There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the newest, seventh-generation “S650” Ford Mustang. However, the new car is more than just drooling over the Dark Horse and the controversial opinion that the incipient Mustang looks just like a Camaro. Here are four of the many advantages that the new S650 has over the accomplished S550 Mustang. 

The new S650 GT will be the most powerful one yet

The outgoing S550 Ford Mustang GT had some serious performance credentials, but the upcoming car promises to be even more potent. The Ford spokesperson revealed at the September 14, 2022 unveiling that the upcoming GT would produce more horsepower than the outgoing model. That’s no easy feat, considering the outgoing S550 GTs made 460 and 450 horsepower depending on the model year. Ford dialed back the GT’s horsepower for the 2022 model year, dropping ten ponies down to 450. 

That means the 2024 Ford Mustang GT will have to produce more than the 460-horsepower 2021 Ford Mustang GT. Better yet, the next GT won’t sacrifice rear-wheel drive or a manual transmission. Instead, Ford will squeeze the extra horsepower out of the latest Coyote V8 engines and send the power to the rear wheels. 

The new S650 Mustang is more aerodynamic than the outgoing S550

When Ford brought the Mustang back to the drawing board, they made it more aerodynamic. The new Mustang’s profile is lower, leaner, and includes grilles specific to the trim levels, like the EcoBoost and GT. Furthermore, Jalopnik reports that the new seventh-generation Mustang features a redesigned tail and underbody surfaces to make this what the Mustang engineering manager Eddie Kahn calls the most aerodynamic Mustang yet. That will no doubt translate into better fuel economy and an altogether more agile pony car. 

Ford’s new S650 Mustang features Sync 4 and other interior updates

The S650’s new interior features a complete redesign, an aesthetic and ergonomic improvement over the outgoing cockpit. First and most noticeably, Ford endowed the new Mustang with a 12.4-inch customizable digital cluster that tapers into the 13.2-inch center stack with Ford’s Sync 4 system. Also, the latest pony car’s interior features a retro-inspired Fox Body Mustang setting, which transforms the gauges. It almost makes up for the departure of the classic double-bubble brow on the dash. 

Not even the Mach 1 will keep up with the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Enter the Ford Mustang Dark Horse, the S650’s answer to the call of the track. The upcoming track-ready Dark Horse will produce over 500 horsepower from a variation of the beloved 5.0L V8, mated to a Tremec six-speed manual transmission instead of the Getrag MT82 unit from the latest GTs. That’s 20 horsepower more than the outgoing Ford Mustang Mach 1, Ford’s current non-Shelby track star. Still, the Dark Horse is the spiritual successor to the Mach 1, given both cars are track-ready special editions. 

Should you choose a new Mustang or stick with the old S550?

While the newest Mustang received a substantial redesign, it’s arguably less of a departure than the last generation shift. When Ford ditched the fifth-generation S197 Mustang, it modernized the pony car by removing the retro-styling, live rear axle, and adding the fuel-sipping four-cylinder EcoBoost. Still, the new S650 Mustang promises to be a serious performer with many opportunities for modification and personalization, like the new Bronze Design Series Appearance Package. Furthermore, the special editions probably won’t stop at the new Dark Horse; there’s almost certainly a Shelby badge in the S650 generation’s future. 

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