Thursday, January 9, 2020

Ford鈥檚 First Official Electric Mustang Is An SUV Called The Mach-E

Ford鈥檚 First Official Electric Mustang Is An SUV Called The Mach-E





After spending the past year teasing the public with a trickle of information, Ford has finally unveiled its first official, all-electric Mustang, the Mach-E. But the automaker鈥檚 latest version of its famous pony isn鈥檛 the electrified muscle car people have been waiting for. Rather, it鈥檚 a crossover SUV meant to compete with the likes of Audi, Jaguar and Tesla. Making its debut during a livestream on Sunday evening, the Mach-E represents a notable commitment to the electric car future by the Detroit-based automaker. While Ford and its peers have toyed with smaller electric options, the new battery-powered Mustang has the iconic name, styling and size that American drivers expect from their automakers. At first blush, even though the first electric Mustang is an SUV, it somehow still looks the part. In fact, the Mach-E bears a striking resemblance to the sixth generation of the muscle car鈥攐nly bigger, wider and with an extra set of doors. Featuring the same (simulated) grille, headlights and taillights that have become its trademarks, it almost looks as if someone took the standard Mustang and inflated it.





One design quirk that鈥檚 sure to get people talking, though, are the door handles. They鈥檙e hidden and only reveal themselves after a special activator button is triggered. While aerodynamic door handles may sound like a gimmicky feature for an SUV, Ford clearly wants the Mach-E to live up to the Mustang鈥檚 storied history of performance, zero-emissions or not. 鈥淭he Mustang Mach-E wholeheartedly rejects the notion that electric vehicles are only good at reducing gas consumption,鈥?Hau Thai-Tang, the company鈥檚 chief product development and purchasing officer, said in a press release. Of course, at the end of the day this is a crossover SUV, and it has the storage room to prove it. A trunk and the rear hatchback combine to give the vehicle 29 cubic-ft of luggage space, a number that more than doubles when you fold down the rear seat, which is more than the E-Tron and I-Pace. The interior is just as spacious, with has room for six adult passengers. The SUV also features a deluxe infotainment system with a giant 15.5-inch touchscreen panel with a physical control knob. Ford plans to release the EV in a range of different trim styles, including Select, Premium, First Edition, California Route 1, GT and a GT Performance Edition. But what might be most surprising about the Mach-E may be the pricing. It鈥檚 clear from the specs that Ford expects its first electric SUV to compete with the E-Tron, I-Pace and the upcoming Tesla Model Y, but its prices will fall well under those models. 500. Deliveries of the electric SUV are expected to begin next spring.





Ford is targeting a driving range of at least 300 miles with the extended-range battery and rear-wheel drive. Targeted horsepower and torque ratings on extended-range AWD versions are 332 hp and 417 pound-feet. That鈥檚 more than respectable, but there will also be GT and GT Performance Edition models that offer an estimated 459 horsepower and 612 lb-ft of torque. Ford is targeting 0-60-mph times of under 4 seconds in GT models, and in the mid-3-second range for the GT Performance Edition. Wow. There鈥檚 a lot to process here. First, there will be a Mustang SUV; second, it will be a pure-electric vehicle; and third, there鈥檚 a performance version that will be about as quick to 60 mph as a Porsche 911 GTS. We鈥檝e known since early 2018 that this vehicle was coming, and that it was going to take its overall design inspiration from the Mustang, but we鈥檙e a bit surprised that Ford is officially calling it a Mustang. The strategy makes sense on many levels, however. The very rationally minded Chevrolet Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf, to name a couple current mainstream-brand EVs, are fine vehicles鈥?but they don鈥檛 really set anyone鈥檚 heart afire, and they haven鈥檛 exactly been roaring successes in the marketplace.





What are common reasons my Ford Mustang Mach 1 won't start? How is a no-start diagnosis fixed? Correcting most no-start problems usually involves replacing the alternator, starter or battery, cleaning connections, ignition system repairs, or fuel system repairs. But because there are so many potential causes, the diagnosis is key to understanding how expensive the repair will be. When a vehicle doesn't start it can be for many reasons. To avoid replacing unneeded parts we recommend having a professional perform a diagnostic test to identify the root cause of the problem. Diagnosing modern automotive systems without proper knowledge and training can be frustratingly difficult, but without proper technique the diagnosis will only be reached through changing parts on a hunch. Automotive systems, especially in the last 10 years, have become extremely advanced, and most vehicles have a communication network that allows all of the systems to communicate. This is a blessing for the trained technician, and a curse for the DIYer who would rather save money on the repair.





Fancy a different Mustang? We've got loads of Mustangs for sale! The Shelby Mustangs get all the hype, followed closely by the BOSS 429 and the BOSS 302, but in 1969 you could buy a Mach-1 with all the BOSS goodies. The option list in 1969 and 1970 was over 60 items long, not to mention 10 engines. All Mach 1s were fastbacks and in 1969 were blessed with scoops under the C-pillar and 4 headlights. These features were dropped for 1970, but the 351 Cleveland replaced the 4-BBL Windsor engine. Although the same size as the Windsor, the 4-BBL Cleveland used the heads from the BOSS 302 and much larger valves to produce significantly more horsepower with hydraulic lifters. The Mach 1 package included suspension upgrades and ten inch drum brakes, front disc brakes were optional on all Mach 1s. The interior appointments included high back buckets seats and even a clock.

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