2024 Mustang Dark Horse – On Wednesday night, Ford made a lot of noise in Detroit by taking over much of the downtown area of the city for a celebration of everything Mustang and the people who adore them. The event was kicked off on September 6 at the LeMay car museum in Tacoma, Washington with a cross-country drive—er, stampede—and its endpoint at the city’s riverside Hart Plaza served as the platform for the premiere of the new 2024 Mustang.
We were aware that the launch would include a coupe, convertible, and GT variant; however, we were not prepared for the unexpected introduction of the Mustang Dark Horse. The Mustang Dark Horse is the first all-new Mustang performance series to be released in the 21 years since the Mustang Bullitt made its debut in 2001.
The Dark Horse is a modified version of the Mustang that was developed in secret for more than three years. It is a rear-wheel drive coupe that is powered by a V8 engine and has a manual gearbox. The Dark Horse was designed to perform exceptionally well on both the street and the racetrack.
2024 Mustang Dark Horse Changes
The Dark Horse V8 is based on the tried-and-true design of the 5.0-liter Coyote and is expected to generate more than 500 horsepower. To achieve this output, it makes use of a number of different strategies, such as a piston connecting system that was lifted from the 760-horsepower Mustang Shelby GT500 and a new dual-throttle intake system that draws air in through openings in the front grille. Both of these strategies were borrowed from other vehicles.
Dark Horse receives an auxiliary engine oil cooler, a rear axle cooler, and a one-of-a-kind, lighter-weight radiator with increased cooling capabilities and more strong cooling fans to boost endurance and recovery. These upgrades are made to ensure that everything continues to work smoothly. A separate cooling system has been designed specifically for the manual gearbox. The fact that we have to say this makes us cringe, but we offer a 10-speed automatic gearbox with sport paddle shifters for customers who would prefer not shift for themselves. Standard equipment includes a Torsen limited-slip rear differential.
Mustang Dark Horse is at the forefront of Ford’s new performance lineup, which also includes the Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R. These two models are exclusive to the track and are two of the six new racing Mustangs that are expected to arrive in the coming months. Ford
The wheel wells are filled with Pirelli P Zero (PZ4) tires with staggered fitment wheels (19-inch-by-9.5-inch front wheels and 19-inch-by-10-inch rear wheels), and standard adaptive dampers that are able to monitor 1,000 tire and wheel movements every second keep the tires firmly planted on the road. They are braced for increased steering responsiveness with larger rear sway bars, front shocks that are built for heavy-duty use, and a redesigned lightweight strut tower that was created by Ford Performance. The front of the vehicle is equipped with Brembo six-piston brakes measuring 19 inches in diameter and rotors measuring 13.9 inches.
The optional handling package includes bigger front and rear sway bars, stiffer springs, wider Pirelli Trofeo tires, 19-inch-by-10.5-inch front, 19-inch-by-11-inch rear rims, and wider Pirelli Trofeo tires. In addition, lightweight carbon fiber wheels sourced from Carbon Revolution have been added to the menu; however, their availability is still unknown. It has the highest downforce of any all-new Mustang thanks to the rear wing’s integrated Gurney flap, which improves aerodynamics and gives it a competitive edge over other all-new Mustangs.
Modifications to the exterior style that are unique to the Dark Horse model include a striking shadow pattern that wraps around the darker LED headlights, a gloss-black grille with trapezoidal nostrils, and most dramatically, a one-of-a-kind lower front bumper with high-gloss “fangs.” The style is finished off with a rear wing that is fastened in place, lower side skirts, a diffuser that is inspired by racing, and quad exhaust tips that have been darkened.
Exterior & Interior
It is noteworthy that the Mustang Dark Horse is the very first Mustang model to ever sport a horse insignia with the head facing forward. A dark, anodized version rides on the front of the vehicle and is placed on the fenders, the trunk, and the door sills. Inside, each vehicle has its own distinctive chassis number in addition to the one-of-a-kind Mustang Dark Horse badging that is displayed on the instrument panel and digital display panels.
On the inside, there is a suede-wrapped steering wheel that is thicker and has a flat bottom, and it has bright blue accent stitching. The seats, door panels, shift gaiter, dashboard, and seat belts all have a design that is quite similar to this. The bright silver hues seen in other Mustang trim levels have been replaced with a dark metallic shine throughout the inside, including the vents and bezels. The melodies are played via a Bang & Olufsen audio system that has 12 speakers.
Feature
There will be two more Dark Horse variations coming out in the near future. The Mustang Dark Horse S caters to those who like participating in track days on the weekends, while the Mustang Dark Horse R was constructed specifically for racing. The Mustang Dark Horse S is a variant of the production car that has fewer luxury amenities. It is ideal for the weekend warrior who wants to get immediately into an authorized track vehicle since it has a complete FIA-certified safety cage, safety netting, a racing seat with safety belts, a race steering wheel with fast disconnect, electrical disconnects, and a fire suppression system.
In addition to the characteristics described above, the Dark Horse S comes equipped with extra strategic seam welding, a fuel cell that may extend the vehicle’s range, wheels made by Ford Performance Parts, and a specific serialization that grants it permission to be raced. Both have had further performance improvements made to them, and practically every unnecessary comfort feature has been removed. What has been retained is just what is required to give improved performance.
The executive chair of Ford, Bill Ford, has made an announcement on the company’s participation in the 24 Hours of Le Man’s endurance event as well as further Mustang racing initiatives for the foreseeable future. Andrew Wendler Bill Ford, executive chair of Ford, made the announcement when he was on stage at the Stampede. He remarked, “Mustang will go back to Le Mans. We are going to perform ‘Go Like Hell’ once again.
Ford continued their remarks during the launch of the all-new seventh-generation Mustang by saying, “Mustang is raced at all the famous circuits around the globe, but there is no race or track that signifies more to our heritage than Le Mans.” It is the place where, in the 1960s, we competed against Ferrari and triumphed, and it is the place where, 50 years later, we returned and stunned the world once again.
In addition, Ford revealed that the new seventh-generation Mustang would be available in GT3 and GT4 trim levels. In 2024, the factory-backed GT3 will make its competitive debut in the 24 Hours of Daytona event in Florida. In addition, the 2023 season will see the introduction of a customer-ready Mustang GT4 that will be eligible for competition in worldwide GT4 classes such as those offered by IMSA, SRO, and FIA GT. Last but not least, a brand-new iteration of the race-ready Mustang will make its debut in the Australian Supercars Championship series for the 2020 season. In the years to come, the NASCAR Cup series and the NHRA Factory X racing will each see the introduction of freshly redesigned cars. For the unveiling of the 2024 Mustang, Ford spent no cost, adopting manufacturing standards that are often reserved for artists who have achieved platinum-selling success. Andrew Wendler
2024 Mustang Dark Horse Future
The battle for supremacy in the pony car market has traditionally been between the Ford Mustang, the Dodge Challenger, and the Chevrolet Camaro. Others have made attempts to get into the race, but very few of them have had a significant and enduring influence. Ford’s dedication to the V8 engine speaks loudly in spite of the fact that some detractors have already said that the new Mustang is nothing more than a superficial redesign of the one that is already on the market. Dodge, of all players, has long been the home of the truly dedicated horsepower fanatics of cartoonish proportions. Now, Dodge is going all in on an EV future with the upcoming Dodge Charger Daytona SRT EV, whereas Chevrolet is still a little cagey regarding the future of the Camaro, despite being on record with its 13-year plan to convert the entire lineup to EVs.
If nothing else, Ford’s determination to keep the Mustang running on a gasoline V8 engine for the next generational cycle—at least for the next five to seven years—speaks volumes about the heart of the firm as well as its profound bond with its client base