Should the Ford Mustang Mach-E sound like a GT500 or a C8 Stingray? | Rare Techy

• Shelby American first turned to Borla for a high-performance aftermarket sound to use on its boosted Mustang Mach-E models.
• The system includes a speaker, wires, a computer/controller, and an app to select or customize the “exhaust” tone.
• Borla currently offers several internal combustion engine tracks, but claims to be working on brand new soundtracks for electric cars only.

We originally walked by the Mustang Mach-E parked in the Borla outlet booth at the 2022 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show and thought someone must have made a mistake with their choice of display car. Borla is well-known as an aftermarket exhaust company that offers deals on modern domestics and imports, as well as some side-by-sides, but what does an EV like the Mach-E do with a stainless three-inch box-rear system?

Wanted: More aggressive sound

“Customers came to us, especially with the Mach-E, and wanted a more aggressive sound,” said sales and marketing manager David Borla, who either happens to have a fitting last name or was instrumental in the campaign’s success. company. The first of these customers was Shelby American, who added the custom Mach-E to their heritage and modern Ford offerings and wanted to differentiate their cars from the lightweight stock-Es.

“Shelby said, ‘Help us out, we’ve got to add sound to these,'” says Borla. “When you lose sound, you lose vibration, it’s a different experience.” As he spoke, he gave the Mach-E a spin on the show floor, turning heads and creating a stir.

The Borla kit is a set of speakers, an amplifier, wiring, a digital processor (which acts as a computer connected to the vehicle’s CANbus data to synchronize with the pedal sound) and an app to control or change the tone. “It’s very customizable,” Borla says, adding that it takes about the same amount of time to install as a traditional ICE bolt-on. Mach-E owners can terrorize their neighborhood in just about an hour.

The system is currently offered with three programmed options: GT500, Camaro and C8 Corvette. This completely confuses the occupants of the parking garage. When asked why an EV has to sound like an existing engine, Borla said that this is just the beginning of what’s possible. “We’re currently working with a synthesizer company to come up with notes that have nothing to do with internal combustion,” he said.

“This is our Blockbuster vs. Netflix moment,” he added, fully aware that the idea of ​​an electric car sound system might leave people on the EV adoption side scratching their heads. “Who knows what it should be? It’s all new; the future is evolving. For us, the mission is the same – to make cars sound good. If you don’t like it, you can always turn it off.”