Taking our 2024 Mustang Dark Horse to the Dragstrip!

We did some street testing, but it's time for the real thing! We headed up to South Georgia Motorsports Park to see what our 2024 Manual Handling Pack Dark Horse will do at the 1/4 mile! With a time of 12.6 by Motortrend to beat, we've got an uphill battle with the dead heat here in south Georgia. This isn't the end of the stock testing yet, so get subscribed for the Dark Horse's next outing!

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[DWH]

Watching the your video. It shows that rowing gears on the dragstrip has no margins for errors. A slow shift or a missed gear costs you the race. I read from many viewers commenting they want a manual transmission. On a road course it's the correct choice. Not so much on a dragstrip. If your going to use the Dark Horse or GT for drag racing. The 10R80 is the best choice. I bracket race my NA automatic car with some performance bolt on parts in pure stock. I often race with street tires. When using street tires. I drop rear air pressure. I ease through the water box. I skip the John Force burnout and spin my tires enough to remove any water and debris before staging and make my two qualifying passes to establish my mid to upper 12 second ET depending on DA. My street tires hook up when not overheated and clean from water and debris.
I find the Dark Horse is a refined Mustang that as you mentioned was built for the track use yet has the added comfort for a solid allaround daily driver. I'm looking forward seeing you turn the Dark Horse from a track Mustang to 1/4 mile Stang.

[singlecab_brad]

9:47 exhaust tips slappin the bumper from wheel hop

[Raptor_]

Amazing video Scott love the dark horse mustang man! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[treaco]

Motortrend got the same times as a stock 11-14 Coyote.

[ElvisCarReviews]

I Love the Darkhorse but can't justify its asking price, especially if with $10k more, you can get a (2020 to 2022) Shelby GT500

[redtesta]

Honestly, when i had my C5 z06 stock (only k & n air filter) i was running low 12's, around 12.30's at around 117 mph. It was a 2002. A 2024, 500hp doing mid 12's ?? Prices STARTING at over $60k and the GT in the $50k.

[mont]

It just ran an unofficial 7:34 on the ring, ZL1 record is 7:16 for reference. Considering it wasn't a planned record setting event that's impressive. I wouldn't doubt it ends up beating the ZL1's time within the next year.

[GregGonda]

Is the motor bogging after every shift? It
shouldn;t be at high RPMs

[DumbCarGuy]

needs an aftermarket throttle body controller like from Soler even though they don't have one for this yet. It quickens the throttle plate opening speed. I can literally hear him floor it and then wait for the throttle plates to open up as they pleeze.

[hyracer]

My 2016 Ford Focus RS went 13.34 stock. Runs 12.80's with a tune.

[GT]

Buy a manual they said. It'll be fun they said 😂

[MaddNomad]

It’s pretty much a GT performance pack 2. Track carver more than anything

[MrADVANCEDTEK]

These first time at the track vids really dispells any doubt what's better for 2024 Mustang. Personally I've always felt the auto cars have the edge with no missed gears and this alone can save any engine. I get wanting a manual for fun hoping from light to light and melting tires on the street. This brings me down though cause everyone would have taken the DH over the GT but you didn't use and slick and you didn't map out gear shifts. Anyone who drives daily with a manual will say their car feels stronger at a certain rpm or speed. Not so much with the auto, it goes through gears too quick to decipher. The auto covers that and so makes it quicker by .5sec. I'd beat all my friends time by .2sec driving their cars.... how? The slick, missed shifts(but you can powershift?? not second?)and not driving it everyday is a negative. More seat time, a slick(with skinnies up front)with a good cool down you'll pick up I'm guessing at least .7sec. When you get data log look for rpm and mph where you're gaining mph faster then chart your shift points best as possible. Is there a cold air set up yet? Remember every road course has a straight away were the racing happens. Clever driving knowing your engines peak power/grip point is key but if you're losing on straight aways you're losing. Road course drivers don't shift at a set rpm they map it out and use their buttdometer

[davej]

2019 GT {base} 6 speed MANual running very low 12s w/continental extreme in rear. T/C off hooks in 2nd gear {no wheel spin/hopping}

[LIMuscleBlackdevil]

It's a bit insane that this thing costs as much as my 2014 Shelby GT500 I bought new back in 2014.

[JimBuffalo]

I would go with a drag -lites for traction or Michelins

[seancolon]

This car is freaking gorgeous!!! Race Red is the only color dark horse I have not seen in person

[hogsrmylifetbj]

The guy in the 10spd GT must be really happy he didn’t get the dark horse.

[CoyoteAUS]

I love manuals but the 10R80 is a must if you want to be fast drag or roll racing gen 6 and gen 7 mustangs. My whippled 10R80 is smoking MT82 whippled FN S550 stangs with more power in 30-130 mph rolls here in Australia. I don't think the Tremec manual would do any better either.

[bullittboost]

I think that’s the disconnect with the S650. It’s not focused on cutting a quick 1/4 mile time. Really don’t believe Ford cared that it will not match the S550 stock. It’s been proven over and over S550 is faster. It appears that Ford focused more on handling, braking and refinement of daily driving/ride quality. An of course nicer tech and interior upgrades. An for me the little slower and select tune-ability doesn’t bother me. Just a little pricey for me.