Latest news with #MustangDarkHorse
TimesLIVE
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- TimesLIVE
Why the Ford Mustang Dark Horse will have you fighting restraint
Before Jaguar decided to stage its polarising reinvention, there was a time when marketing suits embraced that caddish and villainous reputation the growler marque held. 'Good to be bad' was among a series of advertising taglines. At the time it had snarling V6 and V8 performers to back up all this hard talk, deployed under the hoods of fearsome saloons and striking sports cars that seemed to lend themselves to activities of wrongdoers on the silver screen. Not many automakers these days are so brazen as to trumpet their naughty sides. It got me thinking, hearing the Ford Mustang Dark Horse fire up in our office basement the other day (setting off a Chery's alarm in the process). This wild pony is designed to pander entirely to the part of your makeup Sigmund Freud referred to as the id. A well-adjusted ego mediates impulses and desires, prompting you to start your Mustang Dark Horse in the 'quiet mode' setting that Ford engineers have thoughtfully added to the menu. But the unchecked id will have you starting up the Horse in its loudest tune on a cold morning, just nje — to hell with the neighbours! The rear spoiler is intended for enhanced downforce, but owners will inadvertently use it as a handle to aid opening and closing of the boot. Image: Supplied Truly, this is a car that could bring out the wildest streak in a person. Like the old Jaguar spiel, sometimes it feels good to be bad. Late last year when Ford introduced the Dark Horse to the South African media, it took us to Lesotho's stunning twisties for an initial driving experience. The thundering coupé left Basotho ponies frightened and cowering, as it tore up the tiny country's spaghetti curves, through mountainous landscapes. We flew back across the border with a better understanding of why, at R1,508,000, the Dark Horse required a further R201,000 over its standard GT counterpart. First off, the extra money gets you a unique exterior dressing: a more purposeful body kit, including fang-like bumper inserts, trapezoidal nostrils, side skirts, a rear diffuser, 19-inch aluminium alloys and a rear wing. Eagle-eyed fans might even notice the forward-facing horse emblem, the first time such a depiction has been used on the Mustang (it had always been the galloping side profile). Aside from darker accents, a flat-bottomed, suede-trimmed steering wheel and a numbered build plate, the cabin remains as it is in the GT. That means full digitisation and a bounty of amenities; everything from a heated steering wheel to ventilated seats and integrated navigation. But the upgraded hardware under the skin is sure to be of more interest to those committed enthusiasts. At first they might have been disappointed to read that the local Dark Horse outputs do not match those of the US-market model (386kW/566Nm). Our car serves up 334kW from the famed Coyote V8, which is still 6kW more than the regular GT. The torque figure remains the same: 540Nm. Like its lesser sibling, the Dark Horse uses a 10-speed automatic, which feels a tad more responsive in the way it dispatches shifts. As alluded to earlier, it has a far more distinctive acoustic character, thanks to the fitment of a performance exhaust system with active valves and different sound profiles. The claimed 0-100km/h time is 4.4 seconds. When group motoring editor Denis Droppa strapped the testing equipment onto the Dark Horse at Gerotek, it registered a 5.2-second dash to 100km/h from standstill, not a poor show if we are keeping expectations managed. Yes, there are lighter, more efficient turbocharged rivals from German brands, but at the moment nothing competes with the soulful character of the blue oval muscle car. Amplified in Dark Horse guise. Image: Supplied The current GT marks a considerable leap over its predecessor where dynamic abilities are concerned. And the Dark Horse manages to tidy up those attributes further, with its Brembo discs and calipers, beefed-up front shock absorbers, stronger strut tower braces and meatier rear sway bars. Like the GT, it retains the Torsen limited-slip differential and MagneRide adaptive damping system. Of course, the firm ride quality leaves you feeling those varying road surfaces of Johannesburg, more an indictment on our infrastructure than a slight on the car. It is certainly a more cohesive handler than former Mustang iterations. Still, buyers who might have become desensitised by clinical Teutonic performance options with all-wheel drive layouts may need some time to fully acclimatise to just how brutish the Dark Horse can be. This is a powerful rear-wheel drive instrument after all, meaning you can find yourself facing the wrong way on Beyers Naudé Drive without much provocation. The Dark Horse keeps keen drivers alert, excitingly loose in the tail, with an addictive soundtrack goading them on. Driving it sedately (and quietly) is a challenge. Yet judging from the receptions of passers-by, the theatrics of the Dark Horse are welcomed, celebrated, with fellow road users often motioning to hear that V8 disturb the peace. Flooring it in neutral, the reverberations from the back-box had people on my community WhatsApp group wondering if the trigger-happy mourners at Westpark Cemetery were at it again. In reality, the standard GT is probably all the Mustang you really want. You'll need a strong resolve to overpower the id after driving the regular version back-to-back with the Dark Horse during the shopping process.
Motor 1
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
Pirelli Has a new Street-Legal Racing Tire for the US. We Tested It
The Pirelli engineers are a bit jealous of us Americans. Speaking at the launch for the new P-Zero family at Monza, they tell us how nice it must be to have a thriving grassroots club-racing and track-day scene in America, and so many great road courses for us to drive. Realizing there was a huge market, Pirelli created a new DOT-approved track-only tire exclusively for the US, the P-Zero Trofeo Track. And good news for the tariff-weary—Pirelli is making these in its Rome, Georgia factory. Photo by: Pirelli This near-slick tire is aimed at various SCCA and NASA championship series, which require tires that have DOT approval. These are technically street-legal tires, but you really shouldn't use them outside of a track. "It's basically a slick tire, with some tread designed to make it comply with the DOT, but it's thought of as a competition tire," says Emanuele Vanzetti, the engineer leading the Trofeo Track's development. "We designed it to run at the pressures you run at the track, it's designed to have a wide working range." Pirelli is offering sizes for 17- to 21-inch wheels, which may disappoint those looking for tires for things like Miatas and E30s , but should cover a ton of modern cars. Beyond the club-racing series, the tires should also be good for those running autocross, time attack, and track days. Vanzetti says that his team did development work both at the European tracks it typically works at, which provide a great reference point, and at US road courses. Just a few weeks ago, Pirelli was working at Carolina Motorsports Park. Photo by: Pirelli The idea is to provide a tire that provides consistently strong lap times. Not just heroic performance for a lap or two, and then a massive drop off. We actually got to run a couple laps of Monza in a Mustang Dark Horse fitted with 315/30R19 Trofeo Tracks all around. A full test will hopefully come, but for now, it was a nice opportunity to get a bit of early exposure to the tire. What's immediately apparent is just how agile the car feels on these P Zero Trofeo Track tires. The Mustang Dark Horse is not a light car, at nearly 4,000 pounds, but at Monza's slow first chicane, it changes direction so freely. After driving a bunch of road cars on road tires earlier in the day—which were still excellent—the Trofeo Track's ability to resist understeer at a place where it's easy to carry too much speed and push wide was admirable. Photo by: Pirelli Photo by: Pirelli Braking performance was excellent, too, with tons of stopping power and great stability. The Dark Horse does have excellent brakes on its own, but on these tires, you can go so deep, even at a crazy high-speed track like Monza. We're still waiting on full sizing and a price list, but early impressions are strong. Not only can we not wait to test these more seriously, we want to know how the market responds. More Pirelli Action Has Pirelli Finally Figured Out How to Beat Michelin? Pirelli's New Cyber Tires Can Talk to Your Car Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
News24
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- News24
Shelby Super Snakes and historic Ford Mustangs ready to thrill petrolheads at Simola Hillclimb
The seventh-generation Mustang GT and Mustang Dark Horse will make their first appearances at the popular Simola Hillclimb this weekend, 2 to 4 May, in Knysna. Lindenberg Racing and Shelby South Africa have six Shelby vehicles competing in the King of The Hill. The 1965 Ford GT40 will compete in Classic Car on Friday, paying tribute to the historic win at Le Mans in 1966. This weekend, I will be crying in a corner and suffering from serious FOMO because I won't be attending the Simola Hillclimb, which has taken place annually in Knysna since 2009. I'll miss Classic Car Friday and the annual parade of epic race cars through the sleepy town. I won't be cheering for my friend and fellow motoring journalist, Jeanette Kok-Kritzinger, who will pilot the only Suzuki Swift Sport up the hill. Jeanette still holds the South African record for the fastest woman, breaking the local land speed record in a Ford Mustang a couple of decades ago. Speaking of Ford, this year's event will also feature a variety of Ford and Ford-powered cars, with an expected 20 000-strong spectator crowd over the three-day event. This will be the seventh-generation Mustang's first appearance at the event as the Mustang GT and Mustang Dark Horse are raring to gallop up the 1.9km Simola Hill. MasterDrive, partners to the Simola Hillclimb official safety car and VIP hospitality rides, will use the latest Mustang GT. At the same time, current South African Rally-Raid Championship driver Lance Woolridge will swap his familiar Ford NWM Rangers cockpit for the Mustang Dark Horse's to perform exhibition runs. With its advanced fourth-generation 5.0-litre Coyote V8 powertrain and unmistakable exterior design cues, the Mustang promises to put on a show and thrill those who get a chance to experience what it's like to sprint up the hill. The performance-focused Shelby brand will attempt to win their respective categories with vehicles steeped in motorsport heritage. Competing in their 12th Simola Hillclimb, with more than 4 000kW, Lindenberg Racing and Shelby South Africa are fielding the most cars in one team at the event. Their track record of success in previous years sets high expectations for their performance in 2025, with six Shelbys competing in the King of The Hill under the all-new Team Shelby Racing umbrella. They will be running three Ford-powered cars in Classic Car Friday. James Temple will be driving his 1965 Shelby Daytona Coupe, which boasts a potent 5.8-litre Ford V8 engine producing 390kW. Paige Lindenberg will be hustling her Ford Fairlane V8, and Djurk Venter will return to the event with the 1972 Group 2 Capri Perana. A diverse line-up of six Shelby Mustangs will tackle the demanding Hillclimb course in the King of the Hill Challenge on Saturday and Sunday. Temple will be behind the rare Shelby Wide Body Super Snake wheel. Lindenberg will pilot the Shelby Speedster alongside Joshua O'Callaghan, Vinesh Padayachy, Deon Smit and Paul Malatjie in a trio of Super Snakes. Also competing in Classic Car Friday is a recreation of a 1965 Ford GT40 driven by Peter MacPherson. The GT40 has achieved numerous podium finishes at the famed Simola Hillclimb, including winning its class at last year's event. The car pays tribute to the historic win by Ford and Shelby at Le Mans in 1966. It celebrates these two legendary automotive brands' incredible performance, endurance and resilience legacy. Powered by a naturally aspirated 4.9-litre V8 engine, this South African-built Ford GT40 tribute car will undoubtedly be a major highlight at the 2025 Classic Car Friday event. Bonafide race cars such as the two March single-seaters driven by Charles Arton and Ian Schofield are powered by the legendary Ford Cosworth BDG engine, as is Franco Scribante's Chevron. Single-seater Formula Ford cars, powered by the Ford Kent engine and driven by Robert Wolk and Simphiwe Mohlahlo, will also be pushed to their limit. For enthusiasts who cannot attend the Simola Hillclimb in person, the entire event—three days of competition—is live-streamed. The live stream is free and can be accessed via the website
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Vaughn Gittin Jr. Calls Mustang RTR A Dream
Read the full story on Backfire News Known for his prowess in drifting and off-road racing, Vaughn Gittin Jr. is pumped for the upcoming reveal of the Mustang RTR. Standing for 'Ready to Rock' not much is know about the factory-tuned pony, although there's been plenty of speculation. What we do know is Gittin says what's happening is a dream of his, so he's on cloud a video about the RTR, Gittin says it's the product of '15 years of dreaming.' The man reflects on how RTR is only the second company to collaborate with the Blue Oval 'at this level' in 60 years. That is pretty amazing when you think about it. Another detail Gittin reveals in the video is the fact the wrap used on the Mustang RTR preview car is a one-of-one thing. Apparently, a lot of fans have been asking where they can buy it, but there are zero plans to put it into production. With modern technology, someone might crack the code and offer it eventually, but it won't be coming from Ford or RTR. There are still a lot of questions about the Ford Mustang RTR, which has been developed in extreme secrecy. If you're expecting Gittin to spill the beans in his video, he doesn't. What we do know is it borrows some performance parts from the Mustang Dark Horse, although what specifically isn't clear. We also know the RTR is based on the EcoBoost, so fans of burly V8s won't be impressed. In the preview, despite the camo we could see the car has a pedestal spoiler as well as Hyper Lime Brembo brake calipers. An electronic drift brake will likely be included, something RTR developed that's offered in S650 Mustang Performance Packages. Unlike other tuner Mustangs developed by other companies, the Mustang RTR will be assembled at Flat Rock and roll off the line alongside other production models. Images via Ford
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Richard Hammond Loves The Mustang Dark Horse
Read the full story on Backfire News For Richard Hammond, former host of Top Gear and The Grand Tour, the Ford Mustang Dark Horse provides a much-needed escape from the stress of today's world. We have to agree that the thrill of driving a true performance car on empty backroads away from everything is a transformative, magical for Hammond, the Mustang Dark Horse is a truly special car. He talks about how the American muscle car is 'basic' in all the right ways. After all, the model is a track-focused version of the popular Ford, so it puts driving front and center instead of other priorities. While Hammond has plenty of praise for the Mustang Dark Horse and its potent Coyote V8, he laments one thing. The European version of the 5.0-liter is rated at 50-bhp less than the American version of the car. He jokes that issue could be corrected by an engine tune done by a mechanic 'accidentally' while they're diagnosing the car for some other reason. He's not wrong, but you can see the issue of forbidden fruit doesn't just exist here in the US but elsewhere. Other parts of the world are hungry for American muscle. Another favorite performance feature Hammond highlights in his brief review is the manual transmission. He mentions how it gives him greater control, the precise reason we prefer manuals. Hammond mentions as he's behind the wheel of the Dark Horse that in the UK for the money, one could buy a more 'serious' performance car for the same amount of money. But he says those cars don't speak to his heart like the Ford does, and that matters more to the man. We understand completely. Even though some vehicles we've driven are legitimately quick, fast, and handle well, they feel a little soulless or at least they don't have as much of a visceral appeal as others. That matters because we're not racing when driving on open back roads, we're enjoying the experience. As Hammond says, the analog Dark Horse version of the Mustang is real, unlike the Mach-E electric crossover Ford keeps trying to say is a pony car. Image via Drivetribe/YouTube
