The Ford Mustang Dark Horse is a fresh take on an icon. Ford wanted a pony car with track capability and road friendliness at a (relatively) reasonable price. A 500-horsepower menace resulted, equipped with the most powerful naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 of any Mustang ever.
Back in August, I spent time with this car on the track, and it was pretty damn good. Now I've got the Dark Horse in my driveway for a week and I'm curious to see what it's like to live with. This one has the 10-speed automatic instead of the six-speed manual (boo!), and a standard MagneRide adaptive suspension. This test car forgoes the optional Handling Pack, which stiffens the suspension and adds stickier P Zero Trofeo RS tires. But for around-town use, that's fine.
The Dark Horse starts at $60,865 with destination, and this car is about $69,505 with options. The automatic is an extra $1,595, the Recaro seats are $1,995, and a few more options hike the price. But compared to what BMW, Nissan, and Porsche ask for their alternatives, the Mustang Dark Horse is a screaming deal.
So, I've already spent a few days in the Dark Horse and am eager to get more time in Ford's most-potent Mustang. Thus far, there are a few things I like about this car, and some I could do without.
What’s Good So Far?
- It looks awesome. I wasn’t a fan of the mascara front fascia at first, but the design has grown on me. The bold front end makes the entire car look more aggressive. And the ‘Stang’s classic profile was excellent already.
- The V-8 is unmatched. CEO Jim Farley said recently Ford will keep building V-8s until the sun explodes, as they should. The 5.0-liter Coyote engine is one of the best to ever do it. It’s phenomenal.
- It handles beautifully. One of my biggest gripes with the old Mustang (minus the Shelby GT500) was that it wasn’t exactly agile; it handled as big as it looked. But this new one is light on its feet and nimble. You can easily stick the nose into a corner and come out cleanly on the other side. [Insert Mustang car meet joke here].
- It’s affordable, relatively. You can’t get into a BMW M2, Nissan Z Nismo, or Porsche 718 Cayman for less than $65,000 these days. Ford undercuts that by nearly $5,000, and it has a big ol’ V-8 with a stick.
What’s Bad So Far?
- It's an automatic. I’m not usually one who swears by a manual (especially when an auto is typically quicker), but the 10-speed doesn’t fit the personality of this car. I want to rip from third to fourth with my own flesh and bones, while hearing the 5.0-liter V-8 scream from the quad exhaust tips, as God intended.
- The HVAC controls are in the screen. Not having hard buttons for functions like fan speed and temperature is annoying. Ford puts them into a menu at the base of the screen that is hard to use. Just give me buttons.
- Not much else. I’m having a hard time finding faults with this car in the few days I’ve driven it. The ride is a little harsh, maybe, and the visibility is compromised. But that’s to be expected of any sports car.
