This is the new Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400 prototype. It’s a heavily modified, track-only version of Ford's new all-electric SUV, built in collaboration with the American tuning specialist RTR.
The Mach-E 1400 prototype shares its body-in-white with the production-ready SUV, but that’s where the similarities end. Every piece of the standard car’s running gear and chassis technology has been upgraded to suit the needs of circuit and drift racing.
• One-off all-electric Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 dragster unveiled
Upgrades include adjustable suspension, larger Brembo brakes, an improved electronic brake servo and a new hydraulic handbrake that’s specifically designed to make the SUV easier to drift. Ford’s uprated steering system is also adjustable and has unique setups for either track or drift racing, with the latter option offering a greater steering angle to allow the driver to better control slides.
The Mustang Mach-E 1400’s powertrain features seven electric motors, which is four more than road-going SUV’s. There are three motors for the front axle and four at the rear, which are stacked on each of the car’s differentials and produce a maximum combined output of 1,400bhp.
The motors are also entirely configurable, offering the driver a choice of either front-, rear- or four-wheel drive. They’re fed by a specially developed 56.8kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery and supported by a heavy duty cooling system, which Ford says will decrease the amount of cooldown time between runs.
Ford has also fitted the prototype racer with an aggressive body kit, which features flared wheel arches, broader side skirts, a deep front splitter, a huge rear diffuser and an enormous rear wing. The firm says that these additions provide functional aerodynamic benefits, with a claimed 1,000kg of downforce at 160mph.
The Mustang Mach-E 1400 also serves as a test-bed for Ford’s upcoming technology. For example, the SUV’s bonnet is made from a lightweight organic composite fibre, which the firm says has the potential to act as an alternative to traditional carbon fibre composites.
Ford commissioned the project to advertise the Mustang Mach-E’s performance capability and joins the firm’s growing range of prototype electric vehicles, such as the Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 dragster and the upcoming all-electric F-150 pick-up truck.
The American company is throwing its full weight behind electrification, investing more than $11.5 billion on the technology across its global markets. The consumer-facing Mustang Mach-E is available to order now, with first European deliveries expected in early 2021.
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