New Ford Mustang and Dark Horse power figures revealed: here’s everything you need to know

• New Ford Mustang revealed
• Revamped retro design
• V8 and turbo four-cylinder engines
• Manual and automatic gearboxes
• GT model gets 486hp
• New 500hp ‘Dark Horse’ model
• Stripped-out track-spec cars coming
• Prices yet to be confirmed

This is the brand-new Ford Mustang. It’s the 7th generation Mustang and it could be the last time this iconic muscle car comes with its signature V8 engine.

Ford has also revealed a more powerful, track-focussed version called the ‘Dark Horse’ that’ll take on the BMW M4.

New Ford Mustang design

The brand-new Mustang does a good job putting its own spin on iconic design cues from the 1960s original. It’s a little sharper than the outgoing car at the front thanks to a more upright front grille with squared-off edges.

The headlights aren’t as pointy as before, but they’re thinner which makes the car look meaner and more aggressive. There are a few different bumpers designs, depending on which engine you choose, but they all look simpler and less fussy than on the outgoing Mustang.

The new Mustang has a very similar silhouette to the current model from the side. There’s a long bonnet, a raked windscreen and a sloping roofline, although Ford has tweaked the shape of the roof to make it easier to get in and out of the new car if you’re wearing a helmet.

The old car’s contrasting bootlid trim is gone and the tail lights have a single kink in each vertical bar instead of two. You still get the Mustang’s signature quad exhaust pipes underneath though. And you can bet your bottom dollar these are real.

New Ford Mustang engines

The new Mustang will be available with a familiar range of engines, kicking-off with the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder. This produces 320hp and 475Nm of torque, over 30hp more than before.

That’s all well and good, but let’s cut to the chase… Yes, you can still get this new Mustang with a good old 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V8. As standard, this produces 486hp and 562Nm of torque. That’s more than 30hp ahead of the old Mustang GT.

Not quite enough for you? There’s also an optional performance exhaust system that unlocks six extra ponies, bumping the overall figure to 492hp.

New Ford Mustang interior

The interior is one area where Ford hasn’t stuck to the old-school Mustang recipe. The 7th-generation car comes with a completely new infotainment system sporting a 12-inch driver’s display and a 13-inch central touchscreen on top of the dashboard with built-in Amazon Alexa.

The rest of the cabin has a more modern (if less characterful) design and you can pick from a range of seat designs and materials.

All versions come with a couple of small perches in the back like the old car but you won’t want to spend too much time in there – even if you’re rather small.

If you’re worried about headroom, you can always go for a Mustang Convertible instead.

New Ford Mustang gearbox

The new Mustang comes with a six-speed manual gearbox with a rev-matching function that helps you nail perfect downshifts every time.

If you’d rather not change gears yourself, you can pay extra to get a 10-speed automatic instead. This is only available on the V8-powered GT models (for now, at least).

New Ford Mustang Performance Pack

All new Mustangs come with independent front and rear suspension like you got in the old model, and Ford has fitted a new steering rack that should make it feel sportier to drive.

If that doesn’t sound exciting enough, you can also get the new Mustang with an optional Performance Pack. This adds extra bracing, a limited-slip rear differential to give you extra traction when accelerating out of tight corners, wider rear tyres and upgraded Brembo brakes with extra cooling ducts.

You also get an active exhaust, optional Recaro sports seats and upgraded adaptive suspension.

That’s all pretty normal stuff in most serious performance cars. But what isn’t very serious is the new Mustang ‘drift brake’. This is a manually controlled electronic parking brake that’ll help lock the rear wheels to help you skid the car – in a safe and controlled manner, and not on public roads (of course).

New Ford Mustang Dark Horse

One of the most exciting things about the forthcoming Mustang is the new ‘Dark Horse’ model.

You can think of this as Ford’s version of BMW’s M ‘Competition’ cars. It’s a more powerful, more track-focussed version of the V8 Mustang GT that comes with a new bodykit and an uprated engine using parts from the 760hp Shelby GT500.

It won’t say how much power this new Dark Horse actually makes, only that it’s ‘projecting 500hp’. That puts this new car in the same territory as a 510hp BMW M4 Competition.

You won’t be able to get the Mustang with 4-wheel drive like that car, but you will be able to get it with the option of an automatic or a manual gearbox. There’s also an optional handling pack, that adds wider tyres, stiffer coil springs, thicker anti-roll bars and a new rear wing.

It’s all designed to give you better traction, stability and control on a race track.

How much will the new Ford Mustang cost?

The new Mustang will go on sale in the US in 2023. Ford hasn’t confirmed how much it’ll cost yet, but it’ll probably set you back slightly more across the range than the outgoing car.

In the US, a 2.3-litre Ecoboost Mustang will set you back just under $29,000, while a V8 GT model costs a smidge under $40,000. Expect the new Mustang to add a few thousand dollars to each of those pricetags.

If you want to buy one in the UK, you’ll have to wait a fair bit longer. And you’ll have to pay more when it does finally arrive.

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