Dark Horse becomes the Mustang's new flagship above the GT. Image: Ford
An eagerly awaited arrival on local soil, Ford has officially approved spec and pricing details of the new Mustang Dark Horse.
Soon to join the GT that made its public debut at the Kyalami Festival of Motoring in August, the Dark Horse employs a revised version of the venerable normally aspirated 5.0-litre Coyote with less power and torque than in the United States.
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More than likely as a result of South Africa’s poor quality, the reduction sees power drop from 373 kW to 334 kW, with torque falling from 567 Nm to 540 Nm.
Compared to the GT though, the Dark Horse has six additional kilowatts and the same torque figure, hooked to the same General Motors co-developed 10-speed automatic gearbox that prevails as the sole option despite a manual being offered in the States.
Mechanically, the Dark Horse retains the Performance Package, the MagneRide adaptive suspension, Torsen limited slip differential, active sport exhaust system and the tower brace front suspension struts from the GT.
Unique to it though is stiffer springs and new anti-roll bars, the retuned Ford Performance steering system, new front and rear sway bars, uprated Brembo brakes with a six-piston caliper layout at the front, and heavy-duty front shock absorbers.
A new lightweight radiator, secondary engine oil cooler and an additional cooler for the rear axle complete the Dark Horse’s under-the-skin alterations, along NACA cooling ducts behind the wheel arches as a means of improving brake ventilation.
Mounted on 19-inch tarnished dark alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli PZero rubber, the Dark Horse’s visual differences from the GT consist of a blacked-out grille, a new lower air intake and lip spoiler, blackened LED headlight clusters and wider door sills.
At the rear, the light cluster also gain a black finish that carries over to the model specific diffuser and quad exhaust outlets.
In place of the American model’s Gurney flap is a fixed bootlid spoiler that completes the rear along with dark anodised Dark Horse badges.
Inside, the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and the 13.2-inch SYNC 4A infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have been carried over from the GT, as has the 12-speaker B&O Play sound system and drive mode selector with four settings; Slippery, Normal, Sport and Track.
Not available on the GT and therefore unique to the Dark Horse are metallic gloss decorative inserts, anodised silver gear shift paddles and Indigo Blue stitch work on the steering wheel, doors, centre console, instrument panel, seats, gear lever and seatbelts.
Still to be officially launched as per the GT debuting next month, the Dark Horse carries a R200 000 premium over its sibling by being stickered at R1 500 000.
Included with this is a four-year/120 000 km warranty with a service plan being optional as per the Right to Repair regulations.
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