Ford Mach-E Rally: The First Electric Off-Road Mustang

The Mustang has been Ford’s most storied car since its debut 60 years ago. However, everything you know about this pony car is about to change. Ford shook the motorsports world by introducing an electric off-road version — the Mach-E Rally.

The public saw the Mach-E Rally for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. What should we expect from this off-roader? How will it perform off-road?

What Do We Know About the Mach-E Rally?

The Mach-E Rally debuted on the track at Goodwood. Video from the weekend showed what you’d expect from an electric vehicle (EV) — quietness and excellent speed.

I’d like to run through the specs to discuss the horsepower and torque, but Ford has not disclosed the official details of the Mach-E Rally. The Dearborn-based automaker is likely to announce the specs in September as pre-orders become available. Customers in the U.S. and Europe will be the first to get their hands on this vehicle.

The Mach-E Rally is only one part of Ford’s off-road journey. In June, the manufacturer announced the Ranger will compete in the next Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.

What Should We Expect from the Mach-E Rally?

We don’t know many specifics about the Mach-E Rally, but we can consider what Ford is likely doing with the vehicle. From what we can see, Ford has designed the Mach-E Rally off the Mach-E GT. The GT gets up to 480 horsepower and 634 lb-ft of torque with the Performance Edition eAWD model, so we can expect the Mach-E Rally to meet or exceed these benchmarks.

How Will the Mach-E Rally Perform Off-road?

We saw footage of the Mach-E Rally on pavement, but our biggest question is how the Mach-E Rally performs off-road. If it’s similar to the Mach-E GT, there is room for optimism and skepticism.

The Mach-E Rally shows new off-road style wheels and a sleek rear-mounted spoiler. The electric powertrain should offer impressive torque and acceleration. However, we’re skeptical because the ground clearance of 10.5 inches is barely higher than the Mach-E GT and much lower than other formidable off-roaders, meaning it might not fare well on moderate to challenging off-road trails.