The Mustang has long been a household name when it comes to American cars. Its long history of being a fun, driver-centric sports car with lots of go has earned it a status in the world of cars. Throughout its lifespan, there have been tons of different models representing the highest performance at the time, but the newest beast to sit atop the totem pole is the Mustang Dark Horse.
The new ominous muscle car brings a darker and edgier vibe than the Mustang has ever been known for. Everything about it is meant to be looming and threatening. If you’re someone who enjoys the roar and rumble of a V-8 engine, then the Dark Horse represents an increasingly rare attraction.
With the 2024 Dark Horse being a successor to the Mach 1 and inheriting tons of equipment from other Pony Cars, we dissect everything on the newest nameplate to see what makes the Dark Horse unique. From its V-8 engine to its gothic design choices, the Dark Horse is a brand-new beast.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from Ford, and other authoritative sources, including HotCars and CarBuzz.
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10 The Dark Horse Features A Color Shifting Paint Job
Catch Eyes With This Unique Coat
Part of the appeal of any Mustang is the way that it looks. Its menacing style is one of the many things that makes it such an attractive option. The 2024 Dark Horse takes this to another level.
Paint Options
- Shadow Black
- Oxford White
- Race Red
- Atlas Blue
- Grabber Blue
- Dark Matter Gray
- Vapor Blue
- Carbonized Gray
- Blue Ember (Color Shifting)
The Dark Horse has a ton of different paint options to choose from, but the Blue Ember is the most notable due to the fact that the color shifts as the light hits it differently. It can shift from blue to a dark purple, which Ford says adds to its stealthy and striking appearance. This definitely adds flare to this fantastic muscle car.
9 A Specialized Appearance Package Is Optional On The 2024 Dark Horse
Next Level Exterior Styling
If you want access to that incredible Ember Blue paintwork, you’re also going to have to opt for the entire optional appearance package. This not only gives you access to the color-shifting paint, but adds tons of details that are unique to the Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
Dark Horse Appearance Package
- Choice of Blue Ember Metallic, Vapor Blue Metallic, or Shadow Black Exterior Paint
- Black Painted Roof
- Unique Brake Calipers – Notorious Blue with Grabber Blue Logo
- Unique Hood Graphic
If you’re looking for the best-looking Dark Horse spec that you can buy, the appearance package definitely offers some eye-catching changes. The three paint options can be paired with a black-painted roof unless you opt for Shadow Black. The blue brake calipers also add to the overall tone of the night-riding Dark Horse.
8 Each Dark Horse Comes With A Plaque Featuring The Chassis Number
An Air of Exclusivity
The Dark Horse is a limited-run model of the Mustang and isn’t likely to stick around for too long. This adds to the appeal if you’re a collector of cars or if you simply want something a little more exclusive. Ford’s special edition muscle car will certainly turn heads and impress.
Different Prefixes
- TT – Testing Trial
- PP – Pilot Production
- R – Model Year 2024
- S – Model Year 2025
On the dashboard of every Mustang Dark Horse is a small plaque featuring the chassis number of your pony car. In big blue letters, it reads ‘Dark Horse’ and features a number with a letter prefix. Your prefix will add to just how valuable or rare a Dark Horse is, and we can see PP and TT models, as well as models with particularly low chassis numbers being worth tons in the future.
7 The Interior Of The Dark Horse Has Tons Of Unique Details
A One Of A Kind Interior
While there isn’t much difference in terms of the general design language or setup of the interior in the Dark Horse compared to the regular Mustang, there are a few changes that make it stand out. As a Dark Horse buyer, you get access to more options than the average Mustang owner.
Interior Features
- Recaro Vinyl Seats
- Deep Indigo Color
- Bright Indigo Stitching
The finer details in the cabin of the Dark Horse are all specifically designed to add to the mysterious and brooding vibe that the newest Mustang gives off. Even though a lot of the equipment is the same as your standard Mustang, the Indigo accents and special stitching will remind you that this ‘Stang is special. You also have access to improved Recaro bucket seats that aren’t optional on any other Mustang.
6 The Dark Horse Gets Its Own Unique Mustang Badge
A Front-Facing Pony
If you’re worried that the updated front fascia, the massive rear spoiler, and the carbon fiber brakes weren’t going to be enough to let people know your Mustang is special, Ford has also gone and given it a new badge. Even the most clueless of car people will know that you’re driving a Dark Horse.
While in the front of the car, the classic Pony still gallops. Now anodized, the new badge has been placed all over the place. On the fenders, trunk, and door sills you will see a menacing front-facing pony, staring you down. On the instrument panel and digital display screens you’ll also find this new badge.
5 The Shift Ball In The Dark Horse Is 3D-Printed And Pure Titanium
Athletic Styling From Head To Toe
While it may not seem like the most impactful change in the Mustang, the shift ball being titanium and 3D printed is definitely unique. This isn’t the first time that Ford has made use of 3D printing in the design of their cars, and it’s likely to become a more regular occurrence.
Manual Or Automatic
The 2024 Dark Horse offers you a choice between a ten-speed automatic transmission and a six-speed manual. The automatic comes with anodized silver shift paddles, which Ford claims will help you shift more precisely. The six-speed gear lever comes with a lightweight titanium shift ball which has been hollowed out, so it keeps cool even when it’s hot outside.
While it’s not unique and other Mustangs have featured it before, a Tremec six-speed in the Dark Horse is definitely noteworthy and is a huge part of its success on and off the track. While manuals are dying off, there are still some good analog performance cars left, purists will understand why this transmission makes the Dark Horse so special.
4 The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse Can Be Fitted With Carbon Fiber Wheels
Every Bit Of Weight Counts
The 2024 Mustang Dark Horse claims to be the king of both the track and the street. To achieve this, it has to be quick. While power is definitely a big factor in this, Ford has gone to just about every length to save weight on the Dark Horse, including shaving a few pounds off the wheels.
Wheel Options
- Tarnished Dark-Painted Low Gloss Aluminum Wheels – 19” X 9.5” (F) 19” X 10” (R)
- Tarnished Dark-Painted Low Gloss Aluminum Wheels – 19” X 10.5” (F) 19” X 11” (R)
- Carbon Fiber Wheels – 19” X 10.5” (F) 19” X 11” (R)
Every choice of wheel on the Dark Horse is unique, with the aluminum alloy wheels coming in two different sizes and the carbon fiber ones in a single size. Ford claims that the carbon fiber wheels are 37 percent lighter than the alloy wheels. These carbon fiber wheels feature a unique blue weave and a design never seen on a Ford before.
3 No Other Mustang Is As Aerodynamic As The Dark Horse
Time In The Wind Tunnel Has Sculpted This ‘Stang
Ford has developed a new wind tunnel testing facility to enhance the aerodynamic testing of their future vehicles. One of the first vehicles to benefit from this was the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse. While it isn’t unique that the Dark Horse was developed using this facility, the Dark Horse has become the most aerodynamic Mustang ever because of it.
More Downforce, Less Lift
A rear spoiler, a gurney flap, and three vertical plates are just some of the additions to the Dark Horse that give it so much downforce. Ford claims they spent approximately 250 hours in the wind tunnel developing the new Mustang. While it might not be as aerodynamic as the latest EVs, its design is part of what makes it the most track and street-capable Mustang ever.
2 Ford’s Dark Horse Is A Handling Monster Thanks To Specialized Tuning And Parts
Not Just Fast In A Straight Line
Ford has gone through a great deal of effort to make sure that the Dark Horse is track-ready from the word go. While the track-only variants certainly up the ante, you won’t feel out of place taking your Dark Horse around track bends on the weekend.
Unique Features
- Chassis Tuning
- Larger Sway Bars
- Heavy-Duty Front Shocks
- Lightweight Ford Performance-designed strut tower brace and K-brace
The Mustang hasn’t only been about straight-line speed for some time now. Ford has engineered a car that can keep up with plenty of foreign sports cars around the bends as well. The Dark Horse showcases new technology that makes the Dark Horse one of the quickest and most responsive driving experiences you can get in a modern muscle car.
1 The Coyote V-8 Gets Pushed Up To 500 Horsepower
Performance Parts And A Unique Tune
The Dark Horse is currently the most powerful new street-legal Mustang that you can buy. At its heart beats the brilliantly robust and powerful Coyote 5.0-liter that we’ve all come to know and love, but it’s been fiddled with to output even more power and be even more efficient than before.
Performance Improvements
- Modified with piston connecting rods
- Dual throttle-body intake design
- An auxiliary engine oil cooler
- Lighter-weight radiator with improved cooling
- More powerful cooling fans
The Dark Horse has a direct line to the performance bin and this means adopting some parts that were previously reserved for the GT500. Some were disappointed that the Dark Horse didn’t feature much more power than the standard Coyote Mustang. However, there are plenty of unique changes that set it apart. Its extra power is definitely more noticeable considering the weight reductions that Ford has committed to. On top of this, the improvements to cooling mean that the Dark Horse is optimized for the track, gaining better endurance and recovery.
