Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Revealed As Off-Road-Ready Pony With Extra Torque

• Dual-motor powertrain producing 480 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque
• Updated suspension and larger front brakes
• Dedicated RallySport Drive Mode
• Target price of roughly $65k, arrives early next year

Ford is introducing the world's first rally-inspired electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E Rally, in full ahead of a public debut at the Detroit Auto Show. This follows the first preview at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The idea behind it, according to Ford, is to take Mustang freedom and fun onto dirt roads.

Now, you can't take a low-slung crossover on a dirt road without removing the bumpers and a few additional important parts underneath the car, so the first thing you need to know is that the Mach-E Rally has been lifted by 0.8 inches. So it's not built for rock crawling or mudding but rather sweet sideways fun on a well-maintained gravel road.

Other gravel driving-related upgrades include specially-tuned springs, MagneRide shocks, and 15.6-inch front brake rotors with red-painted Brembo brake calipers. It's still a stupidly rapid and heavy electric vehicle, so you want as much stopping power as possible if you get too down and dirty on a gravel road.

The Mach-E Rally will be the torquiest electric Mustang of the lot when it reaches production. Ford only provided targeted figures for now, but it's aiming for 480 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque using a tuned version of the Mach-E's dual-motor layout. It matches the current go-faster GT model when it comes to power output (also 480 hp) but has a higher torque figure. The standard GT produced 600 lb-ft, while the Performance model boosts the torque to 634 lb-ft.

It's only natural to worry about the undercarriage, but it should be fine. The Mach-E Rally comes standard with protective shielding for the front and rear motors. On the exterior, Ford included protective film on the door cladding and fender arches, and mud flaps are available directly from dealers. There's also a recovery point with a hook at the front in case you need to drag it out of a ditch.

To that end, this particular Mach-E comes with an all-new RallySport driving mode. It allows for more yaw before triggering the stability control systems and has a more linear throttle tune. The damping is set to maximum aggression for loose corners. You'll also get a set of 235/55 R19 Michelin CrossClimate2 tires with a reinforced sidewall, providing more grip on gravel while maintaining acceptable grip levels on tarmac.

This driving mode sounds like a win because we tried getting a Jaguar I-Pace to powerslide on a gravel road many moons ago. It was a cacophony of wild understeer, and the instant throttle response made it even worse. Having that linear throttle will likely make this car much easier to control.

According to Ford, it also has benefits in other conditions. The Blue Oval says drivers will appreciate the fun this driving mode provides in snow and slick driving conditions.

The Mach-E Rally comes standard with the Extended Range 91 kWh battery, and Ford is targeting an EPA-estimated range of 250 miles. This will put it somewhere in the middle of the pack as far as range is concerned. Even though it was built to go off the beaten path, you might want to keep within spitting distance of a charger.

Luckily, Ford's EVs will gain access to the Tesla Supercharger network next year, so you'll always be within spitting distance of fast charging. The Rally can charge its battery from 10% to 80% in roughly 36 minutes using a DC fast charger. That should be enough to grab lunch and stop your eyes from bouncing around in their socket.

The exterior looks sublime, wearing an exuberant spoiler inspired by the now-defunct Focus RS. Other enhancements include contrasting accents, a model-specific front splitter, a black-painted steel roof, a front fascia with built-in rally-inspired fog lights, and two racing stripes. Ford says these stripes complement the available exterior hues, which include Grabber Blue, Shadow Black, Eruption Green, and Grabber Yellow. If you shell out a few extra bucks, you can also access Star White or Glacier Gray. But the best bit is those stunning white wheels, which look like they were stolen directly from a Ford Puma rally car.

These white wheels tie in neatly with the interior, where you'll find gloss white accents on the dash, the lower spokes of the steering wheel, and stitching on the doors. The seatbacks are also gloss white, and "Mach-E Rally" has been embossed into the seating surface.

Ford says the Mustang Mach-E Rally is the latest in its long line of "innovative" vehicles and specifically stated that it follows in the footsteps of models like the F-150 Raptor and the incoming Ranger Raptor. That's a substantial claim, but Ford went to great lengths to ensure the Rally is as good as it claims. Ford even built an all-new rally course at its Michigan Proving Ground, designed by rallycross veterans. Ford's engineers and test drivers then abused the car in 500-mile tests, likely putting it through things it will never experience in real life.

"Mustang Mach-E Rally puts Ford's decades of passion for rally championships around the world right in the hands of our customers," said Jim Farley, chief executive officer. "It takes Mustang where it hasn't been before - to gravel and dirt roads. Inspired by true driving enthusiasts, a driving experience like never before for the pure joy of driving."

The targeted MSRP for the Rally is around $65,000, which will make it the new halo model in the range. It will be available for purchase in early 2024, and deliveries will begin shortly after.