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In the USA they would call Franz “Car Guy” or “Petrolhead”. In plain English: the educator has petrol in his blood and a heart for powerful cars. During a professional stay abroad in South America, he was able to realize his boyhood dream and purchase Hollywood legend Steve McQueen’s emergency vehicle. But not the original Ford Mustang from the action film “Bullitt” – this was auctioned two years ago for around 3.4 million euros, which is just above the financial possibilities of a middle school teacher – but a not knotless typed used car with the legendary wild horse logo on the radiator grille.
On his return to Upper Austria, Franz took a charming South American sight home with him – his wife Hileana – but the Mustang had to stay over there. The crate would not have been given a right to stay here, let alone a number plate. As a burnout prophylaxis, after much back and forth at home, he bought a Mustang again. This was almost new, but a small accident Depscher pushed the price to a bearable level. But when Franz heard the eight-cylinder, it was over anyway with rational considerations of the category “Do I really need that?” Fortunately, his wife Hileana was smart enough not to question Mr. Franz’s enthusiasm for Mustangs, but to share them without reservation.
Two blemishes
Whether it was wise to ask the petrol brother to test the Ford Mustang Mach-E for the OÖ Nachrichten is another matter or type certificate. From the Franz perspective, our test car had at least two blemishes: firstly, due to the SUV-like body shape plus battery, it was quite overweight, and secondly, an electric motor instead of the fossil eight-cylinder thermal power station. Accordingly, the reaction to the test driver request was not exactly confidence-inspiring. “Are you allowed to write anything negative about a test car at all?” My unequivocal answer was “cough” or something. Then I remarked that the Mustang Mach-E GT has a maximum system output of 487 hp (the Franz eight-cylinder makes a measly 421 hp). An appointment was made immediately. “Well, at least the color is cool,” says Franz at first eye contact with the sparkling blue electric Mustang. Even when entering the cockpit, the Car Guy gives the tolerant Nice Guy. “You sit really high there. That’s certainly good for a lot of people.”
The teacher, who also has well over half a century on his speedometer and ticks a bit retro, does not rate the fittings with a very good. Although his petrol Mustang has already arrived in the digital world, the round instruments still simulate the analogue past. In the OÖN test car, in addition to a small digital display with the most important information, there is a large tablet above the center console, which actually takes a lot of getting used to, and not just visually.
The swipe cell phone generation should be happy with such a screen, but otherwise the screen looks like a foreign body. Good thing Steve McQueen can’t roll in his grave. His ashes were posthumously scattered across the Pacific.
The silent engine
I start the e-Mustang from the passenger seat by pressing a button. Franz looks at me questioningly. I ask back: “Are you waiting for an engine noise?” The guest test driver thinks for a moment, shakes his head and switches the automatic to “Drive” with a knob. When he fired up the eight-cylinder in his Mustang for the first time, he said he was scared while his Hileana had a panic attack. “My wife would like that,” says Franz about the silence of the electric engine. And then he steps on the gas pedal (or is it called the power pedal?). The Mustang doesn’t move; rather, it leaps forward. My petrol brother expertly comments on these driving dynamics with “Whoa” and grins like a honey cake horse. The display shows a three-digit number in a matter of seconds, whereupon Franz steps on his irons and is visibly relieved to see that the overweight wild horse not only masters the “Hü” but also the “Hott” quite confidently.
“From a standstill, it accelerates almost more dynamically than my Mustang,” admits Franz. He also seems to like the handling, which is somewhat astonishing since the electric car almost walks on stilts compared to the combustion engine. With a raised left eyebrow, Franz Steve McQueen coolly acknowledges that the electronic stability program only catches the breaking rear end very late. Contrary to expectations, he seems to enjoy riding the E-Mustang after all. When I then activate the artificial engine noise, he even shows his eternally youthful rascal grin.
So the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT passed the Franz test.
Ford Mustang Mach E GT
Price: from 61,900 euros
OÖN test car 77,500 euros
Engine: dual electric motor
three driving modes (tame, active, spirited)
Power 358 kW (487 hp)
maximum torque 860 Nm
Battery capacity 91 kWh
Consumption (WLTP)
Combined 21.2 kWh
OÖN test 28.4 kWh
Loading times (10 to 80 percent)
Wall box (3-phase) 7:10 h
Fast (150 kW) 45 mins
Max. range 490 km
Test range 320 km
Drive: four wheel drive
Transmission automatic
Mileage:
0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds
Top 200 km/h
Dimensions & Weights:
L/W/H 4743/1881/1613 mm
Wheelbase 2948mm
Empty weight 2348 kg
Payload 369 kg
Trunk 402-1445 l
Towing capacity 750 kg
Guarantee: two years, eight years on the high-voltage battery
Source: Nachrichten
