[Auto/Moto] The Ford Mustang Dark Horse Rips

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"If we're the only one on the planet making an V-8 affordable sports car for everyone in the world, so be it." Jim Farley knows exactly what to say to leave fans frothing at the mouth. During a preview of the new Mustang GT3 race car in Charlotte this past January, the outspoken CEO was adamant his company would keep selling V-8 Mustangs until the sun explodes, or until he retires, whichever comes first. That's exactly what you want to hear if you're a longtime fan of the Ford Mustang—or muscle cars in general. As Chevrolet kills the Camaro, and Dodge downsizes and moves to electrification, the Mustang is the last remaining vestige of the good-ol' American V-8 pony car. And the Dark Horse is the pinnacle of what the S650 generation is capable of. Until a new Shelby arrives, at least.But what is a Dark Horse, anyway? We'll have a deeper dive on what the new badge means for the Mustang lineup as a whole. But in the simplest sense: The Dark Horse is the most powerful naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 Mustang ever built, and the most track-focused version you can buy today.The 5.0-liter Coyote engine sends 500 horsepower and 418 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. You can choose from a slick six-speed manual transmission or a 10-speed automatic, and it takes just about four seconds for this car to reach 60 miles per hour.That said, it doesn't feel as ferociously quick off the line as something like a BMW M2 or Nissan Z Nismo, even if their 0-60 times are all similar. That's mostly a result of both of those cars having forced induction, and more low-end grunt. Higher towards the rev limiter is where the Dark Horse does its best work. The V-8 begs you to wring it out to the 7,500-rpm redline with torque peaking at 4,900 rpm and max horsepower hitting at 7,250 rpm. This car is a high-revving riot. Having already spent plenty of time with the six-speed Dark Horse on the track—you can read that here—I was eager to see what the 10-speed automatic had to offer. While I'm not typically someone who immediately poo-poos a sports car just because it has an automatic… this Mustang needs a manual. The 10-speed automatic is quick and well-tuned, and you can twist the drive mode dial to Track for super snappy responses. But the auto doesn't mesh well with the visceral nature of the V-8. it feels disconnected; I want to rip from third to fourth with the rumble of that V-8 under my left foot.

https://www.motor1.com/reviews/720298/2024-ford-mustang-dark-horse-review/