2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Premium
Written by Marco Carvajal
The new Dark Horse, the top-of-the-line performance version of the new Mustang has a starting MSRP pricing of $62,180, and it is extremely powerful producing 500 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque.
The Mustang is an icon and one of the best assets in the Ford brand. It is the fifth best-selling car for the brand and the best-selling sports car in the U.S. and worldwide.
Even if the Dark Horse Mustang is more expensive than competitors like a top-of-the-line Toyota GR Supra, Nissan Z Nismo, and Chevy Camaro, each of the $62K you have to pay when buying a Mustang Dark Horse is worth all the power and performance included in this car. It is supercharged by a unique tuning of the large 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 Engine matched with a TREMEC 6-speed Manual Transmission or an optional 10-speed SelectShift Automatic Transmission with Paddle Shifters.
You may like sporty fun cars like Ferrari, Corvette, Lamborghini, and other brands, but despite all the luxury, ostentation, and super performance of fancy sporty cars, the reality is that the Ford Mustang continues keeping the winner title as the the best-selling sports car in the United States and in the world.
60th birthday, is it a Pony or a Mustang Horse
The Ford Mustang gave birth to the name pony car, you may wonder if it is considered a muscle car or a pony car. The answer is yes to both.
The Ford Mustang is celebrating its 60 years. It has been in continuous non-stop production since 1964. It is the longest-produced automobile for the Ford brand.
The first Mustang models, also known as pony cars in the automobile segment, were developed with a very stylish line of sporty coupes and convertibles, initially distinguished by a very long hood and short deck proportions.
The name Pony Cars started back in 1954 with the creation of the first Mustang cars. Even if Pony horses are not the same as Mustang horses, you can say that the Ford Mustang is a small Mustang horse, therefore call it a pony car.
Ponies are smaller in size than a typical horse but they’re also a bit more wily and a bit stronger than their full-sized counterparts being the perfect name for the original Ford Mustang.
Pony car is now a class of car that can be used by any brand, but is also a term people use to call the iconic Mustang.
The 1964 Mustang created a revolution in the sports car industry, it was the car everyone wanted to own, a must-have Sports Mustang.
The first Ford Mustang models were sporty, trendy, young, and very handsome. The original Mustang also had a really good medium-low price of around $2,300, back in 1964.
At that time there were other popular cars like the Thunderbird that were much more expensive and not everyone could afford. When the Mustang was born, it came to fill a gap for all car buyers who could by a car the would love and they could easily afford.
The original Mustang was a surprise for everyone, it sold one million units two years after its launch. It was originally predicted to sell approximately 100,000 vehicles in a year, but instead, it sold more than 400,000 Mustangs during its first year.
Following the success of Ford, other car manufacturers in the US wanted to build something to compete with the Mustang, and eventually, every American automaker had a similar model to the sporty Mustang.
The U.S. became the producer of many affordable, stylish, and fast American cars, sporty, focused on performance, and fun to drive.
Usually, Pony cars are smaller than muscle cars, using an EcoBoost or V6 engine, but a muscle car should have a big block V8 engine, and be a mid to full-size sedan.
Not only the Mustang is called a pony car, but competitors like the Camaro, Barracuda, Challenger, and Firebird are also part of this segment.
Seventh Generation Mustang
The new Mustang is assembled at the Ford Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan.
The new generation Mustang is more powerful with new advanced turbocharged and naturally aspirated engines.
The seventh generation is young, exciting, and modern, especially when you drive the Dark Horse Premium top-of-the-line trim model.
As you enter the cabin of the new Mustang, the interior is enhanced by its fighter jet-inspired digital cockpit, with two fluid, curved displays that can be quickly customized to display the information the driver wants or needs to see on each of them.
You can tell that Ford wants to offer a modernized Mustang, the new generation is technologically more advanced with an improved driver-focused cockpit.
The new Mustang has a standard cloth interior with full cloth seats with optional Micro Suede vinyl inserts and black seat belts, while Premium models benefit from upgraded upholstery and accent stitching on the instrument panel and door trim. doors.
EcoBoost models feature Ford’s ‘ActiveX’ leatherette upholstery with multiple color options, while GT models get leather seat inserts.
The new seventh generation Mustang top-model Ford Mustang Dark Horse has the performance and power of 500 horses pulling together while you drive this attractive, masculine and sportive car.
Upper series models offer an upgraded all-leather steering wheel, as well as a selection of colored accent stitching and unique upholstery perforation on the seat inserts, complemented by color-coordinated asymmetrical accent stripes on the seat belts.
The seventh-generation 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster can be customized to display different animated layouts and new driving mode-dependent images.
Based on a 3D creation tool used in modern video games, when choosing custom driving modes, the new Mustang’s current settings are displayed on the center console on real-time graphics. This can be adjusted by simply sliding the graphic to virtually rotate your Mustang.
The updated more modern exterior design is very attractive with a chiseled exterior silhouette, but at first sight, you might feel is not a Mustang, it looks great but is very different from previous generations.
The exterior is enhanced by animated welcome lighting that greets drivers as they approach. Then when you enter the cabin the Mustang’s splash screens wake up.
For those who enjoy the sound of a strong engine, Mustang introduces Remote Rev, which provides the ability to rev the car’s engine remotely using your key fob.
The new center console can also incorporate an available wireless mobile phone charging pad and new overhead USB ports are installed above the cabin.
The optional premium B&O sound system is available and it is supposed to match the Mustang’s style.
Amazon Alexa integrated with Ford Streaming allows you to play music and podcasts using voice commands.
Similar to the all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV, the new generation Ford Mustang can be enhanced with Ford Power-Up software.
The new Mustang is very fast and it can be seen competing on circuits and series around the world with models Dark Horse, Mustang GT3, and Mustang GT4.
Dark Horse Premium Mustang
The new Dark Horse Premium model features the best performance and style you can find on a Mustang.
The all-new seventh-generation Mustang is the best version of the famous American sports car, with impressive looks, power, sounds, and appeal.
Whether convertible or coupe, V8 or turbocharged 4-cylinder, manual or automatic, Mustang has options at multiple price points and performance levels, but if you want to drive the best model of this iconic car then the Dark Horse Premium Mustang model is as high as you can go.
The Dark Horse is super powerful with an impressive 500 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque. When driving this Dark Horse you feel you are the owner of the road.
Driving this top model makes you feel like a Rock Star, it is just impressive and gets everyone’s attention anywhere you drive.
The Dark Horse is loud as it roars not only when you push the accelerator, but also with the push of the key fob button that activates the engine remotely.
The modern customizable 13.2 touchscreen is brilliant and very intuitive.
The new fourth generation 5.0 Liters Coyote engine is the most powerful naturally aspirated 5.0 L V8 ever made by Ford.
The Standard wheels 19″ X 9.5″ (Front) and 19″ X 10″ (Rear) Tarnished Dark-painted Low Gloss Aluminum Wheels look fantastic. There are also larger wheels optional available.
Safety features are very important when you buy a car with a massive engine like the Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
The following are standard features on this model: Auto High-Beam Headlamps, AdvanceTrac with Electronic Stability Control (ESC), SOS Post-Crash Alert System, Glove Box Door-Integrated Knee Airbag, Driver’s Knee Airbag, Belt-Minder Front, Safety Belt Reminder, Dual Front Airbags, Front-seat Side-impact Airbags, LATCH Lower Anchors and Tether Anchors for Children, Personal Safety System for Driver and Front Passenger, Safety Canopy Side-curtain Airbags, 3-point Safety, and Belt Restraint System for all Seating Positions
More standard features included with your Dark Horse are Illuminated Entry, Individual Tire Pressure Monitoring System, Perimeter Alarm, Remote Keyless Entry, SecuriLock Passive Anti-Theft System, and Active Anti-Theft System.
As part of the $62K, you need to pay for the Dark Horse experience you get tons of safety features so you and your loved ones can feel secure and confident driving this muscle car.
Fuel Economy
I don’t expect to have amazing fuel economy when driving a sports car with a massive engine like the Mustang’s V8 producing 500 horsepower.
The Dark Horse consumption is OK for such a strong car, but not good compared to regular cars. If you buy a Mustang get ready to spend money on gas.
The beautiful sound of the acceleration onboard the Dark Horse is not free, it will cost you several gas dollars to enjoy such loud pleasure.
Manual Transmission
- 14 MPG City
- 22 MPG Highway
- 17 MPG Combined
Automatic Transmission
- 14 MPG City
- 22 MPG Highway
- 17 MPG Combined
Pricing and Models
The new 2024 Mustang is available in six different trim models. The base entry level is the EcoBoost Fastback model starting around $31K and the top-of-the-line models are the Dark Horse with pricing around $58K and the Dark Horse Premium that I am test driving, starting at $62K.
Some models like the EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium and the GT Premium, are available as a fastback or as a Convertible.
The Dark Horse has limited availability, I heard that it is sold out at several Ford car dealers.
- 2024 Mustang Dark Horse Premium, MSRP $62,180
If you buy an international version of the Dark Horse Mustang may have less power in other countries, like in the United Kingdom where the pricing is higher and the engine has been reduced to produce around 448 horsepower instead of the 500 hp on the US version.
The best-selling sports Ford Mustang has the performance and power of 500 Dark Horses. If you like sporty, loud American cars you would love this wild horse.
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