3 Ford Mustangs That Will Out-muscle the New Mustang Dark Horse
The new 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse is the first special edition in the seventh-generation Mustang’s lineup. Better yet, the new performance-oriented pony car produces 500 horsepower from its naturally aspirated 5.0L Coyote V8 engine. However, the sinister new edition is far from the most potent Mustangs of recent years. Here are the recent production pony cars with more potency than the new Dark Horse; they’re all Shelbys, like the S550-generation Shelby GT350 and the 2013 Ford Mustang GT500.
| Model | Horsepower |
| S650 Dark Horse | 500 horsepower |
| S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 | 760 horsepower |
| S197 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 | 662 horsepower |
| S550 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 | 526 horsepower |
How much horsepower does the Mustang Dark Horse have?
The new 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse produces 500 horsepower from its 5.0L Coyote V8. That makes the new special edition pony car the most powerful naturally aspirated 5.0L Mustang Ford has ever produced.
Better yet, with a TREMEC TR-3160 six-speed manual transmission and optional carbon-fiber wheels, the Dark Horse is the spiritual successor to the Mach 1 and Shelby GT350. Until Ford unveils another Shelby Mustang, this sinister pony car will be the new king of the hill.
Is the GT500 the fastest Mustang?
The S550-generation Shelby GT500 is the fastest Mustang in Ford’s production history. With its 760-horsepower supercharged 5.2L Predator V8, the GT500 is the most powerful production Ford vehicle ever, barring a more powerful version on the upcoming seventh-generation S650 platform.
The Shelby model hits 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds on its way to an 11.3-second quarter mile. While the supercharged Shelby model’s top speed is 180 mph due to a governor, it would undoubtedly sail past that figure without a limiter.
Is the 2013 Shelby GT500 supercharged?
The 2013 Shelby GT500 packs a supercharged 5.8L V8 that produces a tire-shredding 662 horsepower. That makes the 2013 and 2014 GT500 from the S197 generation the second most powerful Mustang model ever. Better yet, the S197 GT500 channels its power via six-speed manual transmission, not an automatic unit.
Moreover, the S197 Shelby model has a top speed of over 200 mph. That makes the Shelby model the only production Mustang ever to hit that figure. Car and Driver managed to launch the GT500 to 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds; it’s just 0.1 seconds behind the much newer automatic-only S550 GT500.
How much horsepower does a Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 make?
The sensational Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 from the sixth-generation lineup produces 526 horsepower from a naturally aspirated 5.2L Voodoo V8 engine. Moreover, the Voodoo V8 is a flat-plane crank application, meaning it revs up to around 8,250 rpm; it’s the highest-revving, most potent naturally aspirated Mustang motor ever.
Still, while it’s more powerful than a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, the GT350 and GT350R share a horsepower bragging right with the new sinister stallion. Both cars are the only production naturally aspirated Mustangs ever to produce 100 horsepower per liter of displacement.
How much will a Mustang Dark Horse cost?
Although these three pony cars produce more horsepower than the new Dark Horse, they don’t cost the same. We estimate that the new Mustang Dark Horse will cost around $60,000. That puts the special edition S650 at about the same price as a used 2019 or 2020 GT350.
However, even a used S550 Shelby GT500 is far too expensive compared to the new special edition Mustang. That makes the upcoming special edition Mustang a promising performance bargain in an industry focused on hybridization and electrification.
