OSLO, Norway – He’s one of the world’s biggest drifting stars, and last weekend James Deane swapped tarmac for ice when he put a Mustang Mach-E Rally through its paces on a frozen lake in Norway.
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Video: Drift Legend Dances on Ice in Mustang Mach-E Rally
Jan 29, 2026
Please click the Closed Captions icon 💬 for subtitles.
The reigning world champion had never drifted an all-wheel-drive car before, and afterwards he described the experience as “simply incredible”.
“Driving the Mustang Mach-E Rally out on the ice was a very special experience,” said the Irish star. “It only took a few laps before I managed to drive the entire track continuously. With all-wheel drive, you point the car where you want it to go, and then it follows. The grip, angles, and brake response made me feel surprisingly confident behind the wheel, even though I was really on the ice. I was actually laughing inside the helmet – it was simply incredibly fun.”
James was in Sigdal in Buskerud along with 2,000 people who got to experience ice track driving with more than 150 cars. His Mustang Mach-E Rally was fitted with ice tyres that had 2.5-millimetre studs - more than twice as long as on a regular studded tire.
He added: “I have never drifted an all-wheel-drive car before – and have only drifted on ice a few times. That’s why I was surprised at how quickly I got the hang of it. On ice, it’s about a different type of steering than on asphalt: You have to work more actively with weight balance and set up the turn earlier. You angle it on the brake, let the car go a bit 'the wrong way' at first, and then apply gas as you go into the proper drift. It’s a completely different driving style than I’m used to with rear-wheel drive on asphalt – but it was an incredible experience.”
Drift Legend Dances on Ice in Mustang Mach-E Rally
As a factory driver with Ford, Deane races for the RTR team in the American Formula Drift series and in the European Drift Masters, competing in a specially built Ford Mustang RTR with 1,249 HP.
The rally-inspired Mustang Mach-E Rally, with 880 Nm and up to 487 HP, has a unique chassis that is raised 20 millimetres compared to the Mustang Mach-E GT. The model is also the first from Ford with RallySport Drive Mode – developed for driving on uneven surfaces. The system adjusts the car’s electronic control systems for more sliding, a more linear throttle response, and lightning-fast adaptive damping for better control in corners.
Asgeir Nordeng, Sales Director of Ford Motor Norway, told @Ford: “As James showed today, the Mach-E Rally is a car you have to experience – preferably on a surface that actually challenges you a bit. This is not just about an already powerful electric car with a tougher look. It is clearly rally-inspired also in the driving setup.”
This year, James’ main focus is to defend the unofficial world championship title and win his sixth Formula Drift championship, as well as a third consecutive triumph with the RTR team.