2019 Ford Mustang Vs. 2019 Ford Mustang Mach E

2019 Ford Mustang Vs. 2019 Ford Mustang Mach E

Whether you like it or not, Ford has started the process of turning the Mustang into a full family of models to capitalize on the nameplate鈥檚 decades-old popularity. Called Mustang Mach E, the first off-shoot is an electric, four-door family-hauler that slots into the crossover segment. We鈥檙e taking a look at how it stacks up against the coupe that inspired it. The Mach E is Mustang-inspired, not Mustang-based, and the two models share no parts whatsoever. While the Mustang has historically been offered only as a coupe and as a convertible, the Mach E arrives as a tall, four-door crossover. The two models share a handful of styling cues such as swept-back headlights, a long hood, and triple-bar rear lights, but no one will ever mistake a Mustang for a Mach E, or vice versa. Nameplate aside, each model as its own identity. There are even fewer parallels between the Mustang and the Mach E inside.

The Mustang was developed with a focus on performance, not on tech, so the front passengers sit on seats that are lower and firmer than the Mach E鈥檚. There鈥檚 not as much space inside, as you鈥檇 expect, but it鈥檚 still a reasonably comfortable place to travel in, and the latest update taught it how to speak tech. In contrast, the Mach E鈥檚 dashboard is dominated by a ginormous, 15.5-inch touchscreen that displays the infotainment system. There鈥檚 a second, 10.2-inch screen behind the steering wheel which replaces the instrument cluster. It goes without saying that the Mach E is more spacious than the Mustang; it was designed as a commuter, not as a sports car, and its electric powertrain is far more compact than a V8. There鈥檚 ample space for five passengers and 29 cubic feet of trunk space, or two passengers and 59.6 cubes with the rear seats folded flat. The frunk adds 4.8 cubic feet to either figure. It鈥檚 plastic-lined, and fitted with a drain plug, so it can double as a cooler, which is 鈥?pardon the pun 鈥?pretty cool.

2 seating layout that has characterized it since its introduction in 1964, though we wouldn鈥檛 put two adults on the rear bench and send them on a cross-country drive. Trunk space checks in at 13.5 cubes for the coupe, and 11.4 for the convertible. Both figures are actually respectable considering the Mustang鈥檚 positioning as a sports car; the coupe has a bigger trunk than a Mercedes-Benz C-Class (12.6 cubic feet). You鈥檙e in luck, because Ford again joined forces with tuner Shelby to offer quicker, more exciting variants of the Mustang. The GT350 brings a 5.2-liter, 526-hp V8 to the table, while the GT500 receives a supercharged evolution of the eight tuned to a mighty 760 horsepower. Rear-wheel drive is the only layout available, regardless of transmission type, or of how many cylinders are under the hood. The Mach E is available with several different powertrain configurations, including standard- and extended-range, plus rear- and all-wheel drive. The smaller, 75-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack gives the crossover a maximum driving range of 230 miles when it鈥檚 ordered with rear-wheel drive, or just 210 miles with all-wheel drive.

The entry-level model has 255 hp and 306 lb-ft. 429 when customers order dual-motor all-wheel drive. And while Ford proved it could make an electric car with a stick-shift at the 2019 SEMA show, the Mach E is only offered as an automatic. The bigger, 98-kWh battery pack unlocks about 300 miles of range in its most potent configuration. That鈥檚 with rear-wheel drive, which relies on a single electric motor rated at 282 hp and 306 lb-ft. Adding all-wheel drive bumps those figures to 332 and 417, respectively, but reduces the maximum range to 270. Finally, the performance-oriented GT offers 459 hp and 612 lb-ft. If it鈥檚 straight-line performance you鈥檙e after, keep in mind the Mach E takes 6.5 seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop in its slowest configuration, while the quickest variant does it in under four seconds. We鈥檙e told stuffing the bulky battery pack under the passenger compartment improves handling by lowering the center of gravity, but we鈥檒l wait until we get the chance to take the Mach E for a spin to make a final call. 1,095 destination charge enters the equation. That figure corresponds to an entry-level coupe with a turbocharged, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, and a six-speed manual transmission. 32,170. It goes without saying that Mustang buyers aren鈥檛 eligible to claim tax incentives; the government isn鈥檛 about to encourage motorists to buy a sports cars. Enthusiasts don鈥檛 need to worry about the gas guzzler tax, however. 60,500 before the same destination charge gets factored into the bottom line. Note that Ford hasn鈥檛 set the model鈥檚 destination charge yet.