Shelby American, the brand carrying on the legacy of Carroll Shelby, has announced its first modified electric car will be the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
It’s unsurprising that Shelby would choose the Mach-E as its move into the EV space, given the history of the company and its work on Mustangs over the last few decades.
But what is surprising is that the upgrades aren’t necessarily in line with the usual gear from the Shelby brand – there are no superchargers or engine upgrades, obviously.
Also surprising is its target market: not the USA, but Europe.
Vince LaViolette, Shelby American Vice President of Operations, said the low noise levels in an EV is something that throws traditionalist enthusiasts off.
“One of the biggest complaints about EVs is the lack of sound, which is an important visceral component to motoring for enthusiasts,” said LaViolette.
To address this, Shelby has added a Borla Active Performance Sound System alongside the carbon fibre hood and trim and visible styling cues that are iconic to Shelby, in particular the ‘white with blue’ striped colour scheme.
The Borla system is claimed to create “a hyper-realistic ICE soundtrack that perfectly matches the EV motor status and other vehicle dynamics” by monitoring the data from the EV’s computer.
“This ‘auditory connection’ really intensifies the sensation and excitement of EV driving. Our Shelby Mustang Mach-E is the first production vehicle featuring the new Borla system.”
The Shelby Mach-E has also been lowered by an inch, and now rides on lighter satin black wheels.
Shelby is set to build 100 units of the Shelby Mustang Mach-E GT, a figure chosen to celebrate the 100th birthday of Carroll Shelby.
Buyers will also gain paid membership in Team Shelby, the company’s car club, as well as documentation in the official Shelby Registry.
The Mach-E has finally been confirmed for Australia, to arrive by the end of this year, though the Shelby version won’t make it here.
Keyword: Not for America! Shelby cranks Ford Mustang Mach-E GT up to 11, but not how you might expect