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The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Does Not Impress in a Straight Line

Initially teased under the Mach 1 handle, Ford’s electric SUV immediately raised eyebrows in disgust because Mach 1 has always meant go-faster Mustang. The Blue Oval then changed to Mach-E while adding the Mustang nameplate, alienating fans of the Dearborn-based outfit.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT 11 photos
Photo: Ford
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Performance Edition pricing and ordering information
There are two reasons for the Mustang designation, starting with pricing. $42,895 at the very least for a Ford-badged crossover with modified Escape underpinnings would’ve been a hard sell, but pony badges trick the customers into thinking it’s more special than any ol’ Ford. Secondly, the Mustang nameplate complements the styling of the Mach-E although the drivetrain and chassis don’t have anything in common with the real Mustang.

Ford’s biggest mistake with the Mach-E is how the company markets it. Instead of “zero to 60 thrills” as you’ll find on the landing page for the all-electric SUV, the Ford Motor Company should indicate that you can’t use maximum power in the Mach-E GT Performance for more than five seconds at a time. This limitation is a battery safeguard, a limitation that you won’t find in a proper Mustang with a proper engine. Heck, not even Tesla’s Model Y Performance throttles back the power after a single 60-mph run.

Car & Driver
refused to let that slip in their instrumented test of the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition. FoMoCo promises 3.5 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) with the bone-stock tires yet C&D couldn’t do better than 3.7 seconds. The cited publication writes that power is heavily limited after 80 mph (129 kph) and that a GT Performance Edition is “2.1 seconds slower to 110 mph (177 mph) than a lesser Mach-E 4X.”

As if that wasn’t bad enough for the performance credentials of the range-topping variant, Ford is adamant “the car is performing as expected” and that “the GT was designed around everyday usable performance for fun, not drag-strip duels or lap times.” For a vehicle that costs $66,000 and features a drive mode by the name of Unbridled Extend, that’s malarkey at best.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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