The Mach-E may never be a real Mustang in many people’s minds, so what will the naysayers (or should that be “neigh” sayers?) make of the Alan Mann Racing Legacy Mustang which swaps the pony’s original engine for an electric motor?
The British classic car racing team has been competing with Blue Oval badged cars since the 1960s, building Cortinas and Falcons, running Ford-powered Shelby Cobras in the World GT Championship, and even GT40s. In 2004 Mann revived his team to focus on historic racing and his cars featured regularly at the Goodwood Revival and other events. Mann passed away in 2012 and it’s his sons Tom and Henry who are leading this new generation of Mustang restoration.
“We have been watching the incredible growth of so-called resto-mods with interest,” says Henry Mann. “We’ve seen cherished cars that owners want to improve, and we’ve seen those that owners want to future-proof, and we believe our new 1960s Mustang Coupe meets both needs.”
Starting with any 1960s’ Mustang donor car AMR will fully strip and restore the shell, fit double wishbone suspension with billet aluminium uprights, and upgrade the brakes to all round discs with six-piston callipers up front and four-pot units at the rear. A regenerative braking system is also added to feed power back into the 72 kWh battery pack.
AMR says that the electrical system weighs only a little more than the original engine and transmission, and with a significantly higher 300 bhp available the ePower Mustang can hit 60 mph in 5.2 seconds using its launch mode. Top speed is limited to a modest 97 mph, while the range on a full charge is claimed to be 220 miles. AC and DC charging is available.
On top of the electrification there’s power steering and a torsen limited slip differential creating a more modern driving experience, but AMR has resisted the temptation to completely overhaul the interior. There’s a focus on maintaining the period-correct look, although you will find modern racing seats, climate control, Bluetooth connectivity and a small screen.
An AMR electro-modded Mustang costs from around £200,000 while US partner Mann ePower Cars will handle builds across the pond.
“This future-proofs our own business as legislation continues to tighten around the use of classic cars and combustion engines,” says Mann. “We will always love the sight, sound and smell of a finely-tuned internal combustion engine, but we recognise there may come a time when they are no longer viable. We believe electrification is a good way to keep these fabulous cherished classics on the road.”
