Ford Unleashes the Mustang Dark Horse Performance Lineup to Storm the Racetracks

The Ford Mustang Dark Horse adds more than just a visual package to the trusted Mustang recipe. Ford is adamant that the new performance cars wearing the Dark Horse badge are proper race cars, even in the street-legal guise. The word “sinister” appears four times in the press release, and we’re supposed to get the idea that this is truly a mean machine. Remarkably, the Dark Horse is the first new performance name for the brand since Mustang Bullitt was introduced in 2001.

The street-legal Ford Mustang Dark Horse features a specially modified 5.0-liter V8 engine with 500 horsepower ready to storm the racetracks and the roads alike. This is still a far cry from the 760 horsepower of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, but at least the engine shares a lot of nuts and bolts with the latter. It includes a new dual throttle-body intake design to improve engine breathing, accentuated by the open nostrils in the front grille. This is the Dark Horse range’s most obvious mark.

The wild horse of the Mustang range rocks a six-speed TREMEC manual transmission that connects to the driver through a standard 3D-printed titanium shift ball. Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission is available as an option, offering sport paddle shifters for fast and precise shifting. The power goes to the rear wheels through a Torsen rear differential.

The chassis benefits from the larger rear sway bars, heavy-duty front shocks, and unique suspension settings. The stopping power is courtesy of 19-inch Brembo front 6-piston brakes with 13.9-inch rotors. The MagneRide shocks capable of monitoring wheel and tire movement 1,000 times per second are standard on the Mustang Dark Horse.

The optional Handling Package improves aerodynamics even further, thanks to the rear wing that includes an integrated Gurney Flap, similar to that of the Ford GT. The Handling Package also adds stiffer springs and larger front and rear sway bars. For the first time, carbon wheels are available to order for a Mustang beyond Shelby GT350 and Shelby GT500.

Ford doesn’t keep a secret that it wants to race the new Mustang at various competitions worldwide, including GT3, GT4, NASCAR, and NHRA Factory X racing. That’s why two track-only versions of the Mustang Dark Horse will also be available. The Mustang Dark Horse S is a stripped-down version of the street-legal muscle car designed for the weekend track day enthusiast. The Mustang Dark Horse R is more extreme and was developed specifically for racing.

In the case of the Dark Horse S, all non-essential parts and trim pieces have been removed. Instead, a full FIA-certified safety cage, safety nets, a race seat with safety belts, and a race steering wheel with quick disconnect have been fitted. Even the passenger seat is optional for kind gentlemen who want to take their buddy to the track or have an instructor for ride-along. The powertrain mirrors the base Dark Horse, but upgraded brakes and Multimatic DSSV dampers are fitted for more performance and tunability.

Finally, the Dark Horse R takes the performance up a notch, being already approved for racing. It also comes standard with strategic seam welding, a fuel cell for increased range, and Ford Performance Parts wheels. Ford has more in the pipeline for racing Mustangs, with a Mustang GT3 IMSA race car rocking a 5.4-liter Coyote-based V8 engine under the hood available from 2024. A Ford Mustang GT4 is also planned for the 2023 season.