PRETORIA, South Africa, Sep. 15, 2022: With sinister appears and a specifically modified 5.0-litre V8, essentially the most highly effective 5.0-litre V8 ever, projecting 500 horsepower. The Ford Mustang Dark Horse expands the lineup and units a brand new benchmark for American road and observe efficiency that would solely are available a Mustang.
A particular crew of Ford engineers, designers and specialists labored for greater than three years to create Mustang Dark Horse, a road and track-capable efficiency Mustang with putting visible cues and all the potential sports activities automobile lovers count on, proper all the way down to the obtainable carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution (late availability). Mustang Dark Horse is the primary new efficiency title for the model since Mustang Bullitt was launched in 2001.
“For decades, Mustang has competed against the most premium brands on the greatest world stages and won,” stated Jim Farley, CEO of Ford Motor Company. “We surprised everyone, and we’re going to surprise them again with a track-capable Mustang that puts a new level of performance, styling and American engineering in the hands of everyday customers who still want the thrill and excitement of a V8 sports car.”
Ford Mustang Dark Horse:Unique 5.0-litre V8 Athletic Performance
The basis for Mustang Dark Horse begins with the all-new 2024 Mustang, which has been reworked with a digitally immersive cockpit, new engines and styling to make it essentially the most exhilarating and fun-to-drive Mustang ever.
“We’ve taken the all-new Mustang, the best of our new 5.0-litre V8 performance, and added power, improved the aero, tires, steering and provided an interactive cockpit to create a Mustang that goes beyond any 5.0-litre Mustang before it,” stated Ed Krenz, Ford Mustang chief nameplate engineer.
The coronary heart of Mustang Dark Horse is its distinctive 5.0-litre Coyote V8 engine, specifically modified with piston connecting rods first launched within the 760-horsepower Ford Performance Mustang Shelby GT500. Mustang Dark Horse will ship the best stage of efficiency within the all-new Mustang household.
Visually differentiated from any 5.0-litre V8 earlier than it, Mustang Dark Horse features a twin throttle-body consumption design to enhance engine respiration, accentuated by the open nostrils within the entrance grille.
Mustang Dark Horse comes customary with a novel six-speed TREMEC guide transmission that connects to the motive force by way of a regular 3D-printed titanium shift ball. The guide additionally features a particular Mustang Dark Horse transmission oil cooler. Drivers even have the choice to decide on Ford’s superior 10-speed computerized transmission with sport paddle shifters for quick and exact shifting – from the freeway to the race circuit.
Additional powertrain enhancements have been made for efficiency on the observe. Mustang Dark Horse contains brake cooling NACA ducts, an auxiliary engine oil cooler, a rear axle cooler and a novel and lighter-weight radiator with improved cooling functionality and extra highly effective cooling followers to enhance endurance and restoration.
The Mustang Dark Horse offers distinctive chassis tuning, bigger rear sway bars and heavy-duty entrance shocks. Stopping is courtesy of 19-inch Brembo entrance 6 piston brakes with 13.9-inch rotors. Steering response and grip is additional enhanced with a brand new light-weight Ford Performance-designed strut tower brace and Ok-brace for even higher dealing with and suggestions from Mustang Dark Horse. Mustang Dark Horse places the torque down with out shedding traction by way of a Torsen® rear differential and customary Pirelli P ZERO (PZ4) tires with staggered becoming wheels (19-inch-by-9.5-inch entrance and 19-inch-by-10-inch rear wheels).
Mustang Dark Horse gives customary MagneRide® shocks able to monitoring wheel and tire motion 1,000 instances per second, optimising efficiency primarily based on driving floor or driving mode.
For final street-legal and observe efficiency, the obtainable Handling Package improves aerodynamics even additional with essentially the most downforce of any all-new Mustang due to a novel rear wing that features an built-in Gurney Flap, just like that of the Ford GT. The Handling Package additionally provides stiffer springs, bigger entrance and rear sway bars and wider Pirelli Trofeo tires and 19-inch-by-10.5-inch entrance and 19-inch-by-11-inch rear wheels.
Finally, for no compromise observe efficiency, clients can equip Mustang Dark Horse with light-weight carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution (late availability). It’s the primary time carbon fiber wheels have been obtainable for a Mustang past Shelby® GT350® and GT500.®
Driver-Focused Immersive Digital Cockpit
The Mustang Dark Horse infuses much more efficiency type and performance into the all-new seventh-generation automobile’s technologically superior, driver-centric cockpit.
A thicker, flat-bottomed steering wheel wrapped in suede and completed with Bright Indigo Blue accent stitching incorporates anodised silver paddle shifters on fashions ordered with the 10-speed computerized transmission and a devoted drive mode button is at thumb’s attain, permitting drivers to rapidly select the specified driving setup. This sits in entrance of a 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster with customisable screens together with a wide range of drive modes.
This digital instrument cluster flows seamlessly right into a 13.2-inch SYNC® 4 centre stack behind the identical piece of built-in glass, angled in the direction of the motive force. Together, these screens create a completely immersive digital expertise that emulates a fighter jet cockpit – however in a real-world sports activities automobile.
Contrasting blue stitching throughout the door panels and seats, gear shift gaiter and centre console carry the ambiance of the cabin, enhanced additional by distinctive blue seatbelts. The Mustang Dark Horse Appearance Pack provides Deep Indigo Blue seats with a novel seat perforation, emitting additional hints of blue under the floor.
Interior trim, bezels and vents are completed in Black Alley – a darkish metallic gloss changing the acquainted shiny silver shades of different Mustang trim ranges.
Mustang Dark Horse additionally comes with the most recent B&O® Sound System, offering crisp audio by way of 12 audio system and a subwoofer.
Sophisticated and Sinister Functional Styling
Mustang Dark Horse carries essentially the most putting visible cues of any new road-going Mustang.
“It’s more than a new name. Dark Horse brings a new design language to Mustang that is refined yet perfectly suited to its dual purpose of street and track performance,” stated Joel Piaskowski, international director, Ford Design. “The visual changes, both inside and out, message that Dark Horse has a directed performance focus. The mechanical changes reinforce the purpose of Dark Horse, providing the driver with increased confidence and competence.”
At the entrance, a daring, shadow graphic surrounds the darkened LED headlamps, which compliments a novel, gloss black grille with trapezoidal nostrils and Mustang Dark Horse-unique decrease entrance bumper with excessive gloss ‘fangs.’ Lower aspect skirts and, to the rear, a set rear wing, new race-inspired diffuser and darkened quad exhaust ideas display the automobile’s track-focused design cues.
New Mustang Dark Horse badges have been designed for this efficiency model of Mustang to visually separate it from different fashions. The badges are positioned on the fenders, trunk and door sills, whereas a darkish, anodised model of the well-known pony stays on the entrance. Inside, distinctive Mustang Dark Horse badging is featured on the instrument panel and digital show screens, and every automobile options a person chassis quantity.
“This is the first time for Mustang that we’ve ever had a forward-facing horse,” Piaskowski stated. “It’s aggressive, a bit sinister and it’s coming from the shadows head-on to win.”
Unique to Mustang Dark Horse is Blue Ember metallic paint, a cool, darkish shade that emits a heat glow when it catches the sunshine, setting the tone for the automobile’s general look. A selection of utilized or painted characteristic graphics alongside the roof and down the hood are additionally obtainable in a wide range of colors and kinds. The non-obligatory Appearance Package contains darkish Notorious Blue Brembo brake calipers with a brighter Grabber Blue brand.
Dark Horse and the Future of Global Ford Motorsports
Ford Mustang was born to race. The introduction of Mustang Dark Horse is a part of a broader launch of six new racing Mustangs that may compete globally in a wide range of sequence, together with GT3, GT4, NASCAR and NHRA Factory X racing.
Two devoted, track-only Dark Horse Mustangs powered by 5.0-litre V8 engines will solely be obtainable for racers and non-street use. Mustang Dark Horse S is designed for the weekend observe day fanatic whereas Mustang Dark Horse R has been developed for racing.
“We’re taking this all-new Mustang to competition racing and the very definition of a Dark Horse is the perfect fit to introduce this vehicle to the Mustang brand,” stated Mark Rushbrook, international director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “With our race program development underway, we’re confident we have the right car for success.”
Mustang Dark Horse S is constructed uniquely for motorsports as a stripped-down model of the street-legal Mustang Dark Horse manufacturing car. All non-essential elements and trim items have been eliminated for Mustang Dark Horse S. Inside is a full FIA-certified security cage, security nets, a race seat with security belts and a race steering wheel with fast disconnect. Other security gadgets embody electrical disconnects and a hearth suppression system.
Driver controls are contained inside a central panel, which homes switches and knobs for the headlamps, aspect indicators, windshield wipers, mirror adjusters and rain mild. Also included for Dark Horse S is a pit velocity limiter and an information and acquisition show system. A single passenger seat is non-obligatory, permitting drivers to share their expertise with others and to obtain suggestions from ride-along instructors.
The exterior of Mustang Dark Horse S options hood pins, entrance and rear tow hooks, an adjustable rear wing for added downforce and a full exhaust system to assist spherical out the muse for a novel and fun-to-drive observe automobile. Mustang Dark Horse S might be painted from the manufacturing unit and prepared for particular person car liveries.
While Mustang Dark Horse S has the identical wheels because the street-legal Mustang Dark Horse, the upgraded brake system offers even additional robustness to fulfill observe calls for. Multimatic DSSV dampers help driver tunability along with the adjustable trip top and camber settings.
Mustang Dark Horse R raises the track-focused depth, that includes all Mustang Dark Horse S content material, in addition to particular serialisation that approves it for racing. It will come customary with strategic seam welding, a gasoline cell for elevated vary, and Ford Performance Parts wheels.
“Both Dark Horse S and R have been further enhanced for performance and stripped of almost every unneeded comfort, keeping only what is needed to provide better performance,” stated Krenz.
Beyond Mustang Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R, the model will proceed to compete globally in a wide range of race sequence, and lovers will see these roll out over the following yr.
Ford is returning to factory-backed GT3 racing with an all-new Mustang GT3 IMSA race automobile that may also be obtainable for patrons, beginning with 24 Hours of Daytona in 2024. Created by Ford Performance and Multimatic, the Ford Mustang GT3, powered by a 5.4-litre Coyote-based V8 engine, will ship the total endurance racing potential of a Ford Mustang for patrons globally.
A brand new Mustang GT4 obtainable for patrons may also debut within the 2023 season and might be obtainable for international GT4 lessons in IMSA, SRO and FIA GT.
A brand new model of the Mustang will debut subsequent season within the Australian Supercars sequence, and in coming years newly designed fashions will debut within the NASCAR Cup sequence and NHRA Factory X racing.
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Posted by Ford on Quickpic News
Posted by Ford South Africa on Quickpic News
For extra thrilling automobile releases and muscle vehicles, comply with our articles right here and take a look at our associated article on the All-New Ford Mustang.
