The Mustang has lengthy been a family title relating to American automobiles. Its lengthy historical past of being a enjoyable, driver-centric sports activities automotive with plenty of go has earned it a standing on the earth of automobiles. Throughout its lifespan, there have been tons of various fashions representing the very best efficiency on the time, however the latest beast to take a seat atop the totem pole is the Mustang Dark Horse.
The new ominous muscle car brings a darker and edgier vibe than the Mustang has ever been recognized for. Everything about it’s meant to be looming and threatening. If you’re somebody who enjoys the roar and rumble of a V-8 engine, then the Dark Horse represents an increasingly rare attraction.
With the 2024 Dark Horse being a successor to the Mach 1 and inheriting tons of kit from different Pony Cars, we dissect all the pieces on the most recent nameplate to see what makes the Dark Horse distinctive. From its V-8 engine to its gothic design decisions, the Dark Horse is a brand-new beast.
In order to provide the most modern and correct info doable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from Ford, and different authoritative sources, together with SizzlingCars and CarBuzz.
2024 Ford Mustang: A Comprehensive Guide On Performance, Specs, And Pricing
Ford takes all the pieces that made Mustang good and makes it higher for 2024, a transfer that places severe strain on the Chevy Camaro
10 The Dark Horse Features A Color Shifting Paint Job
Catch Eyes With This Unique Coat
Part of the attraction of any Mustang is the best way that it appears to be like. Its menacing fashion is likely one of the many issues that makes it such a beautiful choice. The 2024 Dark Horse takes this to a different stage.
Paint Options
- Shadow Black
- Oxford White
- Race Red
- Atlas Blue
- Grabber Blue
- Dark Matter Gray
- Vapor Blue
- Carbonized Gray
- Blue Ember (Color Shifting)
The Dark Horse has a ton of various paint choices to select from, but the Blue Ember is the most notable attributable to the truth that the colour shifts as the sunshine hits it in a different way. It can shift from blue to a darkish purple, which Ford says provides to its stealthy and placing look. This undoubtedly provides flare to this implausible muscle automotive.
9 A Specialized Appearance Package Is Optional On The 2024 Dark Horse
Next Level Exterior Styling
If you need entry to that unbelievable Ember Blue paintwork, you’re additionally going to should go for all the optionally available look package deal. This not solely offers you entry to the color-shifting paint, however provides tons of details that are unique to the Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
Dark Horse Appearance Package
- Choice of Blue Ember Metallic, Vapor Blue Metallic, or Shadow Black Exterior Paint
- Black Painted Roof
- Unique Brake Calipers – Notorious Blue with Grabber Blue Logo
- Unique Hood Graphic
If you’re in search of the best-looking Dark Horse spec you could purchase, the looks package deal undoubtedly gives some eye-catching modifications. The three paint choices could be paired with a black-painted roof until you go for Shadow Black. The blue brake calipers additionally add to the general tone of the night-riding Dark Horse.
8 Each Dark Horse Comes With A Plaque Featuring The Chassis Number
An Air of Exclusivity
The Dark Horse is a limited-run mannequin of the Mustang and isn’t prone to stick round for too lengthy. This provides to the attraction if you happen to’re a collector of automobiles or if you happen to merely need one thing a bit of extra unique. Ford’s particular version muscle automotive will definitely flip heads and impress.
Different Prefixes
- TT – Testing Trial
- PP – Pilot Production
- R – Model Year 2024
- S – Model Year 2025
On the dashboard of each Mustang Dark Horse is a small plaque that includes the chassis variety of your pony automotive. In large blue letters, it reads ‘Dark Horse’ and contains a quantity with a letter prefix. Your prefix will add to only how worthwhile or uncommon a Dark Horse is, and we will see PP and TT fashions, in addition to fashions with significantly low chassis numbers being value tons sooner or later.
7 The Interior Of The Dark Horse Has Tons Of Unique Details
A One Of A Kind Interior
While there isn’t a lot distinction when it comes to the overall design language or setup of the inside within the Dark Horse in comparison with the common Mustang, there are just a few modifications that make it stand out. As a Dark Horse purchaser, you get access to more options than the average Mustang owner.
Interior Features
- Recaro Vinyl Seats
- Deep Indigo Color
- Bright Indigo Stitching
The finer particulars within the cabin of the Dark Horse are all particularly designed so as to add to the mysterious and brooding vibe that the most recent Mustang offers off. Even although plenty of the tools is similar as your normal Mustang, the Indigo accents and particular stitching will remind you that this ‘Stang is special. You also have access to improved Recaro bucket seats that aren’t optionally available on every other Mustang.
6 The Dark Horse Gets Its Own Unique Mustang Badge
A Front-Facing Pony
If you’re anxious that the up to date entrance fascia, the large rear spoiler, and the carbon fiber brakes weren’t going to be sufficient to let individuals know your Mustang is particular, Ford has also gone and given it a new badge. Even essentially the most clueless of automotive individuals will know that you just’re driving a Dark Horse.
While within the entrance of the automotive, the traditional Pony nonetheless gallops. Now anodized, the brand new badge has been positioned in every single place. On the fenders, trunk, and door sills you will note a menacing front-facing pony, staring you down. On the instrument panel and digital show screens you will additionally discover this new badge.
5 The Shift Ball In The Dark Horse Is 3D-Printed And Pure Titanium
Athletic Styling From Head To Toe
While it might not appear to be essentially the most impactful change within the Mustang, the shift ball being titanium and 3D printed is certainly distinctive. This isn’t the primary time that Ford has made use of 3D printing within the design of their automobiles, and it is prone to change into a extra common incidence.
Manual Or Automatic
The 2024 Dark Horse gives you a alternative between a ten-speed computerized transmission and a six-speed handbook. The computerized comes with anodized silver shift paddles, which Ford claims will provide help to shift extra exactly. The six-speed gear lever comes with a light-weight titanium shift ball which has been hollowed out, so it retains cool even when it is sizzling exterior.
While it is not distinctive and different Mustangs have featured it earlier than, a Tremec six-speed within the Dark Horse is certainly noteworthy and is a large a part of its success on and off the observe. While manuals are dying off, there are still some good analog performance cars left, purists will perceive why this transmission makes the Dark Horse so particular.
4 The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse Can Be Fitted With Carbon Fiber Wheels
Every Bit Of Weight Counts
The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse claims to be the king of each the observe and the road. To obtain this, it must be fast. While energy is certainly an enormous issue on this, Ford has gone to just about every length to save weight on the Dark Horse, together with shaving just a few kilos off the wheels.
Wheel Options
- Tarnished Dark-Painted Low Gloss Aluminum Wheels – 19” X 9.5” (F) 19” X 10” (R)
- Tarnished Dark-Painted Low Gloss Aluminum Wheels – 19” X 10.5” (F) 19” X 11” (R)
- Carbon Fiber Wheels – 19” X 10.5” (F) 19” X 11” (R)
Every alternative of wheel on the Dark Horse is exclusive, with the aluminum alloy wheels coming in two totally different sizes and the carbon fiber ones in a single dimension. Ford claims that the carbon fiber wheels are 37 p.c lighter than the alloy wheels. These carbon fiber wheels characteristic a novel blue weave and a design by no means seen on a Ford earlier than.
3 No Other Mustang Is As Aerodynamic As The Dark Horse
Time In The Wind Tunnel Has Sculpted This ‘Stang
Ford has developed a brand new wind tunnel testing facility to reinforce the aerodynamic testing of their future autos. One of the primary autos to profit from this was the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse. While it isn’t distinctive that the Dark Horse was developed utilizing this facility, the Dark Horse has change into essentially the most aerodynamic Mustang ever due to it.
More Downforce, Less Lift
A rear spoiler, a gurney flap, and three vertical plates are simply among the additions to the Dark Horse that give it a lot downforce. Ford claims they spent roughly 250 hours within the wind tunnel growing the brand new Mustang. While it might not be as aerodynamic as the latest EVs, its design is a part of what makes it essentially the most observe and street-capable Mustang ever.
2 Ford’s Dark Horse Is A Handling Monster Thanks To Specialized Tuning And Parts
Not Just Fast In A Straight Line
Ford has gone by means of an excessive amount of effort to make sure that the Dark Horse is track-ready from the phrase go. While the track-only variants actually up the ante, you received’t really feel misplaced taking your Dark Horse round observe bends on the weekend.
Unique Features
- Chassis Tuning
- Larger Sway Bars
- Heavy-Duty Front Shocks
- Lightweight Ford Performance-designed strut tower brace and Ok-brace
The Mustang hasn’t solely been about straight-line pace for a while now. Ford has engineered a automotive that may sustain with loads of overseas sports activities automobiles across the bends as properly. The Dark Horse showcases new know-how that makes the Dark Horse one of many quickest and most responsive driving experiences you may get in a contemporary muscle automotive.
1 The Coyote V-8 Gets Pushed Up To 500 Horsepower
Performance Parts And A Unique Tune
The Dark Horse is at the moment essentially the most highly effective new street-legal Mustang you could purchase. At its coronary heart beats the brilliantly strong and highly effective Coyote 5.0-liter that we’ve all come to know and love, but it surely’s been fiddled with to output much more energy and be much more environment friendly than earlier than.
Performance Improvements
- Modified with piston connecting rods
- Dual throttle-body consumption design
- An auxiliary engine oil cooler
- Lighter-weight radiator with improved cooling
- More highly effective cooling followers
The Dark Horse has a direct line to the efficiency bin and this implies adopting some components that have been previously reserved for the GT500. Some have been disenchanted that the Dark Horse did not characteristic way more energy than the usual Coyote Mustang. However, there are many distinctive modifications that set it aside. Its additional energy is certainly extra noticeable contemplating the load reductions that Ford has dedicated to. On prime of this, the enhancements to cooling imply that the Dark Horse is optimized for the observe, gaining higher endurance and restoration.