British firm converts classic Ford Mustang to electric power

If you want to turn your classic Ford Mustang into an electric car, this British firm can help – for almost four-times the price of a new Mustang Mach-E.

A British former racing team – which claims it gave the now-iconic Ford Mustang its first motorsports win in the 1960s – has unveiled its modern take on the muscle car, exchanging its throbbing V8 engine for silent electric power.

Alan Mann Racing was best known in the UK as the factory-backed Ford racing team throughout the mid-to-late 1960s – and the creator of the ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ film car – campaigning models such as the Escort and Anglia in touring car races and road rallies, all painted in a red and gold colour scheme.

Shortly after taking delivery of a Ford Mustang in 1964 – just a handful of months after the muscle car went into production in the US – AMR won the 1964 ‘Tour de France’ road race in France, claiming the nameplate’s first win in any motorsport event globally.

While the racing team closed in the late 1960s, the Alan Mann Racing name carries on today with the help of sons Henry and Tom, who unveiled the ‘ePower Mustang’ earlier this week.

Based on a 1965 Ford Mustang Coupe, the electric-powered ‘pony car’ received a nut-and-bolt restoration and chassis upgrades to accommodate its new source of power.

Underneath, the Mustang’s front strut and rear leaf-spring suspension layouts have been replaced by independent double wishbones made from billet aluminium, while the 1960s brakes made way for modern, larger calipers and rotors – complete with regenerative braking from the electric motor.

AMR claims the ePower Mustang’s motor produces 300bhp (224kW) – about 20kW more than the most powerful 4.7-litre/289ci Mustangs in period – which propels the car from 0-100km/h in about 5.5 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 156km/h.

As well as claiming a 350km driving range, the Mustang has been fitted with both AC and DC charging capabilities, boasting a 20 to 80 per cent recharging time of 40 minutes.

Inside there’s a refreshed dashboard (now including a small infotainment screen) and newer bucket seats, though AMR has retained as much as the Mustang’s 1960s feel as possible.

Unfortunately, the conversion doesn’t come cheap, as AMR charges £200,000 ($AU384,000) for the service – almost four-times as much as the price of the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT in Australia.

What do you think about converting classic cars to electric power? Is it the way forward or is petrol power the way to stay?

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