the Mustang versions released in the last decade – this all-electric version looks more like a muscular SUV.

The new-look Mustang retains certain exterior features within that bulky build; arrowhead-shaped brake lights and a chrome Mustang badge give it the air of familiarity Mustang aficionados will long for, with a long, rounded bonnet and covered-over grille that succinctly shows it’s an EV.

The head-turning exterior lends itself to interior bliss, with the Mach-E’s 19-inch chrome alloys affording the driver a high ride height and a commanding view of the road.

But before jumping in, owners should get familiar with the Mach-E’s unusual mode of entry: a button on the door sills prises the door ajar, and a small grab-handle opens it fully. A smartphone app from Ford can act as a key, and even if the smartphone should run out of battery, there’s a five-digit pin system that can open the door, mounted on the door sill itself. It’s a vision of the future – and an impressive one.

What’s the interior like?

In the Mustang’s cabin, the driver will also enjoy the Mach-E’s 15.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, in portrait layout, with an impressively responsive, split-screen setting that allows app pairing to Android Auto or Apple CarPlay while using the other half of the quirky-but-clear rectangular screen for navigation, climate control and other functions.

Cabin seating is leather with neat stitching detail across the seats, and around the front and centre of the cabin. After getting comfy, slip the automatic transmission into drive, and sample one of the Mach-E’s selection of drive modes: Active, Whisper and Untamed. These alter lots of driving aspects such as throttle and braking, to aesthetic details like the colour of the cabin’s ambient lighting. And for such an aspirational car, it’s encouraging to know that the Mustang Mach-E comfortably has room for five, meaning that, guidelines allowing, you can travel with a full complement in comfort and style.

The Mach-E’s range-topping trim, the First Edition, has ten top-class Bang & Olufsen speakers that are more sonic experience than sound system.

How big is the boot?

Correction: boots. The 402-litre capacity in the rear – add another thousand litres with the rear seats folded down – is complemented by an 81-litre front trunk, or ‘frunk’. This front boot is located where a combustion engine would normally be.

What are the battery options?

The range-topping 99kw/h battery delivers a quite amazing 370-mile range on one charge, streaking ahead in its class, while the lighter option contains a 76 kw/h battery. Both are rear-wheel drive.

Meanwhile, an all-wheel-drive option provides up to 258 kW of power propelling the Mach-E to a top speed of 111mph, more than ample for an EV with a name synonymous with galloping along the open road, going from 0-62 mph in 5.5 seconds.

One really impressive tool across all Mach-E trims is the Mach-E’s ability to gain 73 miles of charge in just ten minutes at a high-power charging station.

Meanwhile, across the Mach-E specs, range anxiety can be put in the rear-view mirror, thanks to the car’s intelligent range calculator, which works out the effect on the car’s mileage due to factors like weather conditions and traffic levels. Excitingly, the Mustang Mach-E GT, with a blistering 0-62 mpg speed of 3.7 seconds, is set to be released in spring 2021, further showing off the Mustang’s galloping spirit.

A car at the heart of Hollywood cinema’s gaze for decades, Ford’s all-electric version of the Mustang is another one set for superstardom.