2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

With the year just starting it’s hard to think so far into the future, but in the automotive world, you can never think too far ahead. Ford is already introducing the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse and I have to say it looks very sexy…for a car. It has so many defined and jaw dropping features, making this a very stylish car overall. It will be available for purchase in the Summer of 2023, and trust me, despite the frigid Canadian weather we have been having, Summer is not that far away. 

Ford has introduced one of it’s top models – the Mustang – in a couple of different ways already – of course the classic summer car with the top down, and even an electric one, so what could they possibly have in mind this time? That’s right, the Dark Horse. The 2024 Mustang is Ford’s 7th generation and this might actually be the most powerful non-Shelby Mustang ever. 

Engine and Transmission

The 2024 Ford Mustang comes equipped with a naturally aspirated gen-IV 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 engine found in the base model. This engine has seen a lot of different revisions to ensure that it meets emissions compliance in all applications, as well as performance enhancements similar to the V-8’s powering the F-150. This includes a twin throttle-body cold-air intake and a higher-revving valvetrain that doesn’t support cylinder deactivation. 

Cylinder deactivation basically means a larger engine that has the capabilities of acting like a smaller one when needed to and is mostly found with V6 or V8 engines. Some automakers also combine turbocharging (a smaller engine that can perform like a larger one) and deactivation on their engines as well. 

The Dark Horse version also adds a forged crankshaft and piston connecting rods to help with higher cylinder pressures and piston speeds – both of these also being found in the Shelby GT500’s supercharged Predator engine. There are also auxiliary coolers for the engine oil and rear-axle lube, not to mention a higher-efficiency radiator cooled by more powerful fans, all of which helped to improve endurance during hard running. 

The base model of the Dark Horse transmission is a modified version of the Tremec TR 3160 six-speed manual found in both the Mach 1 and Shelby GT350 (the bell housing and vent tubes being revised). The Dark Horse also sees a 10-speed automatic transmission – for those looking for a quicker ride. This edition comes with an auxiliary transmission oil cooler and has anodized metallic shift paddles. 

Performance, Fuel Economy, and Real-World MPG

The 2024 Ford Mustang will always have a race car vibe to it, it is a sports car after all. It stands true and true to how Ford chooses to categorize it and market it – Street Legal. Track Ready. It produces 500 horsepower on the dot and 418 lb-ft of torque.

Although it is still a little early to get precise numbers, Ford targets the Dark Horse to meet 22 mpg city/34 mpg highway and 26 mpg combined. In terms of Fuel Economy, Ford hasn’t released that data yet.  

Further Street Legal Upgrades

As mentioned before, Ford marketed this car as Street Legal. Track Ready. And we are about to break that down. When it comes to other street legal modifications done to this vehicle, we turn to the Carbon Revolution wheels. They weigh 35-40% less than the standard cast aluminum wheels, and will be available sometime after the launch as a stand-alone option. However, it will only be available in conjunction with the Handling Package and sized to accommodate the tires. Two design options will be offered – a plain black and one that incorporates a subtle blue accent fiber woven in. 

Chassis Uprgrades

Equipment in the standard version of the Dark Horse includes; a larger anti-roll bar, heavy-duty front shocks, an upper strut-tower brace, and a lower “K-brace” which helps with front-end ridigity and improves steering precision and feel. The GT (one of the track only models) comes with an option to add MagneRide shocks which monitors wheel and tire movement 1,000 times per second, helping to optimize the ride and handling to suit the desired drive mode.   

Brembo Stoppers

NACA ducts cool the big 15.4-inch two-piece rotors and the six-piston calipers in the front. 14.0-inch discs and four-piston calipers (with an electric parking brake function) are handled by a secondary electromechanical caliper. The drift-brake function, that was co-developed by two time Formula Drift champ, Vaughn Gittin Jr., is standard and is available on the GT models, and EcoBoost with the Performance package. With Track Mode engaged it orders the ABS to apply hydraulic pressure to the rear brakes only in accordance with the handbrake travel.  

Track Modes

Dark Horse S: The most powerful version of the Dark Horse car to exist. So powerful that it can’t be seen with a license plate. It is basically a maxed-out Handling pack Dark Horse stripped of all the nonessential trim items and fitted instead with an FIA-spec roll cage, racing seat and belts, a detachable race steering wheel, a quick disconnect of the electrical system, and a fire-supression system. In this model, the drivers controls are located altogether in the center panel (headlamps, wipers, rain light, mirror adjusters, etc.). Now, this is where things get a little more interesting, a passenger seat is optional for instructors or thrill riders. Can you imagine that? 

But that’s not all, it also comes standard with a pit speed limiter and a data acquisition system. On the outside, there’s an adjustable wing, tow hooks, and hood pins. It sports the same wheels found on the street legal Dark Horse, but the ones on this version are framed with race-optimized Brembo brakes. The MagneRide shocks are swapped for MultiMatic Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) units and the ride height and camber can be adjusted at each corner. 

Dark Horse R: This is basically a slightly souped up version of the Dark Horse S (if you can believe that). It comes with special Ford Performance wheels and serialization that meets the requirements for racing. In addition, it also gets strategic seam welding to further stiffen the unibody. 

GT4 & GT3: Ford returns to factory-based racing with the Mustang GT4. It will be ready for GT4 classes in IMSA, SRO, and FIA GT races in the 2023 season. The Mustang GT3 IMSA model will arrive in time for the 2024 running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

Cost and Availability

Since this car hasn’t technically hit the production line yet, it is no surprise there is not much talk about price (definitively at least). It is estimated that the price for a Dark Horse will range between the cost of a Mach 1 today and the 2020 Shelby GT350. Put another way, if the 2024 GT fastback equipped with the Perf pack and the fancy equipment group takes a small hike from today’s cost ($48,620) to $50,000, expect the Dark Horse to start anywhere between $60,000 and $62,500 (in 2022 dollars).

Final Thoughts

What do you think of the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse? We would love to hear from you. Either leave your comments here or over on our socials!

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