Olfiction perfumer Pia Long was commissioned by Ford to create a fragrance to celebrate the launch of the new all-electric Mustang Mach-E GT, for those who “hold a fondness for the evocative smells of traditional petrol cars”.

The Mach-Eau fragrance was created by Olfiction perfumer Pia Long, with ingredients that each add a specific element of the scent’s story. Ford revealed the fragrance this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, an annual event that attracts petrolheads from across the globe. The scent, which is not available to buy, is part of Ford’s ongoing mission to help dispel myths around electric cars and convince traditional car enthusiasts of the potential of electric vehicles.

Pia’s starting point was to look into the chemicals that are emitted from car interiors, engines and petrol. This included benzaldehyde, which is an almond-like scent given off by car interiors, and para-cresol which is key in creating the rubbery scent of tyres. There were blended with ingredients like blue ginger, lavender, geranium and sandalwood that added metallic, smoky and further rubbery accents, as well as an overdose of Timut pepper, utilising the petrol-like topnote. An ‘animal’ element was also included, to create an impression of horses and underline the Mustang heritage.

In a Ford-commissioned survey, one in five drivers said the smell of petrol is what they’d miss most when swapping to an electric vehicle, with almost 70 per cent claiming they would miss the smell of petrol to some degree. Petrol also ranked as a more popular scent than both wine and cheese, and almost identically to the smell of new books.

The new scent is designed to help usher these drivers into the future of driving through their sense of smell. Rather than just smelling like petrol though, Mach-Eau is designed to please the nose of any wearer; a high-end fragrance that fuses smoky accords, aspects of rubber and even an ‘animal’ element to give a nod to the Mustang heritage.

“Judging by our survey findings, the sensory appeal of petrol cars is still something drivers are reluctant to give up. The Mach Eau fragrance is designed to give them a hint of that fuel-fragrance they still crave. It should linger long enough for the GT’s performance to make any other doubts vaporise too.”

                                                           Jay Ward, director, Ford of Europe Product Communications

Olfiction Creative Perfumer Pia Long has worked with Victor Wong of Zoologist to bring a new cute animal to the collection: Chipmunk! The perfume features oak absolute, spices and a green hazelnut accord (not a typical gourmand, more as you would find in nature).

This is what Victor has to say:

The lush green of the treetops fades to a dull gold. What seems a peaceful transition actually raises a blaring alarm to the creatures below. Time is running out. But for generations, mighty oaks have fulfilled a promise to provide, and leaves are not the only bounty tumbling to the forest floor. Chipmunks scurry among the detritus in their quest to collect the plumpest acorns. They eagerly gather what they can and, cheeks bulging with nuts, scamper home to line their snug burrows before falling leaves give way to biting snow.⁣
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Zoologist Chipmunk captures an autumn forest bursting with ripe nuts. Juicy quince, dusted with cardamom and nutmeg, dangles tantalizingly among naturalistic woods and green, milky kernels. Chipmunk invites you up into the branches, offering a dazzling vantage point from which to enjoy the rich golden and russet hues of the changing seasons.⁣
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TOP⁣
Quince, Pink Pepper, Red Mandarin, Cardamom, Nutmeg⁣
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HEART⁣
Camomile, Hazelnut, Fir Balsam Absolute, Oak Absolute, Earthy Notes⁣
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BASE⁣
Cedarwood, Amyris, Patchouli, Vetiver, Benzoin Resin, Opoponax, Guaiacwood, Animal Notes⁣

Chipmunk will launch in August 2021 and samples are already in circulation.