With sinister looks and a specially modified 5-litre V8, the most powerful naturally aspirated Mustang to date – the Mustang Dark Horse – will soon be unleashed in South Africa.
What is it?
The Mustang Dark Horse follows hot on the heels of the imminent launch of the iconic Mustang GT. As the first new Mustang performance series to be launched in more than two decades, the Dark Horse expands the line-up with an even more driver-focused version of one of the world’s most iconic cars. The last new performance series introduced for the Mustang was the original Bullitt, launched in 2001 for the fourth-generation model in the US.
Engine:
Powered by a 5-litre Coyote V8 engine, specially modified with piston connecting rods first introduced in the Mustang Shelby GT500, plus dual throttle-body intake, it is designed to produce 334 kW (6 kW more than the Mustang GT) of power and 540 Nm of torque. The Mustang Dark Horse comes standard with Ford’s 10-speed automatic transmission with sport paddle shifters.
Interior:
The Mustang Dark Horse has a driver-centric cockpit. A thicker, flat-bottomed steering wheel wrapped in suede and finished with Bright Indigo Blue accent stitching incorporates anodised silver paddle shifters.
A dedicated Drive Mode button is within thumb’s reach, allowing drivers to quickly choose the desired driving set-up. This sits in front of a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster with customisable screens, including drive modes: Normal, Sport, Slippery, Drag, Track plus a customisable setting with up to six individual profiles.
Contrasting blue stitching across the door panels and seats, gear shift gaiter and centre console lifts the ambience of the cabin, enhanced further by unique blue seatbelts. Interior trim, bezels and vents are finished in Black Alley – a dark metallic gloss replacing the familiar bright silver shades of the standard Mustang GT.
Exterior:
The Mustang Dark Horse carries the most striking visual cues of any new road-going Mustang. At the front, a bold, shadow graphic surrounds the darkened LED headlamps, which complements a unique, gloss black grille with trapezoidal nostrils and Mustang Dark Horse-unique lower front bumper with high gloss ‘fangs’.
Lower side skirts and, to the rear, a fixed rear wing, new race-inspired diffuser and darkened quad exhaust tips demonstrate the car’s track-focused design cues.
New Mustang Dark Horse badges were designed for this performance version of Mustang to visually separate it from other models. This is a first for Mustang to have a forward-facing horse.”
Price:
Mustang Dark Horse 5L V8 10AT (R1 500 000).
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