New Ford Mustang Dark Horse gallops into South Africa

The hotly anticipated Ford Mustang Dark Horse has arrived in South Africa.

A more driver-focused version of the Blue Oval's latest seventh-generation pony car, this flagship offering hits the tarmac with extra power and a chassis tuned to deliver heightened cornering prowess. It also gets numerous track-inspired styling cues. 

Up front you will find a bold shadow graphic surrounding the darkened LED Tri-Bar headlamps; a gloss black radiator grille with trapezoidal nostrils and a lower bumper beset with high gloss “fangs”. Other distinguishing features include lower side skirts, a fixed rear wing and a sizeable diffuser, home to four darkened exhaust tailpipes. The boot lid and front fender panels wear a forward-facing pony badge, which is unique to the Dark Horse.

Available exterior colours include Race Red, Oxford White, Atlas Blue, Carbonised and Dark Matter Grey. Customers can also spec the optional (no-cost) Appearance Pack that unlocks Blue Ember metallic: a dark shade that emits a warm glow when it catches the light. This pack also includes a black roof, bonnet graphics, additional blue seat accents and Notorious Blue Brembo brake calipers with Grabber Blue Brembo/Mustang logos. 

In keeping with the sporty exterior, the interior of the Dark Horse adds extra sizzle courtesy of a flat-bottomed suede steering wheel with blue contrast stitching, anodised silver paddle shifters and a dedicated drive mode button that lets drivers toggle between one of six factory-set profiles: Normal, Sport, Slippery, Drag, Track and Individual. 

There's also lots of contrasting blue stitching across the door panels as well as on the vinyl/suede seats, gearshift gaiter and centre console. While the seat belts of this top-tier Mustang are coloured Deep Indigo Blue, the interior trim, bezels and vents are finished in Black Alley — a dark metallic gloss replacing the bright silver of the standard GT model.

Under the bonnet of the Dark Horse resides a Coyote 5l V8 engine beefed up with a dual intake/dual throttle body induction system; forged piston connecting rods from the Mustang Shelby GT500, and strengthened camshafts. Power increases to 334kW (6kW more than the Mustang GT) while torque holds steady at 540Nm. Meshed to a 10-speed automatic gearbox and Torsen limited-slip differential, Ford claims this powertrain will deliver the Dark Horse from 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds and on to a 250km/h top speed. 

To keep temperatures in check even when operating in demanding track environments, Ford equipped the Dark Horse with an auxiliary engine oil cooler, rear axle cooler and a lightweight radiator offering improved cooling capability and more powerful cooling fans.

Meanwhile, the chassis of the Dark Horse benefits from larger rear sway bars and a pair of heavy-duty front shocks. The latter, with the rear units, feature Ford's innovative MagneRide damping system capable of monitoring wheel and tyre movement 1,000 times per second, thus optimising performance based on driving surface and driving mode.

Other standout features include a Ford Performance-designed strut tower brace and K-brace for improved handling and steering response. The 19" lightweight alloy wheels finished in Tarnished Dark paint are shod with staggered Pirelli P Zero tyres (255/40 front, 275/40 rear). Stopping power is provided by Brembo six-piston calipers with 390mm ventilated discs up front and Brembo four-pot calipers and 355mm ventilated rotors at the rear.

The new Ford Mustang Dark Horse retails for R1.5m. This includes a four-year/120,000km warranty and four-year/unlimited distance roadside assistance package. Optional service or maintenance plans of up to eight years/165,000km are available at extra cost.