Hennessey Performance Engineering is currently in the middle of developing its H850 supercharged upgrade package for the Dark Horse. But first, the Texas-based tuner strapped the most powerful Ford Mustang available for the 2024 model year to the dynamometer to find out how much power it makes.
Pictured in Blue Ember Metallic with the Handling Package and 10-speed automatic transmission, the Dark Horse in the video below is rated from the factory at 500 horsepower and 418 pound-feet (567 Nm) of torque. Those are the net numbers measured in accordance with the SAE's J1349 standard.
How many of those ponies and pound-feet actually get to the rollers? 428.23 horsepower at 6,840 revolutions per minute and 379.08 pound-feet (513.96 Nm) at 5,020 revolutions per minute. You can also see that both the power and torque curves fall sharply right before 7,000 revolutions, which is a bit curious. For starters, maximum power is delivered at 7,250 revolutions per minute. Maximum torque is listed at 4,900 revolutions per minute by Ford, hence the gradual drop in torque from 5,000 revolutions.
It's impossible to tell in which gear was the Dark Horse tested on the dyno, but chances are it wasn't the right gear due to software. Seventh gear is the 1:1 ratio, but it can't be used for dyno testing because the 5.0-liter Coyote naturally-aspirated V8 would hit the factory speed limiter. Chances are Hennessey ran this particular Dark Horse in fifth, meaning 1.52 to 1.
Had it been the Tremec-supplied manual transmission, the car may have put down 444.47 horsepower and 389.32 pound-feet (528 Nm) at the rear wheels. Those are the numbers recorded by Middleton Motorsports a few short weeks ago on a similar model dynamometer (made by Dynojet).
Let's pretend for a minute that Hennessey's numbers are correct. 428.23 ponies results in a lower-than-15-percent loss from the crankshaft to the rear wheels. As for torque, that would be less than 10 percent.
John Hennessey's company won't stop here, though, because Hennessey Performance Engineering intends to upgrade the Dark Horse to 850 ponies at the crank. The advertised torque of the H850 supercharged upgrade package is 650 pound-feet (881 Nm), therefore matching the factory torque of the Camaro ZL1 and original (pre-2019) Challenger Hellcat.
What else does the H850 bring new? The supercharger wouldn't be able to work its magic without a high-flow air induction system, upgraded fuel injectors, and an upgraded fuel pump. Of course, Hennessey also received access to the engine control unit to drop in and fine-tune the H850 calibration.
From a visual standpoint, look forward to carbon-fiber bits and pieces, including the side skirts, rear spoiler, and front splitter. Forged aluminum-alloy wheels are in the offing as well, along with embroidered headrests, Hennessey badging, and optionally available Heritage exterior graphics.
Every build will be covered by a three-year warranty for extra peace of mind. What's more, Hennessey H850 Dark Horse customers are offered the choice to take delivery at the Pennzoil Proving Grounds in Texas for the ultimate on-track experience.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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