Shelby American is best known for its modified Mustangs and subsequent Cobras, and now the firm has tried its hand at an electric Mustang Mach-E.
The Shelby Mustang Mach-E GT celebrates Carroll Shelby’s 100th birthday and only 100 packs will be produced starting July.
They are available to retrofit to privately owned 2021-23 Mustang Mach-E GT SUVs in “selected European countries” this year, and Shelby claims the package “gives owners potential collectors’ abilities.
It costs €24,900 (AU$41,627), excluding the base car. A GT in Germany costs €86,200 (AU$144,101).
Shelby has worked to reduce the weight of the electric SUV, while also making it smoother, more distinctively styled and capable of offering more “auditory appeal”.
Finally, Shelby integrated the Borla Active Performance Sound System, which was revealed at SEMA last year.
It is the first production vehicle to use a system that creates a “surreal ICE soundtrack” that “matches perfectly with the EV engine state and other vehicle dynamics” using a proprietary algorithm.
There’s a carbon fiber bonnet, splitter, mirror caps and door trims, as well as custom lightweight wheels.
As expected of a Shelby product, there are racing stripes and a Shelby badge, and each model also comes with an official Shelby identification number and a paid membership to the Team Shelby club.
A visible handle package Mach-E lowered by 25mm and fitted with performance springs, with the aim of reducing rotational mass and improving stability, but Shelby did not mention any additional power.
Ford claims up to 358kW and 860Nm of power output for the Mustang Mach-E GT, as well as a range of 499km on the WLTP cycle.
The company claims that it has spent a lot of time on electric car racing to understand their handling dynamics.
Shelby chose Europe to launch her fitted Mustang Mach-E because electric vehicle sales are growing faster there. It also cited a 431% increase in public EV charging stations between 2016 and 2021.
Ford now offers the Mustang Mach-E in 39 countries, up from 22 in its first year, and has produced more than 150,000 units since its launch.
Shelby previously revealed a concept version of the Mustang Mach-E that will be fitted at SEMA in 2021.
“We are very excited about our first production electric vehicle and plan to roll out other electrification programs in the near future,” said Shelby American President Gary Patterson.
“We are looking to significantly boost the performance of electric vehicles, expand our product line and work with partners like car rental companies.
“However, Shelby American also continues to be firmly committed to cars and trucks powered by internal combustion engines.
“We will be introducing several new models over the next 12 months to keep V8 fans up to speed.”
“Carroll Shelby actively pursues expansion opportunities around the world, and that philosophy continues to drive us today,” said Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American.
“As a visionary, Carroll was an early proponent of exotic materials and integration of cutting-edge technologies, including electrification. In an interview published by Ford Performance before his death, Carroll looked forward to electric cars.
“The first production Shelby EV perfectly aligns with our goal of maintaining Shelby American’s position as a leading manufacturer of small, specialty performance vehicles.”
Mustang Mach-E Finally Arrives In Australia And Is Expected Here 4th quarter of this year in three trim levels with two battery options.
The mid-size electric crossover entered production for the first time in late 2020.
