How Ford Created the Electrifying Mustang Mach-E Rally

Photo Source: Ford

Snapshot:

• The Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally is designed to deliver true rally performance.
• Engineers attended rallycross events and interviewed drivers to ensure the Mustang Mach-E lives up to its name.
• Extensive testing included a 500-mile torture test that mimics real-world conditions in a controlled environment.

The Inception of the Mustang Mach-E Rally

The concept of off-road-ready electric vehicles is no longer merely a pipe dream. Ford painted an intriguingly muddy picture with an iteration of the popular Mustang Mach-E. The automaker is prepared to stir the air with something brand-new – a Mustang Mach-E that has traded its urban asphalt manners for a slightly wilder spirit. 

Indeed, the Mustang Mach-E Rally depicts the potent synergy of design, passion, and engineering. This rally-inspired variant of the Mustang Mach-E began as a daring notion in an engineering breakroom and has since undergone extensive testing to prove its capabilities on uneven terrain.

The journey of this innovative SUV began in the early 2022 model year when product planners Peter Schultz and Craig Migliori received a challenge: “Can we make a rally-inspired version of the Mustang Mach-E?” Taking a hand-me-down Mach-E GT, they added off-road wheels and tires, and tested it at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds. The result was a resounding success.

Engineering and Aesthetic Qualities

The team understood that the Mach-E Rally required not only a bold appearance but also real rallycross-inspired capability. They accomplished this with a 1.0-inch lift from the standard Mustang Mach-E GT suspension height, combined with RallyCross-tuned springs and shock absorbers. 

The SUV is outfitted with gloss-white 19-inch wheels encased in Michelin CrossClimate2 tires for superior strength and traction. Additional underbody shielding safeguards the vehicle from grime typical in rallycross driving.

To emphasize its high-performance personality, the team also added unique contrasting accents, incorporating a one-of-a-kind front splitter, upper and lower body moldings, a black painted steel roof, a distinctive rear spoiler, and built-in rally-inspired fog lights. 

Arduous Testing

Ford off-road attributes engineer Chris Berchin and vehicle engineering supervisor Jay Kistler played pivotal roles in validating the Mach-E Rally SUV’s rallycross capabilities. The team conducted a new 500-combined mile torture test at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds, simulating the equivalent of 10 years of monthly rallycross racing. 

“We tested in numerous different weather scenarios and temperatures with conditions ranging from muddy to dry – typical of what rallycross competitors might face,” Chris said, “Likewise, the surface is dirt of varying composition, allowing for different traction scenarios.”

Chris’s rallycross racing experience and Jay’s engineering expertise allowed for rapid ideation and triumph. The team transformed an unused field into a fully built rallycross testing course. They attended rallycross events and interviewed drivers to ensure the course accurately reflected real rallycross environments.

A Boost in Engineering and Confidentiality

Ford’s engineers completed a full computer-aided engineering (CAE) analysis of the course, mapping expected speeds, timing, elevation, and more. To clarify, measuring equipment and advanced sensors guaranteed that the course had the look and feel of a rallycross race, with data to back it up.

The in-house development of the course and vehicle helped keep costs and development time down while maintaining the secrecy of the Mach-E Rally project. This achievement earned the team a Vehicle Engineering Validation award from Ford.

Greater Performance

The Mustang Mach-E Rally team altered the existing Mustang Mach-E vehicle for enhanced performance on dirt roads. The traction control, powertrain calibration, and MagneRide suspension are tuned for rallycross and dirt-track capability. Raised suspension establishes improved performance on challenging terrain.

Moreover, the RallySport drive mode from Ford is designed specifically for dirt-track driving, allowing for added yaw for larger slides, more aggressive damping for better handling in loose corners, and a linear throttle response for better control.

Drive the Future with the Mustang Mach-E Rally at NYE Ford!

The Mustang Mach-E Rally is now ready to order on Ford’s official website. It began as a single question just over two years ago (2022), and it has developed into a vehicle that can hit the dirt track. If rally enthusiasts want to experience engineering excellence and stunning performance, please come visit NYE Ford. We are all about helping our customers enjoy their shopping experience. We have a friendly and passionate sales team that will make your buying, leasing, or selling needs easy for any of our new vehicle inventory.