Few fossil-fuelled Mustangs escape personalisation – now there’s a pack to add zap the incoming electric one.

NO self-respecting V8 Mustang rolls without an accessory or two – Ford New Zealand once estimated at least nine in every 10 sold went to specialists for something extra – but will enhancement also electrify Mustang Mach-E buyers?

The national distributor believes that’ll be the case, and so has put its backing behind a pimp pack for the battery-pure model, expected to be on sale from late May.

The $9000 RTR pack avails on the entry rear and mid-range all-wheel-drive editions. The flagship GT already has a factory-fitted body kit.

It can ordered vIa dealers, but fit-out is undertaken by CTB in Auckland, which also has been tailoring distributor-delivered internal combustion engined Mustangs since the current generation released in 2015.

RTR means ‘ready to rock’ but you’re not getting heavy metal. The electric fit-out is quite different to that favoured for the petrol editions, in that it’s about revving up the look but not the drivetrain. So muscle look, but no additional motivation. 

The extra urge might still come. After-market specialists in North America have undertaken factory-sanctioned tuning kits that lend extra oomph to Ford’s first full out assault with battery – with some big zap projects being revealed at the most recent Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA) in Las Vegas.

At the moment, though, that side of things is being steered clear of by Ford New Zealand.

Accordingly, the Auckland-based distributor’s citing that the RTR gear being ‘inspired by’ the Blue Oval’s rich motorsport heritage is not to be translated in the same way as it has been with the ICE product.

With the Coyote V8 cars in particular, the must-haves have begun with a loud exhaust and then focussed on extracting extra kiloWatts, plus brake and suspension upgrades.

While Ford NZ is calling the electric’s package of a must-have for anyone looking to take their Mach-E to the next level, they’re really talking about that in a visual rather than visceral way. And a quiet one, too. No sound enhancement going on here.

 The RTR package features RTR Aero 5 20-inch wheels and Continental EV tyres, to lend “an aggressive presence on the road”.  

Then there’s the ‘Signature Graphics Package’ that accords what Ford here describes as “a sleek solid black design.” Translation? Adhesive black patches on the flanks.

The finishing touches are a dash plaque and lots of logoes: RTR floor and cargo mats, RTR badges on the front wheelarch and boot.

Dope or nope? Sourcing the wheels and tyres and leaving it at that might be a more cost effective efficiency.

Says Ford NZ: “The Mustang Mach-E RTR offers customers the perfect blend of innovation and tradition with an electrified performance vehicle that stays true to its iconic roots while embracing a new era of electric mobility.”

Just to remind, Mach-E kicks off in single motor rear drive with a 75.7kWh battery at $79,990, to lineball against the Volkswagen ID.4, Kia’s EV6 and Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, which are slightly smaller cars, and sit slightly above Tesla’s Model 3. The base Ford is the sole version eligible for Government’s Clean Car $8625 refund.

The other versions are both in dual motor – so all-wheel-drive - and with a 98.7kWh battery. Mach-E AWD and Mach-E GT cost $109,990 and $124,990 respectively.

The rear-drive car has a factory-claimed range of 440 kilometres, makes 198kW and 430Nm and clocks 0-100kmh in 6.1 seconds, whereas the AWD will cover 550kms, packs 258kW/560Nm and hits the open road limit from a standstill in 5.1s.

 The GT is gruntier and faster still: It runs to 358kW and 860Nm and will hit 0-100kmh in 3.7 seconds – which makes it the fastest five-seater Ford has ever sold here. It’s narrowly behind the 430kW/740Nm EV6 GT, a $140,000 car.

The performance Mach-E’s effort comes at expense of range, which drops to a cited 490kms.