Ford Mustang Mach-E GT: an ice-proof SUV
Ford now wants to offer a new, even stronger image. To prove it, the brand invited us to test the Mustang Mach-e GT in extreme conditions.
The world is changing. And it’s not the auto industry that says otherwise, where all players are trying to find a new way to reconcile their historical DNA with market demand. It gets stuck on the side of the Ford. Despite the appearance of the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which has already violently turned a page in the history of the manufacturer, the Blue Oval still has a watered-down image in this part of the world.
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These are the scars of a long-standing rift between Ford USA and Ford Europe, born out of the merger of British and German branches. If the bridges over the Atlantic still existed, from the 90s the brand launched the One Ford movement to close ranks and become one. But there were still models specific to the European market, but there was no real icon. But if the Mustang, Mach-E or Explorer can cross the ocean since then, Ford will give it a big shot with the new Adventurous Spirit movement.
A new adventure for Ford
With this new look, Ford plans to assert its origins and break away from its fake German brand image. It will avoid this without going through the 100% electric box, small Fiesta and Focus, S-Max and C-Max minivans, Mondeo sedan and EcoSport crossover, among others. In other words: all models that no longer carry the image the brand is looking for. It is also clear that the models that no longer fit the market, the more bulimic SUV with ever-stretching dimensions.
That’s what this new strategy, which will focus on the kind of cars that Ford can carry the desirable image of the United States above all, proves. They will be divided into four big families. There we will find the line Escape from the city, with city models like the Ford Puma. The Adventure Active series will focus on SUVs designed for family use and exploring new horizons. Almost unseen, row Ultimate Outdoor It will highlight the ruggedness with the arrival of vehicles with Yankee blood like the officially imported Bronco.
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Finally, Ford will not neglect the sports fiber with the family Wild Performance, where the Ford Mustang Mach-E already sits, we recognize as one of the first pillars of the inevitable electrification of all these next series. Because it’s also where Ford wants to go, from 75 EV orders per day in Europe to 2,000 in 2024. So Ford doesn’t want to be a niche manufacturer, but it’s on a slippery slope. do it quickly and well to achieve their short-term goals. And to show us the philosophy better Spirit of adventure and with all the art of jumping on slippery ground, the manufacturer entrusted us with the Mustang Mach-E GT on the Flaine ice circuit.
An elephant in a china shop
This SUV, we already know that. And this is especially the case with the GT version, which left us with fond memories during its official launch: its brash character has everything Mustang. If that’s not enough to make it a true Mustang, the Mach-e is definitely the Mustang of SUVs: it’s a flood everywhere, always quick to get out of its way, whether it’s in terms of power or the level of the rear axle. It declares the color.
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But on the ice it is better than ever not to put the brain in the glove box, just like on the asphalt of the road closed for the event. Despite the presence of dirty tires, the physics is there and the 2.2-ton SUV is waiting to go straight. Therefore, it requires strong neural connections and a lot of finesse in the execution of commands, which does not facilitate conditional withdrawal. Something to make you feel like an elephant in a china shop.
Especially since all the excesses here are paid in cash, sometimes with excessive braking and shaky ABS, sometimes with a saturated front axle. The solution: lie and trick the electronic crutches by caricaturing the movements and stepping outside your comfort zone. One way to achieve this is to tip the car on the nose before cornering with the brake grid, keeping the angle on the steering wheel longer than necessary and quickly and quickly re-aligning the axle. short acceleration. If well-choreographed, you’ll slide off all four wheels without excessive train slip, which should be prohibited in any case: any attempt to reverse steer prematurely realizes the systems’ trickery and can then send you into the wall. from the snow. It’s not easy.
The electric fairy is in the service of motor skills
If the benefits of the electric fairy are many, the ones brought when driving on snow or ice allow more than one conversion. However, even the best integral transmissions with a manual shaft will never show the same immediacy and precision of transmission provided by two independent electric machines. Only in a very small window will it be possible to maintain drift in the dust plume after sinking between the bottom spin and the spin.
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Obviously, such an exercise is far from all the notions of efficiency that an electric car wants to promote. We have definitely forgotten that day because we weren’t there for it. However, we still wanted to perpetuate the consumption meter. After first setting a record for Automobile Propre with an average of 69kW/100km, we’re up to 82kW/100km here, or the equivalent of 110km of autonomy in these conditions. . But it is of course completely useless to consider these energy data, because they do not represent any reality.
He was born in the United States
If its weight is sensitive, the Mustang Mach-E demonstrated on asphalt as well as snow that its dynamic capabilities can be much closer to that of a (very) large sedan than an SUV. Therefore, many were able to find their account with the new “all SUV” strategy sought by Ford, even with an electric drive system. But the manufacturer still has a long way to go, he will have to monitor all his indicators to know if he is on the right track. If the analogy with our driving session is confirmed, the future is sure to be fun.
Currently, the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is one of the only US-made representatives of this future. Keep in mind that it is listed at €87,200.
Photo credit: DR Clément Choulot
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