Ford Mustang Mach-E Heads Out for Ocean to Ocean Reimagined
Photo: Ford
With its Ocean to Ocean Reimagined cross-country tour, Ford is putting the Mustang Mach-E to the test to show off its long-distance driving capabilities. Over the course of 50 days, a pair of Ford’s all-electric SUVs will travel 6,500 miles across 20 states, paying homage to a major milestone in Ford history.
Major Milestone for the Mustang Mach-E: Named the 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year
Ocean to Ocean Reimagined kicked off on May 17 with the two Mustang Mach-E SUVs setting out from the Classic Car Club in Manhattan. Over the next seven weeks, the vehicles will make several stops in places like Atlanta, Las Vegas, and Amelia Island off the coast of Florida before reaching their final destination of Seattle.
Leading the Mustang Mach-Es out of Manhattan was a recreation of the No. 2 Ford Model T that won the 1909 Ocean to Ocean Endurance Race. The Model T will also be there to welcome the Mustang Mach-Es when they arrive in Seattle at the end of the journey.
The transcontinental race that helped make the Model T
On June 1, 1909, a pair of Ford Model T cars entered the first transcontinental road race in America. Henry Ford, who co-sponsored the Ocean to Ocean Automobile Endurance Contest, said that his hope was the event would “give Americans an opportunity to appreciate the vast possibilities of the motor car.”
The No. 2 Model T made the trek from New York City to the Seattle World’s Fair in 23 days and 4,106 miles. Though it was the first to cross the finish line, the Model T was disqualified months later for an illegal engine change during the race. A Shawmut Roundabout was declared the winner, but the Ford Model T was already well on its way to becoming the bestselling car in America.
Ford looking to recreate history with Mustang Mach-E
Photo: Ford
The original Ocean to Ocean succeeded in Ford’s aim of turning the Model T into a uniquely American sensation. And the company that bears his name hopes that Ocean to Ocean Reimagined will spark a similar result for the all-electric Mustang Mach-E.
“More than a century after the Model T brought mobility to the masses, Mustang Mach-E is injecting thrill and passion to fully electric vehicles,” said Jason Castriota, Ford’s global brand director, Battery Electric Vehicles. “Ocean to Ocean Reimagined is helping to amplify awareness around Mustang Mach-E and what it can do. We hope this coast-to-coast journey —much like the original Ocean to Ocean race commissioned by Henry Ford in 1909 — becomes a truly unique, exhilarating, and entertaining chapter in the Ford and Mustang story.”
So far, Ford is seeing solid success with its first-ever all-electric SUV. Mustang Mach-E sales are up to 8,565 through April, and the electric pony helped guide Ford to record single-month electrified vehicle sales last month. The Mustang Mach-E is also commanding an average transaction price of $45,800 and taking just four days to turn at dealerships. Additionally, Ford says that 70 percent of Mustang Mach-E buyers are new to the brand.
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Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.