Coyote V8-Powered 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Is One Aggressive Muscle Car

2022-09-16 20:29:19 By : Mr. Richard Ho

Get Hotcars Premium. Start your free trial today

Ford with the sinister new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse is filling the void created by the demise of the Mustang Shelby GT350. And we are stroked!

The seventh and sadly last gasoline-only Ford Mustang generation (fingers crossed) has been unveiled with a bang. Ford has gone above and beyond to provide an exciting send-off to the iconic pony car. We are glad that the Blue Oval stuck to "gas-only" for the new Stangs.

But we are happier because of the extensive list of cool and race-ready Mustangs that have been unveiled. The coolest road-legal of them all is the first-ever Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Just as the name suggests, it embraces the devilish side of the pony!

It is high on visual drama with a unique dark blue shade contrasted with blacked-out trimmings and cool wheels. A set of cool forward-facing horses adds a distinctive level of coolness to the exterior. The sinister coolness is carried over the interior as well.

The more serious mods are under the skin, where Ford has given the Coyote V8 unique internals. The suspension, brakes, and chassis also get beefed up. The Mustang Dark horse comes with standard Pirelli P Zero tires for more grip and less smoke!

Ford with the sinister new 2024 Mustang Dark Horse is filling the void created by the demise of the Mustang Shelby GT350. And we are stroked!

Ford has created the Mustang Dark Horse by taking the already desirable Coyote V8 motor from the 2024 Mustang GT. For the first time, the 5.0-Liter V8 gets unique upgrades outside its GT350 and GT500 application. A mad set of engineers at Ford took the engine apart and added in a modified set of pistons and connecting rings, first seen in the high-performance Shelby GT500.

The Dark Hose also gets a dual throttle-body intake to help the fierce engine breathe easy. A bold move is to provide a customized six-speed TREMEC manual gearbox as standard in the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse! Ford also provides an optional 10-speed automatic transmission with paddles for those who feel intimidated by the stick shift. The stick shift gets a designated transmission oil cooler for when you decide to go all out on the tracks. The Dark Horse packs over 500 hp, making it a meaty proposition!

Related: 10 Reasons Why The Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400 Is Pure Awesomeness

The 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse chassis gets reinforced to provide for a more balanced layout. The suspension gets beefed up with larger rear sway bars and chunkier front shocks to let you be more aggressive both on the straights and corners. Adding further handling perks are standard MagneRide shocks on all four wheels that help change the stiffness and rebound by monitoring the wheel and tire movement - 1,000 times a second!

The steering feedback is also improved with new lightweight components. Improving the grip levels is a Torsen rear differential. It is complemented with standard Pirelli P Zero tires wrapped around 19/9.5-inch front and 19/10-inch rear tires. For added bite, it gets 13.9-inch rotors and Brembo 6-piston brakes for the front.

Taking things even further is a set of optional features. The Dark Horse gets an available Handling Package that adds a cooler rear wing with an integrated Gurney Flap for improved aerodynamics. The wheels can be swapped with lightweight carbon fiber ones from Carbon Revolution. Ford has given serious importance to cooling here. It gets brake cooling NACA ducts, an auxiliary engine oil cooler, a rear axle cooler, and a custom radiator with powerful fans to help the Mustang Dark Horse keep its cool, at all times!

Ford takes the striking new design language of the 2024 Mustang and gives it a devilish makeover in blue! It gets a unique Blue Ember metallic paint that sparkles when subjected to light at certain angles. It can be accentuated with cool graphics for the roof and hood that can be either painted or applied as vinyl.

The front fascia is all about aggression with a gloss black grille, a shadow graphic around the smoked LED headlamps, and an aggressive set of front bumper and splitter. The side profile gets low-slung skirts that match the overall aggression. The rear fascia fixed spoiler, a racecar-inspired diffuser, and blacked-out quad exhaust tips. But the coolest exterior feature has to be the sinister forward-facing Dark Horse logo which can be found on the fenders and trunk.

Related: How The 2024 Ford Mustang Interior Is Unlike Any Muscle Car Before

Ford elevates the already impressive interior of the 2024 Mustang line-up in the Dark Horse. The door sills, instrument panel, and digital display screens all flaunt the forward-facing horse to remind you of the cool Mustang you are in. The Mustang Dark Horse appearance package adds a unique Deep Indigo Blue seat upholstery. The thicker and flat-bottom steering wheel is wrapped in suede and gets Bright Indigo Blue accent stitching.

The cabin also gets contrasting Bright Indigo Blue stitching on the door panels, gear shift gaiter, and center console. People opting for the automatic transmission will also get anodized silver paddle shifters for added contrast.

The 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster flows smoothly into the 13.2-inch SYNC touchscreen infotainment unit. The screens have a driver-biased design and provide for a fighter-jet appeal. Entertainment features are top-notch as the Mustang Dark Horse gets a B&O audio system with 12 speakers and a subwoofer.

The sinister Ford Mustang Dark Horse is a foundation for mayhem on the racetracks! Ford is making two track-only versions of this bad boy - the Dark Horse S and the Dark Horse R. Both of these are a stripped-down version of the road-going model and get various race-spec components to help make it FIA-certified and race-legal. Weight savings, aggressive aero, and serious suspension, brake, and chassis upgrades are the major changes for the track-spec models.

Tijo is an engineer, mechanic, and an avid content creator. He is a grease-monkey who loves tinkering with automobiles every now and then, when not busy penning down his passion for them. He has always had a soft spot for JDM and is keen on diving deep in for anything that involves wheels and engines.