Words by: Adam Allen
We owe Ford a debt of gratitude.
As 2019 turned into 2020 and COVID-19 was just getting started making daily life un-fun, we needed a distraction and Ford obliged. Not only did they tell us they were going to be making a new battery powered SUV, but they were going to call it- hang onto your N-95 mask- a MUSTANG. Reactions ranged from mild shock to apoplectic depending on where you reside on the pony car fan club spectrum. No matter how you responded, it was a welcome if short lived respite from the gloomy headlines talking about lockdowns and spiking new case numbers.
5 years later, we’ve had some time to digest this automotive-landscape-altering bit of reality and the sight of a Mustang Mach-E driving by doesn’t elicit so much as a second glance these days. Well, until now that is. Scything through traffic in our Grabber Yellow Mach-E Rally renewed the jaw dropping response we first saw all those years ago. Frankly, if you’d have told us years ago that Ford would build an electric SUV masquerading as Mustang and then make an off-road centric version we would have looked at you with the same expression a doctor might wear after being asked to check out “this new weird rash I’ve been dealing with lately.”
Actually, the notion of a sports car being modified for off pavement shenanigans is not new. Porsche showed us what an off-road 911 could be in their lusted after Dakar model, and even Lamborghini let its hair down with the even more bonkers Huracan Sterrato. Smartly seeing the loving embrace the enthusiast community offered cars of this emerging genre, Ford decided to get into the party early with the Mach-E Rally. As you read this, there are rumors that they are taking the concept even further by teasing a Mustang Raptor based on the pony car that’s more Woodward Avenue than Algonquin Park. Can’t wait to see what that one will look like.
But as we wait to see how deep Ford’s decent into delicious madness will go, the opportunity to flog the EV Rally came up, lining up perfectly with a toothsome winter storm. Yes please.
We didn’t have much time to explore the Mach-E Rally in great detail but we can certainly tell you that it’s a blast to drive. By now you’re already familiar with the regular Mach-E, so we’ll tell you what Ford did to the Rally version as well as offer some brief driving impressions.
Rally cars usually have appreciable horsepower density, and the Rally follows suit by offering the top shelf drivetrain of the Mach-E netting you 480 horsepower and 700 pounds feet of torque. Exclusive the this model is a RallyCross drive mode which will allow drivers the ability to coax the Mach-E into lurid power slides with a safety net sill in place if things get too spicy. Ford also installed underbody protection across the underbody to protect the delicate bits that reside there, and added a revised the front splitter that helps with departure angles. They also fettled with the magnetorheological dampers and other suspension components to deliver optimal performance in the dirt, and capped it all off with a big ol’ rear spoiler and the best factory wheels this side of the late Colin McRae’s old Focus. There’s not much going on in the interior- didn’t need anything, really- but the seats are unique to the rally and offer excellent lateral support mingled with all-day comfort.
Keenly aware that our time would be short with the Mach-E Rally we took to The Weather Network’s website to see if there was any snow in the forecast. As luck would have it, a ‘significant snowfall event’ would take place during its tenure in the Carpages Garage. When the evening rush died down and traffic thinned out, we took to the snow-covered roads while others hunkered down in their living rooms. We felt a faint reluctance at the thought of leaving our toasty abode but quickly realized we made the right decision when we selected the Unbridled drive mode and deployed the RallyCross sub setting. At the first snow dusted corner we saw, we guided the Mach-E’s nose towards the apex and gave the throttle a playful jab. The controlled oversteer that followed was a joy to experience over and over (and over) again. Basically, the RallyCross mode lets you play Travis Pastrana up to slip angles it deems appropriate and safe. Go past that threshold and you’ll feel the stability control reining things back in. It seems like a perfect bit of tech for those of us who want to explore their cars limits but without a mandatory visit to the body shop the next morning. The Mach-E’s front and rear defogger and heated seats and steering wheel kept us comfortable and outward visibility proved excellent, all of which goaded us to play around until the battery level depleted enough that we’d need to find a charger. This is exactly the stuff that the Mach-E Rally was ostensibly created for.
We mentioned Ford’s MagneRide suspension earlier and with the new tires and their requisite taller sidewalls specific to the Rally, ride quality is fantastic. It feels luxury car adjacent with the way it smooths out our winter ravaged roads. Overall, the Mach-E Rally demonstrates a level of confidence and poise- especially in terrible weather conditions- that makes it an even more compelling then the range-topping GT we loved when we tried it years ago. We promise not to peg anyone toiling away in Dearborn on a drool worthy Mustang Raptor as insane- because if lusting after the sole remaining pony car which morphs into a demon off the beaten path is wrong, we don’t want to be right.
2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally - Specifications
- Price as tested: $78,690
- Body Type: 4-door, 5 passenger SUV
- Powertrain Layout: Front and Rear Electric Motors/All-Wheel Drive
- Battery Capacity/Type: 91-kWh liquid cooled lithium-ion
- Total Horsepower: 480 @ 0 rpm
- Total Torque (lb-ft.): 700 @ 0 rpm
- Transmission: 1-speed direct drive
- Curb weight: 2,255 kg (4,972 lbs)
- Observed Energy Economy: 28 kWh/100km