Dark Horse features forged internal components along with connecting rods from the GT500's 760-hp supercharged 5.2-liter Predator V-8. It produces a projected 500 horsepower, and Ford says the Dark Horse engine is the most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 it has ever built. It pairs with a standard Tremec six-speed manual (GT models use a different Getrag gearbox), and the shifter has a special 3D-printed titanium ****. Ford's 10-speed automatic is the other option, and both transmissions power the rear wheels through a Torsen limited-slip diff.

The new 2024 Ford Mustang has a little feature we’ve never seen before on a Mustang. Ford calls it the Performance Electronic Parking Brake, and by “Performance,” Ford essentially means drifting.

Call it a parking brake, drift brake, whatever. The point is to turn ordinary individuals into Vaughn Gittin Jr.-style drifters through the magic of technology. The way it works is relatively simple on the surface. When you’re circling and ready to begin your drift, simply pull the handbrake up. This activates the auxiliary parking brake caliper (not the main rear caliper) to begin your slide. You can keep turning and applying throttle, and in conjunction with the stability control system, the rear auxiliary caliper will increase or decrease the amount of pressure required to retain the drift as necessary. If needed, the bigger regular rear brake calipers will be used to increase your drift control.

It’s not otherworldly versus using a traditional handbrake to send the rear end into a drift, but this electronically-controlled system is meant to make it easier for novices to learn and improve their drifting skills by getting you started right and making it easier to hold a drift. Ford also believes that the system can be happily utilized by experts for competition purposes, though we imagine the real experts may prefer maintaining full mechanical control of the parking brake while sliding in and out of drifts.

Ford says all Mustangs with the Performance Package will come with this Performance Electronic Parking Brake as standard equipment, which means you need the Brembo braking system to utilize it. To show off this new technology on the interior, Ford has redesigned its parking brake lever to halfway resemble those you might see on a professional’s drift car. Of course, if you’d rather just use the Mustang’s powerful V8 or boosted four-cylinder to begin your drift, that could end up working just as well. We’ll report back to y’all after trying this system out to see if it was worth Ford’s effort.

A new feature is coming to the 2024 Ford Mustang that neighborhoods and parking lots across America are just going to love: Remote Rev!

The name does a good job of explaining exactly what it is. Via the key fob, you’ll be able to remotely rev the new Mustang after remotely starting it. This essentially takes remote starting your vehicle to a different level that we haven’t seen before. What problem is it solving, you ask? Well, obviously the age-old problem of the actual owner of their vehicle not being able to hear their stupid-loud exhaust from where they should be, directly behind the loud pipes. Now, you won’t need to ask a friend to go stab the throttle for you to hear your Mustang roar. Instead, you and your buddies can all hang out behind it while you stab some buttons on the fob to hear it go nuts.

Ford says the Remote Rev feature runs an actual revving program when you activate it. From our understanding, you’ll press a button after starting the car, and then your vehicle will bellow its music in a preset manner. Of course, this feature only works on Mustangs with an automatic transmission — opt for the manual, and you’ll need to do the pedal work yourself.

The new Mustang is available in both a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and 5.0-liter V8 again for the new generation, but it doesn’t matter which engine you go for — they both get the Remote Rev feature. Of course, we suspect GT owners are likely to enjoy it a little more than EcoBoost owners. And if you opt for a GT with the active performance exhaust system, you’re going to enjoy even louder revving.

The engine

• The Dark Horse is powered by a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 good for more than 500 horsepower. That's likely to be about 20 more than the GT.
• Modifications for the Dark Horse Coyote included piston connecting rods first featured on the latest GT500, and a dual throttle body intake design for extra air intake.
• A unique, lighter radiator, more powerful fans and an auxiliary engine oil cooler emphasize that the Dark Horse is intended to hit the track.

The transmission

• A six-speed manual transmission is standard. It's produced by Tremac and features a special 3D-printed titanium shift ball.
• Go for the manual and you'll be much cooler. So will the transmission as it gets a special oil cooler.
• Optional is a 10-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

Chassis, brake and tire upgrades

• Unique chassis tuning includes larger rear sway bars and heavy-duty front shocks.
• MagneRide magnetically controlled adaptive dampers are standard.
• Steering enhanced with a new lightweight strut tower brace and K-brace.
• Torsen rear diff standard.
• Brembo 19-inch six-piston brakes with 13.9-inch rotors up front. Rears not mentioned in press release.
• Staggered wheels (19-inch by 9.5-inch front; 19-inch by 10-inch rear) wearing Pirelli P Zero tires.
• Optional Handling package adds stiffer springs, even larger front and rear sway bars, Pirelli Trofeo tires on wider rims (19x10.5 front, 19x11 rear).
• Late availability option of carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution.

Exterior and aerodynamics

• "A bold, shadow graphic" surrounds the darkened headlights ... or some dark gray trim resting under the lights like tough-guy eye black. The grille is unique and carries on the tough-guy vibe with gloss-black trim and trapezoidal "nostrils." A unique bumper includes what Ford calls "high gloss fangs." Grrrrrr.
• The rear sees a large diffuser, darkened quad exhaust tips and a fixed rear wing.
• The special Dark Horse badge appears on the fenders, trunk and door sills. A dark, classic Pony badge remains on the front. Mustang designer Joel Piaskowski says this is the first time a Mustang has been depicted face-on in a badge. Put that in your pocket, trivia fans.
• The Dark Horse gets unique Blue Ember metallic paint, plus the option of Notorious Blue Brembo brake calipers with a Grabber Blue logo.

The interior

• Thicker steering wheel with a flat bottom. Wrapped in suede and accented in Bright Indigo Blue stitching. It has a drive mode button.
• Contrast blue stitching across the door panels and seats, gear shift and center console. There's blue seatbelts, too.
• A Dark Horse Appearance Pack dives head first into the blue motif with Deep Indigo Blue leather seats with a unique perforation pattern.
• Special "Black Alley" dark metallic gloss interior trim.
• B&O sound system standard

Motorsports version

• Ford will offer two dedicated track-only versions: the Mustang Dark Horse S for weekend track goers and Dark Horse R for racing.
• Both are stripped-down versions of the street-legal version with non-essential parts removed and a safety cage, nets, race seat and race steering wheel added.
• It includes upgraded brakes and Multimatic DSSV dampers.

The Dark Horse S will have the most in common with the street car it's based on. It will be stripped of most of its creature comforts and equipped with Multimatic DSSV shocks in place of the MagneRide suspension that will be found on the standard Dark Horse. It also gets upgraded brakes, adjustable aero and adjustable ride height and camber settings. Inside, you'll find an FIA-compliant safety cage, window nets, racing seats with harnesses, full electrical disconnects, a fire suppression system and the barest of control interfaces.

​​​​​​​The R model carries over almost entirely from the S, but features a seam-welded chassis for improved rigidity and a fuel cell for extended range. It also comes with a set of race-spec wheels rather than the street equivalents found on the S.

​​​​​​​This IMSA-spec model will geared toward racing programs that compete on the global stage. Ford says the first cars will be available to customer teams in time for the 2024 running of the 24 Hours of Daytona. It will be powered by a 5.4-liter version of the Coyote V8.

​​​​​​​The GT4 series is meant to appeal to privateer groups that lack the funding for a GT3 campaign. They utilize the same basic architecture, but offer less power and downforce due to series limitations, making them less costly to run over the course of a season.

​​​​​​​Short for "Factory Exhibition," Factory X slots between Factory Stock Showdown and Pro Stock. It's a brand-new addition to the NHRA series that makes room for stripped-down factory drag racers. Cars are allowed to be significantly lighter than those featured in Factory Stock Showdown, but must be equipped with manual transmissions.

​​​​​​​Ford has no details about its redesigned Cup car quite yet, but considering the constraints of the series, it really won't have much in common with the roadgoing Mustang apart from the visual alignments allowed by NASCAR. Ford says details of this one are still a couple years out.