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If you are looking for about 500 horsepower, all-wheel drive, and speeds from zero to 60 mph in less than four seconds, here are two very different approaches.
On the surface, the BMW M4 competition in 2022 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT in 2021 do not seem to have much in common. One is a gasoline-powered German coupe, priced at US$95,345 (starting at US$75,695), and the other is an American electric crossover, priced at US$69,800 (starting at US$61,095). The EPA's comprehensive evaluation of BMW is 18 mpg and Ford's evaluation is 82 MPGe. Open the BMW hood, and you will see a 503-horsepower 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with strut support. Do the same thing with Mach-E, and you will find a large box capable of transporting large amounts of shrimp.
But Mustang does have an electric motor on the front axle and an electric motor on the rear axle, which combined can produce 480 horsepower. So, we have several all-wheel drive performance cars with a power of about 500 horsepower. It seems that they will be just as fast?
We haven't tested the M4 Competition, but the rear-wheel-drive manual M4 ran to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, so we expect the all-wheel-drive competition, its eight-speed automatic and an extra 30 horsepower, it's a bit wrong. We recently tested the Mach-E GT performance version, which added 34 pound-feet of torque (634 pound-feet total). Ford claims that the time between zero and 60 mph is 3.5 seconds, but our test time is 3.7 seconds. So, which one would you prefer to have?
BMW is obviously something better, especially the interior dipped in Manx green paint and Kyalami orange leather. Its roof is carbon fiber, as is the shell of the $3.8 billion carbon fiber bucket seat. The color head-up display seems to account for half of the windshield. Every detail has been carefully considered, from the red M button on the steering wheel to the fabric straps that pull the front seats to slide forward. Its target audience is audiences who are accustomed to a certain degree of frictionless precision in life. You might say, "Yes, for nearly 100 grand performances, I hope it's good." Well, yes.
Although Mach-E uses an electric power system, it belongs to the American muscle car tradition. In other words, the price of top performance versions such as Camaro, Challenger or Mustang may be twice that of entry-level models, but the interior is basically the same. The GT Performance Edition does come with Ford Performance front seats, but most of the interior looks the same as any other Mach-E: spare, dominated by a 15.5-inch central touch screen. The fabric on the dashboard is good, but Ford clearly spends its budget outside of the interior.
For example, on BlueCruise. And MagneRide dampers, provide a glass-like ride experience and excellent body control. There is also an 88.0 kWh battery that can provide 260 miles of cruising range (we got 220 miles in a real-world 75 mph highway test). If the interior looks like a car that is $25,000 cheaper than the M4, it's because it does.
On the road, it is no surprise that BMW is more attractive. The piston is pumping, the gear is shifting, and exhaust gas is injected through the four pipes. Despite all-wheel drive, you never really noticed the contribution of the front end. It feels like the turbocharged six-stage gear has endless traction as it passes through the gears. On the other hand, Mach-E almost feels like an old turbo Saab off the assembly line. Even with all-wheel drive, 634 pound-feet of torque needs to be managed, and the Mustang produces wheel slip and consequent torque steering at the front end. It can use a limited slip differential at the front, or a second motor. But that little drama is actually a welcome, unintentional character. There may be no gear changes, but you still have to pay attention, especially in wet conditions. In the best Mustang tradition, a large number of throttles may pull Mach-E towards the nearest ditch.
When offline, the Mustang feels it has an advantage. In the corner, Mach-E will be ignited, but this is almost any cross with M4. Your comfort is four doors, a spacious rear seat and a panoramic roof, in contrast to the M4's usable but narrow rear bucket. The M4 is a hardcore sports car derived from a long tradition. The Mach-E is a new type of family car, which can just press you on the seat. After eating, you have to wait 30 minutes before turning on the full throttle.
This is a difficult decision. I once owned an E36 M3, M4 stimulates all the same synapses, but the power is more than twice that. Mach-E is new, alien. It cannot produce nostalgia. But this is also what I like about it. This is a complete breakthrough. The 634 pound-feet of torque tells your inner ear that this EV will work normally. So I will look forward rather than backward, and price will play a role in my choice. Give me Mach-E. With the remaining money, you can buy a very good E36.