2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition

Sit back relax and let us do the driving with a new round of quick spins. Ford is going electric in a big way. Not by starting a new brand. But rather, by electrifying two of their most popular and historic model nameplates.  The F-150, and of course the Mustang.  Yes, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E reimagines America’s original pony car as a fully-electric all-wheel-drive utility vehicle; but an exclusive Quick Spin in the rarest model, a Mach-E GT Performance Edition, reveals that “performance” is in the name for good reasons.   

BRIAN ROBINSON: "In the Mustang world, the step up from the standard EcoBoost to the GT is a significant one, but here in the Mach-E that step up is more like Willie Wonka’s elevator that blasts you through the roof and opens up a whole new world of performance to you.”  

JOHN DAVIS: Just a quick rundown of the details before hitting the track. The Mach-E GT features dual motor all-wheel-drive, with 480-horsepower and 600 lb-ft. of torque; plus a 260-mile range. On top of that, Performance Editions get recalibrated motors that deliver an additional 34 lb-ft. of torque, as well as a track-oriented setup for the all-wheel-drive system, red Brembo brake calipers behind unique 20-inch wheels with summer performance tires, and MagneRide Damping.

Inside, there are upgraded performance seats, and unique materials. Plus, an Unbridled Extend drive mode for...uhum...track use only, which dials back traction and stability control, and pumps a little more simulated engine noise into the cabin.

We certainly weren’t used to having this much grip available at launch in a Mustang.  It makes for a surreal experience leaving the line with just a tiny chirp of the wheels, and catapulting to 60 in only 3.5-seconds. Reminding us that the ability to instantly deliver boatloads of torque is the thing we look forward to the most in our all-electric future.  

But from there, instead of piling on, power seems to plateau and maintain throughout the rest of the ¼-mile; and the “ground speed” numbers which were just a blur, become very easy to read as they slowly tick up. It feels like you’re on your way to an 11-second ¼-mile, and then someone pulled the drag chute too early, and you end up finishing with a 12.4 at only 103 miles-per-hour.  

And as much as we appreciate all of that getaway grip at launch, it’s much more beneficial when it comes to handling.  Not only is there all-wheel-drive, but those 245/45/20 Pirelli tires add the kind of adhesion that makes cone carving much more enjoyable.

Turn-ins are sharp, but there’s no disguising the fact that there’s well over 2-tons of mass here. So, it’s not exactly nimble or tossable; but like most EV’s, it wears that weight low, giving it a very planted feel. The Brembos deal with all of that weight quite well, with only 108 feet needed for stops from 60.

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E pricing starts at just over $44,000, GTs at around $61,000; with another $5,000 for Performance Editions. And we’ll have more Quick Spins...soon!