2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse (10-Speed Automatic) - POV First Driving Impressions

Base MSRP: $63,265; total price as tested: $75,145
Engine: 5.0 L V8 making 500 hp @ 7250 rpm, 418 lb-ft torque @ 4900 rpm
MPG: 15 city / 23 highway
Options:
-Tech Pack - B&O Sound System, 12 speaker
-$1500 Dark Horse Appearance Package - Black painted Roof, blue calipers w/blue logo
-Hood stripe, gloss black w/tarnished accent
-$4995 Dark Horse handling package - Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires
F: 305/30ZR-19, R: 315/30ZR-19, spoiler w/gurney flap,
-$200 Premium floor liners w/carpet mats
-Wireless Charger
-$1650 Recaro Seats
-$1595 10-Speed automatic Transmission - 3.55 torsen rear axle
-Gas guzzler tax
-$1595 Destination

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[TheTopher]

Highlight of the week in the Dark Horse: I wanted to switch the exhaust into quiet mode leaving the neighborhood…hit the menu button in my driveway and it took UNTIL I HAD LEFT THE NEIGHBORHOOD for the exhaust menu to load. Truly a menace, the new Mustang.

I never really gave a conclusion in this video, so here it is - there are some notable improvements here with the Dark Horse. Steering is tighter and more responsive and gearbox tuning is a lot better on the 10-speed auto. Can’t wait to drive the 6MT Tremec TR 3160. Performance here is next level for a Mustang, we’ll have to get this out on track where we can truly explore the limits, cause it ain’t happening on the street!

Now onto the rest - The screens look pretty badass at night, and definitely bring a cool modern feel to the interior. The menus, gauges, and animations are all really well designed and are beautiful to look at imo. I'm sure Ford will fix some of this with OTA updates but we experienced a lot of bugs with this car in the week we had it. Adaptive cruise control not wanting to work, exhaust modes not changing, proximity key settings absent in the menus that are in other Ford products (car would auto lock/beep every time after walking away and couldn't turn it off), and the worst of which was the touch screen that sometimes froze for 15-30 seconds when making menu selections. Sometimes the screen response was great, sometimes it was abysmally laggy.

Interior materials have never been the Mustang's strong suit, but for the price tag here all the plastic (everything) is a hard swallow. C'mon Ford, you're calling it the Dark Horse "Premium" make us believe it. Alcantara wheel? Magnesium paddle shifters? Real carbon fiber? A lot of interior rattles too. Though these press cars are driven very hard.

In the end, some of this could be chalked up to it being a pre-production car (not sure, we just assume most of Ford's press vehicles are pre-production with all the rattles they have), so time will tell if other cars show the same faults. The new Dark Horse drives awesome, but the devil is in the details.

[landoctor]

A/C controls should NEVER be on a touchscreen. I won't buy any car that doesn't have analog controls. Gotta be able to reliably change things without having to look.

[bv]

74k is wild. There’s a lot of competitors both in that price range and cheaper that can provide almost as fun experience and a better interior. Great looking car tho

[matthewsimmons]

74k for a Mustang that isn’t a GT500 is wild

[Kona.]

I'm glad that Ford decided to keep the mustang going for 2024, where the others have called it quits, but i still think the 18-23 will be the pinnacle of what Mustangs are all about. I could never justify $70k for some body line reshapes, 2 screens, an extra throttle body, and a non-tuneable PCM. I respect it, but i won't own one. im more than pleased with my 2019 401A performance pack for half the cost. 👍

Also as far as the transmission characteristics, that's easily fixed with a calibration reflash. I changed mine to the one from the MACH 1 and it made a nice difference.

[Barbwire]

Seems like a nice ride. Still riding around in my BRZ but can’t help but appreciate a V8.

[Cdrck]

I swear this the perfect channel to watch when u sleepy love it

[kimi]

I am getting too old... $75k for a mustang.... crazy times

[dylanjutagir]

I wonder at what point do giant screens in vehicles find diminishing returns on the obvious cost savings by annoying customers to the point of not purchasing. I've never understood committing fully to big screens and then not following through with an adequate hardware/software combo to make them functional. It seems inexcusable, especially at the price point. Entire generations of modern enthusiast cars (Mk8 Golf GTI/R comes to mind) have been ruined by botched UI. I'm not totally against touch screens, but in 2023 a ground-up new software experience needs to blend into the background rather than sticking out like a sore thumb. I don't see that as a huge ask.

[zeke]

The color looks really nice in that lighting

[BenvolioG]

I think the Dark Horse is very cool, but I have no regrets getting my 2023 Mach 1 as a daily driver, especially for 5k off of sticker. I personally prefer the digital dash found on the S550 Mustangs, but the dual screen system is neat. For me personally, the most compelling thing about the Dark Horse is the ~3.8s 0-60 time, compared to the Mach 1's 4.3s 0-60 time. I also prefer the looks of the S550 platform over the S650, the rear has not sat with me since I've seen it during the unveil video.

Good vid Topher!

[ramanapixelxl]

75k for basically a souped up mustang gt is crazy.

That’s zl1 money.

[adk]

Always enjoy your drives and honest takes. I’m not entirely sure it’s worth $75, 000, let alone what the dealers are actually going to charge for the next year and a half…

[rusher]

The 10 speed may be better than before, but it still seems disappointing compared to a ZF8 or DCT system. There's no drama with the shifting and it still looks like it has a bit of lag between tapping the paddle and the transmission actually shifting.

[pcoton]

People in the comments complaining about the price… here in Argentina a 2023 Ford Mustang Mach 1 costs 115K, and the minimum salary is 300 U$S

[tommygeary]

The price on this thing is crazy, especially considering that the GT350 was $49k when it debuted in 2016 ($56k fully loaded), and the GT350R was only $63k ( i don't think it had options other than A/C and radio deletes/undeletes)

[wackit]

Wow that looks like SO much fun to drive. The driver's door seemed rattly every time you shut it. Would love to know what MPG's it gave during your demo drive, which of course is not the point of this car!😂 Exhaust sound was incredible!

[streetwearjimmy]

I’m telling you, all the touchscreen stuff is cool until it lags/breaks then what do you do? My infotainment system went out (and is still out) on my 2018 Mustang last year and the dealership wanted $1200 to fix it after running me $200 for a diagnostic fee.

[ronsmith]

The glare on those screens... Ford hasn't heard of anti-reflective coatings?

[goingindieEN]

Nice looking stang, but the last gen is still my favorite and can’t see myself getting into the newer gen.