2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse First Drive Review: The Next Best American Track Car

In the beginning, Ford created the four-cylinder Mustang EcoBoost and V8 Mustang GT, and we saw that it was good. On the second day, Ford said, "Let there be a balls-out circuit-ready version," and it was so. Ford called it the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and, lo and behold, we also saw that it was good.

Sporting a host of chassis and brake improvements, added cooling, more power, a heavenly Tremec manual gearbox, and some aesthetically-pleasing interior and exterior touches, this ravenous, more track-centric 'Stang is a thorough joy to hustle around. It also demonstrates that big V8 power and good ol' American ingenuity still give more expensive European fare a solid run for its money. In the steeplechase of track-and-street versatility, here's how this biblically yoked pony excels.

Black Beauty

The Mustang Dark Horse visually expresses its high-performance potential with a mix of muscular proportions, a spoiler bolted to the trunk lid, a more aggressive front end, as well as badging and graphics throughout to tell passersby that it's more than just a GT.

And why wouldn't it? Here's a bit of trivia to share with your fellow car-loving chums: the Dark Horse is not only the first new Ford Performance nameplate since the gen-four Bullitt, but it's also the first-ever Mustang badge where the horse is aiming right at you, instead of horizontally galloping along (it has those emblems attached, though, too).

It's an overall handsome package, especially sprayed in Blue Ember. The color has a neat holographic sheen that changes depending on lighting and angle, almost like an homage to the old SN95 chassis' Mystichrome.

Inside, the Dark Horse isn't tremendously different from the GT or EcoBoost; check out my recent reviews of those for more on the S650's design but, in short, it's a screen-heavy, spacious environment made of acceptable materials and accommodating of all body shapes. However, it does get some chic blue accents as well as a very solid-feeling anodized metal shift knob if you opt for the manual which will probably get red-hot when left in the summer heat. The optional Recaro sport seats are trimmed in handsome blue leather and Alcantara.

Did You Know That There's a V8 Under Ocean Blvd

It's amazing how engine technology progresses. As some folks might remember, the 2007 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500's supercharged 5.4-liter V8 put out 500 horsepower. Nowadays, Ford is able to squeeze 500 out of a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote V8.

To achieve 500 hp and 418 lb-ft of torque reliably, Ford dug through its parts bin and threw in the S550 GT500's forged connecting rods and bearings. It also gets upgraded oil cooling and a bit of tuning, of course, but otherwise, the same gear is largely the same as you get in the GT. With twin 80-mm throttle bodies at their disposal, it was probably pretty easy for engineers to achieve.

Elsewhere, the Dark Horse receives the same Torsen limited-slip differential with a 3.73:1 final drive ratio and 255/40/19 front and 275/40/19 rear Pirelli P Zero tires as the Performance Package-equipped Mustang GT. Similarly, its standard six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembo brakes have more track-ready pads over the GT and EcoBoost, plus bigger 390-mm two-piece rotors up front that were sourced from the outgoing GT500.

MagneRide adaptive dampers with bespoke Dark Horse tuning are standard, as are bigger 33.3-mm front and 24-mm rear sway bars, though the Handling Package gets a solid rear bar for added rigidity. The spring rate is increased as well: the front spring rate is now 34 N/mm up front and 115 in the rear. The Handling Package ups the ante to 37 and 130, respectively, while also adding a redesigned rear spoiler and a bigger front lip for more downforce.

Off To The Races

To get a feel for how all this equipment translated to track capability, I had the opportunity to rip many laps through an eclectic mix of high-speed banking, hard braking zones, and some surprisingly technical apexes at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The Dark Horse performed very admirably.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6uq5eBLPUU

First and foremost, the top-tier Mustang may weigh nearly 4,000 pounds, but it wears its weight well. Instead of attempting to squeeze into whatever's on the rack at H&M, it's comfortably slipping into athletic-cut threads at the big and tall store. This was especially true of its brakes; they never softened up or lost bite. Every time I'd dive into an incredibly late apex to enter the track's infield, the brakes felt amply powerful and had no indication of ever fading away. Their ease of modulation and excellent pedal feel made slicing through a smorgasbord of early, late, and double-apexes both fun and trivial for any driver, no matter the skill level.

I primarily drove Handling Package-equipped examples on track, and it's well worth the $4,995 upcharge. 305-front and 315-rear bespoke-to-the-badge Pirelli Trofeo Summer tires had ample grip across every inch of the course, and suspension tuning was bang-on. The ride was solid throughout exhibiting zero body roll while maintaining grippy composure over a couple of hard compressions and off-camber sections.