The Ford Mach-E is one of the best-selling and most loved electric vehicles on the market, especially since there is a trim level and set of options for everyone. With the introduction of the Mach-E Rally, Ford has given customers one of the most unique offerings around, especially in the EV space. Recently, Emme Hall from Autoblog got the opportunity to put this EV Rally car to the test at the DirtFish Rally Driving School in Snoqualmie, WA, about 30 miles outside of Seattle.
What Makes a Mach-E Rally?
Starting off, the Mach-E Rally gets the same dual motor 91 kWh battery as the GT trim level. The Rally has 480 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque with eAWD. Ford claims a 0-60 mph time of a staggering 3.4 seconds while still getting an EPA-estimated 265 miles of driving range. To make sure the Mach-E is ready for the rally course, Ford added an extra inch lift with skid plates to protect the motors that sit in both the front and rear of the vehicle, as well as a giant rear spoiler and larger 385mm front brake rotors with red Brembo calipers. Standard white 19-inch rally-style wheels are wrapped in 235/55 R19 Michelin CrossClimate2 all-season tires.
There Was No Raining That Could Spoil This Fun Parade
The day that Emme arrived, it was raining, and the courses were wet, muddy, and very slippery. But, before she was let loose, she was given some time on the smaller rally courses at the DirtFish Rally School to test out the various driving modes primarily meant for the street. This helped her understand the differences in the MagneRide suspension tuning, power delivery, braking, and handling performance once she switched to the RallySport mode. In the ultimate street mode, Unbridled, she noticed how hard the traction control works to keep the Mach-E settled and not get too wild.
RallySport Mode
After a few laps to get ready, she was taken to the larger course to really put the Rally through its paces, saying, “We move to the larger track and I select the new RallySport mode. Now I have the full shebang at my disposal. The steering gets much heftier and communicates a bit more feel into the hands. It’s easier to tell when the tires are close to the edge of grip. RallySport mode doesn’t turn off all the nannies, but traction control is definitely less heavy-handed. Oh, and there isn’t any lift-off throttle brake regeneration. I have to use the mechanical brakes to get this 5,000-pound beast to slow down before a turn.”
Loads of Torque and An Amazing All-Wheel Drive System
Driving harder and harder with each lap, Ms. Hall continued to grow her confidence with the Mach-E Rally and enjoyed how much power was on tap since it’s an EV with no lag in throttle response: “RallySport mode brings the torque in much quicker, and it’s very linear. Combined with the single-speed transmission, it means that I always have power coming out of a turn. There is no shifting here, no turbo lag — just getting on the throttle quickly, squeezing out the power and letting the all-wheel-drive system claw its way around the turn. Do I induce oversteer a few times? Heck yeah, I do! But a bit of countersteering and patience keep the Mach-E from coming around all the way.”
The Mach-E Can Do It All
It seems pretty evident that Emme Hall and Autoblog enjoyed their time exploring the limits of the 2024 Ford Mach-E Rally. When such a fun and unique vehicle is made, it’s designed and engineered by people who truly love what they are creating. That’s exactly what makes the Mach-E Rally so brilliant. How many companies are willing to sell customers an electric rally crossover SUV? Instead of asking why, Donna Dickson, Chief Engineer, Mach-E, said, “Why not?”
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