The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Channels the Spirit of the Focus RS

• The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally brings rally-inspired performance to the Blue Oval's mid-size battery-electric SUV.

• An 0.8-inch lift and additional underbody protection ought to make the Rally capable enough to take on the likes of dirt and gravel paths.

• Expect the Mach-E Rally to sticker for around $65,000 when it goes on sale early next year.

Ford may no longer sell the Focus RS—or any Focus, for that matter—but the hot hatch's spirit arguably lives on in the 2024 Mustang Mach-E Rally. The latest addition to the battery-electric Mustang Mach-E trim line aims to top the Mach-E GT when it comes to peak output, too, with Ford hoping to eke north of 480 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque out of the Rally's two electric motors (one at each axle).

As of this writing, the Mach-E GT Performance Edition makes do with just 480 horses and 634 pound-feet of twist. It's possible the extra grunt Ford pulls out of the Mach-E Rally's powertrain eventually makes its way to the Performance Edition, as well.

Dirty Mustang

Horsepower and torque figures, however, are mere bragging rights. The truth is, the Mustang Mach-E Rally is a different type of battery-powered mare than its GT kin. Whereas that Mach-E trim favors on-road performance, the Rally has its sights set on unpaved thoroughfares.

Loose gravel and dirt are what Ford built the Mach-E Rally for. The Blue Oval even built a dedicated rally course at its Michigan proving ground, giving the engineers and technicians working on the Mach-E Rally a proper place to tame this wild horse. Whether Ford's team succeeded at turning the Mach-E Rally into a thoroughbred is something we won't know until we have a chance to get behind the wheel of this electric SUV.

Nevertheless, the mechanical upgrades of the Rally go beyond just its powertrain. MagneRide shocks, specially tuned springs, an 0.8-inch lift, and a trim-specific RallySport drive mode ought to help this dirt-loving Mach-E better take on craggy terra firma. Additionally, the Rally adds protective shielding around the front and rear motors as a means of preventing any debris from damaging the drivetrain.