V8 decadence meets handling nirvana – the 2025 Ford Mustang Dark Horse is the perfect combination of both. More than just a body kit and some model-specific badging draped in limited edition Blue Ember Metallic paint, this could well be the ultimate pony car.
From the moment you lay your eyes on it, the Dark Horse is captivating. Paint scheme aside, the bonnet decals, black roof, and 19-inch alloys tell you this is no standard Ford Mustang. The blue Brembo brake callipers are another give away.
The latter is part of a package that includes 6-piston units up front and a 4-piston setup at the rear. It’s aimed at hauling this hulking performance coupe to a stop in double quick time, and its 390mm front rotors do a very good job of it. There’s also a drift brake.
The halo model sports shadow graphic surrounds on the darkened LED headlamps, a gloss black grille with trapezoidal nostrils and unique lower front bumper with high gloss ‘fangs.’ Lower side skirts and a fixed rear wing, and new race-inspired diffuser also feature.
Under the hood is an upgraded V8 powerplant that features forged internals and a cold air intake, delivering 350kW and 550Nm of muscle car mayhem. The engine is paired to a 6-speed Tremec manual transmission (you can opt for a 10-speed auto).
The transmission feels sublime as you shift your way up and down the gears, and is built to withstand even the toughest track days. There’s auxiliary brake cooling ducts, a transmission and rear axle cooler and unique chassis tuning too.
The Dark Horse setup includes stiffer front springs and MagneRide shocks, with the latter capable of monitoring wheel and tyre movement 1,000 times per second. Ride quality is exceptional. The car also features a Torsen differential and wider staggered wheels.
Driving modes include Slippery, Normal, Sport, Race Track, Drag Strip and Custom, with each making changes to the exhaust, throttle response and springs. There’s the option to have it fire up in your favourite, or make it whisper quiet.
The latter allows you to sneak out of the driveway in the wee small hours of the morning. That will hardly seem fair to your kids or the neighbours though as this thing would excite a corpse, such is its engine sound and intake snarl.
It screams hooligan and rightfully so, giving its rivals some proper “hold my beer” sass. Tipping the scales at 1791kg, the Dark horse feels like it wouldn’t even break a sweat turning laps at a track day, drag race or drift event.
If it has a fault (there’s a few), it lies in a slightly numb steering feel, particularly when driven spiritedly, and its fuel economy, which is downright ghastly at 17.1-litres/100km in real world testing.
Inside, this particular machine gets its own name plate, showing its build number. Additionally, it grabs a leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed steering wheel, with microsuede inserts, finished with Bright Indigo Blue accent stitching.
Anodised silver paddle shifters are integrated on 10-speed auto. A dedicated drive mode button is at thumb’s reach, and the Bright Indigo Blue stitching continues across the door panels and seats, gear shift boot and centre console.
This is further enhanced by unique blue seatbelts and optional Recaro seats in Deep Indigo Blue. A titanium shift knob defines the exclusivity of the limited-run Dark Horse and is just another of the elements that make this car special.
Dual screens measure 12.4 and 13.2-inches respectively, with the latter infotainment component offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a superb 12-speaker B&O sound system.
But it’s the digital instrument cluster that features the coolest function, with selectable instrument graphics from models of old, including the 90’s SVT Cobra, and a Classic 60’s and Fox Body option. There are rear seats, but leg and head room is limited.
Embedded in the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster, the system provides an acceleration timer, accelerometer, brake performance, lap timer, launch control (in the manual), line-lock functionality, and results data.
As a complete package, the 2025 Ford Mustang Dark Horse delivers as a performance car in spades. Its naturally aspirated powerplant is loaded with grunt, and its impressive handling package is world class.
While some more steering feel would have been perfect, it still delivers direct drive both in and out of corners and pulls nicely down a long piece of straight tarmac. The combination is positively grin-inducing.
Now for the sad news. Just 1000 Dark Horse variants were offered to the Australian market, and they’re completely sold out. For the record though, it is priced at $99,102 for the manual and $103,002 for the auto, both plus on-roads.
You can find out more about it on the Ford Australia website, or jump on a waitlist through your local dealership (should someone be crazy enough to cancel their order). To get a low rate finance quote on your next vehicle, talk to Credit One.
To see a great range of vehicles for sale, check out OnlyCars.com.au.
Our test vehicle was provided by Ford Australia for independent review purposes.
