Ford is carefully preparing its upcoming Mustang Mach-E model for the European market to make sure it will put smiles on faces across the continent and deserves to wear the Mustang badge.

In the latest video, the company presents what has been done during the development program to achieve the desired driving characteristics.

The fine-tuning is conducted by the team at Ford’s testing facility in Lommel, Belgium, which also tests the Mach-E pre-production prototypes on a variety of road types, including "Norway’s twisty Trollstigen mountain road, high-speed German autobahn or bumpy British B-roads".

One might ask, so what exactly has to be adjusted compared to other global markets, like North America? Well, according to Ford, there are multiple things, including suspension, steering, powertrain and driver assistance technology characteristics like:

  • Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go
  • Speed Sign Recognition
  • Lane Centring interpret road signs and lane markings across the continent
Ford Mustang Mach-E in Europe
Ford Mustang Mach-E in Europe

The base for making a sporty EV is to have a responsive dual-motor, all-wheel-drive system and a low center of gravity (with batteries installed in the sandwich floor). But then everything has to be fine-tuned.

European roads happen to be typically narrower, more twisty and the speed limits are higher (in general and especially on German's highways). Also, the tyres were specially chosen for the optimum "balance of grip and ride comfort across the region’s wide variety of road surfaces and weather conditions".

"Using the Lommel test facility’s 65 miles of test tracks – which recreate road surfaces from Belgian pavé to French cobbles, and feature replicas of road surfaces from countries including the UK, Germany and Spain – Ford engineers delivered a distinctive European feel.

Europe’s typically narrower, more twisty roads with higher speed limits than other regions require unique responses from the Mustang Mach-E’s connected and confident steering, supported by specially selected settings for the suspension system’s shock absorbers, springs and anti-roll bars."

"Mustang Mach-E’s smooth and stable ride is even more essential for the high speeds encountered on European motorways. Evaluation of the all-electric model’s high-speed cruising characteristics – including interior refinement – took place on German autobahns and at the Lommel facility’s 140 mph, 2.5-mile banked circuit."

Ford Mustang Mach-E in Europe
Ford Mustang Mach-E in Europe

"Drivers can choose from Whisper, Active and Untamed Drive Modes. Each mode delivers unique settings for steering, accelerator pedal and deceleration feel, ambient lighting and even vehicle sounds to match the experience to the driver’s mood."

Geert Van Noyen, manager, Vehicle Dynamics, Ford of Europe said:

“With today’s technology we can tailor a vehicle in the virtual world so that our early prototypes are well on their way to delivering the right character.  However, that critical last 10 per cent can only be defined on the road,”.

“Using pure-electric power means the Mustang Mach-E interior is very quiet, and that makes preventing unwanted noise and vibration from reaching the interior even more important,”

The Ford Mustang Mach-E in extended range-battery, rear-wheel-drive configuration is expected to get up to 379 miles (610 km) of WLTP range. The all-wheel-drive version should get 335 miles (539 km).

Gallery: Ford Mustang Mach-E in Europe

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