The Ford Mustang Dark Horse VIN 001, the first to roll off the production line of the Flat Rock factory in Detroit, was sold at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale for almost $400,000, which is six times its MRSP. All the money is going to charity.
The first Ford Mustang Dark Horse ever built is finished in Blue Ember Metallic with Shadow Black painted racing stripes, coming for $5,495. The vehicle is equipped with the Handling and Appearance packages. The latter brings a contrasting black roof, the Notorious Blue brake calipers, and distinctive hood graphics.
Meanwhile, the Handling package brings the car one inch closer to the ground thanks to a retuned suspension and magnetic dampers. A larger front splitter and a rear spoiler with a Gurney flap for extra downforce are also there to make the ride harsher compared to what the stock Mustang offered, according to Ford. Customers can order it for a Mustang Dark Horse for $4,995.
The driver and front passenger will sit in the $1,650 Recaro sports seats in Deep Indigo leather with contrasting blue accents in what Ford calls one of the sportiest interiors ever fitted on a production car.
Placed behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel, the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster with customizable screens displays all the relevant driving information, while various features of the car can be controlled via the 13.2-inch touchscreen in the center console.
Photo: Ford
The MagneRide suspension improves handling while cornering at high speed. A K-brace Torsen rear differential is also part of the plan with the same purpose. The car rides on 19-inch tarnished dark-painted low gloss aluminum wheels with Pirelli Trofeo RS tires, 19 x 10.5 at the front and 19 x 11 at the rear, plus Brembo brakes.
The Mustang Dark Horse is powered by the fourth-generation Coyote 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine, which is capable of churning out 500 horsepower (507 metric horsepower) and 418 pound-feet (566 Newton meters) of torque.
A Tremec six-speed manual gearbox steers resources to the rear wheels for a run from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 165 mph.
The Dark Horse can also be specced with a ten-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, which makes it 0.4 seconds quicker.
The Ford Mustang Dark Horse starts at $61,725. The one going under the hammer with Barrett-Jackson sold for $375,000. The entire amount will be steered to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which works to prevent and treat type 1 diabetes.
The sum the Mustang Dark Horse went for pales compared to the amount achieved last year by the first Ford Mustang GT manufactured (with no Dark Horse badge included). The car sold for $490,000 during the 2023 edition of the Barrett-Jackson auction.
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