The sinister-looking new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse expands the lineup and establishes a new standard for American street and track performance that could only be found in a Mustang thanks to its specially modified 5.0-liter V8 engine, which is the most powerful 5.0-liter V8 ever and is expected to produce 500 horsepower.
The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse was created by a special group of Ford engineers, designers, and experts over the course of more than three years. It is a performance Mustang with street and track capabilities, eye-catching visual cues, and all the features sports car enthusiasts demand, right down to the optional Carbon Revolution carbon fiber wheels. The brand’s first new performance name since Mustang Bullitt debuted in 2001 is Mustang Dark Horse.
2021 Ford Mustang Trim Levels Explained
Increased Athletic Prowess with Unique 5.0-liter V8
The 2024 Mustang, which has been completely redesigned and given a digitally immersive cockpit, new engines, and new styling to make it the most thrilling and enjoyable Mustang ever, serves as the starting point for Mustang Dark Horse.
Ford has taken the brand-new Mustang, the pinnacle of the new 5.0-liter V8 performance, and added power, improved the aero, tires, and steering providing an interactive cockpit to create a Mustang that surpasses any 5.0-liter Mustang before it.
Engine and Transmission
The 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine at the center of the Mustang Dark Horse is specially modified with piston connecting rods that were first used in the 760-horsepower Ford Performance Mustang Shelby GT500. In the brand-new Mustang family, Mustang Dark Horse will offer the highest level of performance.
Mustang Dark Horse features a dual throttle-body intake design to improve engine breathing, which is visually distinct from any 5.0-liter V8 before it and is emphasized by the open nostrils in the front grille.
The unique six-speed TREMEC manual transmission that comes standard with the Mustang Dark Horse is connected to the driver by a 3D-printed titanium shift ball. A unique Mustang Dark Horse transmission oil cooler is also included in the manual. Ford’s cutting-edge 10-speed automatic transmission with sport paddle shifters allows for quick and accurate shifting on any surface, including the racetrack.
Cooling
For track performance, additional powertrain improvements were made. The Mustang Dark Horse features a special and lighter-weight radiator with improved cooling capability and more powerful cooling fans to improve endurance and recovery, as well as brake cooling NACA ducts, an auxiliary engine oil cooler, and a rear axle cooler.
Suspension and Running Gear
Larger rear sway bars, powerful front shocks, and special chassis tuning are all features of the Mustang Dark Horse. Brembo front 6 piston brakes measuring 19 inches and 13.9 inches in diameter provide stopping power. A new lightweight strut tower brace and K-brace designed by Ford Performance improves steering response and grip for even better handling and feedback in the Mustang Dark Horse. Through the use of a Torsen® rear differential, standard Pirelli P ZEROTM (PZ4) tires, and staggered fitting wheels, the Mustang Dark Horse can deliver torque without losing traction.
Standard MagneRide shocks from Mustang Dark Horse can track wheel and tire motion 1,000 times per second and optimize performance based on the road or driving style.
Handling Package
The optional Handling Package boosts aerodynamics even more for the best street-legal and track performance, producing the most downforce of any brand-new Mustang thanks to a distinctive rear wing with an integrated Gurney Flap, just like the Ford GT. The Handling Package also includes wider Pirelli Trofeo tires, wider front, and rear sway bars, stiffer springs, and 19-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels.
Wheels
Customers can equip Mustang Dark Horse with lightweight carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution for uncompromised track performance. Since the Shelby GT350 and GT500, carbon fiber wheels have never been offered for a Mustang.
Immersive Digital Cockpit Centered on the Driver
The technologically cutting-edge, driver-focused cockpit of the all-new seventh-generation car receives even more performance style and functionality thanks to the Mustang Dark Horse.
On models ordered with the 10-speed automatic transmission, a thicker, flat-bottomed steering wheel covered in suede and finished with Bright Indigo Blue accent stitching incorporates anodized silver paddle shifters, and a dedicated drive mode button is nearby so drivers can quickly select the preferred driving configuration. This is located in front of a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster with a number of drive-mode screens that are customizable.
Behind the same piece of integrated glass that houses the digital instrument cluster and is angled towards the driver is a 13.2-inch SYNC® 4 center stack that merges seamlessly with it. These screens work together to create an entirely immersive digital experience that simulates a fighter jet cockpit, only in a real sports car.
Unique blue seatbelts further enhance the ambiance of the cabin, which is contrasted by the gear shift gaiter, center console, and door panels with blue stitching. Deep Indigo Blue seats with a special seat perforation, emitting additional blue hints below the surface, are an addition provided by the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse Appearance Pack.
Black Alley is a dark metallic gloss that replaces the traditional bright silver hues of other Mustang trim levels on the interior trim, bezels, and vents.
Additionally, Mustang Dark Horse has the most recent B&O Sound System, which uses 12 speakers and a subwoofer to deliver clear audio.
Functional Styling That Is Elegant and Sinister for The New 2024 Mustang Dark Horse
It goes beyond a new name. Dark Horse introduces to Mustang a fresh design language that is sophisticated yet perfectly suited to its dual function of street and track performance.
The exterior and interior visual changes convey that Dark Horse is focused on directed performances. The mechanical upgrades support Dark Horse’s intended function and give the driver more self-assurance and skill.
To complement the distinctive, gloss black grille with trapezoidal nostrils and 2024 Mustang Dark Horse-unique lower front bumper with high gloss “fangs,” the front of the car features a bold, shadow graphic that surrounds the darkened LED headlamps. The car’s track-focused design cues are visible in the lower side skirts, fixed rear wing, new race-inspired diffuser, and darkened quad exhaust tips.
To visually distinguish this performance version of the Mustang from other models, new Dark Horse Mustang badges were created. The door sills, trunk, and fenders all receive badges, but the front retains the dark-anodized version of the well-known pony. Each car has a different chassis number and features distinctive Mustang Dark Horse badging on the instrument panel and digital display screens.
The Blue Ember metallic paint, exclusive to Mustang Dark Horse, is a cool, dark shade that, when it catches the light, emits a warm glow that sets the mood for the car’s overall appearance. Additionally, feature graphics in a variety of colors and designs can be painted or applied along the roof and down the hood. Dark Notorious Blue Brembo brake calipers with a brighter Grabber Blue logo are part of the optional Appearance Package.
34th Annual Mustang Stampede & All Ford Car Show 2020
Future of Global Ford Motorsports and the 2024 Dark Horse
The Ford Mustang was made for racing. As part of a larger launch, six new racing Mustangs, including the GT3, GT4, NASCAR, and NHRA Factory X racing models, will also be unveiled. These Mustangs will compete internationally in a variety of series.
There will only be two 5.0-liter V8-powered Dark Horse Mustangs designed specifically for racing and not for street use. While Mustang Dark Horse R has been created for racing, Mustang Dark Horse S is intended for weekend track day enthusiasts.
Configurations
The street-legal Mustang Dark Horse production vehicle is a stripped-down version of the Mustang Dark Horse S, which is built specifically for racing. For Mustang Dark Horse S, all non-essential parts and trims have been removed. There are safety nets, a race seat with safety belts, a race steering wheel with quick disconnect, and a full FIA-certified safety cage inside. Electrical disconnects and a fire suppression system are additional safety features.
A central panel with switches and knobs for the headlights, side indicators, windshield wipers, mirror adjusters, and rain lighthouses the driver controls. A pit speed limiter and a data and acquisition display system are also included for Dark Horse S. The option of a single passenger seat enables drivers to interact with other passengers and gain insight from ride-along instructors.
The Mustang Dark Horse S’s exterior includes hood pins, front and rear tow hooks, an adjustable rear wing for added downforce, and a full exhaust system to help complete the foundation for a distinct and unique track car. From the factory, the Mustang Dark Horse S will be painted and prepared for customized vehicle liveries.
Even though the upgraded brake system gives the Mustang Dark Horse S even more robustness to meet track demands, it still has the same wheels as the street-legal Mustang Dark Horse. Along with offering adjustable ride height and camber settings, Multimatic DSSV dampers also support driver tuning.
The track-focused intensity of Mustang Dark Horse R is enhanced, and it includes all of the content from Mustang Dark Horse S as well as a special serialization that qualifies it for racing. Strategic seam welding, a fuel cell for a longer range, and Ford Performance Parts wheels will all be standard.
Conclusion
Mustang Dark Horse opens a new chapter in the renowned Mustang motorsports heritage with the introduction of the track-only Mustang Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R models, two of six upcoming racing Mustangs.