Ford just dropped the automotive equivalent of Thor’s hammer on Pikes Peak. The Super Mustang Mach-E isn’t playing games—this thing generates 6,125 pounds of downforce, which is more aerodynamic grip than some race cars produce at triple-digit sp-eeds.
That’s not a typo. We’re talking about nearly three tons of downforce pressing this electric monster into the tarmac as it climbs through 156 corners to 14,115 feet above sea level.
The numbers tell a compelling story about Ford’s approach versus Volkswagen’s record-setting philosophy. The ID.R that still holds the 7:57.148 record weighed just 2,425 pounds with a driver—a featherweight that prioritized power-to-weight over pure grunt. VW’s dual-motor setup delivered 680 horsepower, creating a power-to-weight ratio of roughly 3.6 pounds per horsepower.
Ford’s taking the opposite approach with brute force engineering.
Ford recognizes Dumas needs a new ride after last year’s F-150 Lightning SuperTruck fell short of the ultimate prize. Sure, that brick-shaped truck won overall, but in many ways, it became a high-profile example of how radical car innovations can falter when pushed to their limits—a reminder that not every bold concept escapes the long shadow of failed innovation. Dumas managed to wend his way through 156 corners to reach the 4300m summit in 8:53.553—still nearly a minute off the record he set in 2018 with Volkswagen’s ID.R.
The Super Mach-E looks like someone fed a regular Mach-E nothing but protein powder and steroids for six months. The Mach-E has received a considerable makeover for its summit, including negatively cambered wheels, that slammed body, devilish splitters all around, and a terrifying rear wing. The wing alone is taller than the car’s roofline—a design cue that’ll make Gran Turismo veterans think of the legendary Suzuki Escudo.
While Ford’s keeping powertrain specs under wraps, logic suggests this beast runs a similar tri-motor setup to last year’s SuperTruck. That means a three-motor drivetrain with over 1,600 horsepower, while the juice comes from ultra-high-performance NMC batteries. It’s the kind of electric lightning performance—instant torque, relentless acceleration—that redefines expectations and would make even Rimac engineers raise an eyebrow, especially with some sources hinting at power figures approaching the 2,000-horsepower threshold.
If Ford’s estimates prove accurate, the Super Mach-E could tip the scales around 3,000 pounds while producing nearly double the ID.R’s output. That creates a fundamentally different power-to-weight equation—roughly 1.5 pounds per horsepower versus the ID.R’s 3.6.
The math is simple: Considering the SuperTruck ran an 8:53.55-second run in 2024, including a full-scale breakdown which left the truck sitting silent on track for nearly 30 seconds, there’s a ton of time to be found. Strip away the truck’s aerodynamic compromises, add more downforce than physics should allow, and put it in the hands of the same driver who holds the record? You’ve got a legitimate shot at automotive history.
This isn’t just about bragging rights. Since VW ran the ID.R to the current record, no ICE-powered vehicle has broken it. Electric powertrains have proven their dominance in thin air at altitude, where combustion engines gasp for oxygen while electric motors maintain full torque.
Ford’s betting everything on pure American engineering philosophy: more power, downforce, and more of everything. Whether the Super Mach-E’s sledgehammer approach can topple the ID.R’s surgical precision remains to be seen. The 2025 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb takes place June 22, and Ford isn’t leaving anything to chance.
