Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn is spreading holiday cheer to Mustang enthusiasts with details about the all-new, seventh-generation 2024 Mustang, including the 500-horsepower Mustang Dark Horse, which will be available next summer.
“Mustang has always pushed the envelope,” says Ed Krenz, chief engineer for Mustang. “From Mustang GT to Dark Horse, this is our best 5.0-liter V-8 yet. It’s naturally aspirated awesomeness. And Mustang EcoBoost fans are also getting a boost in power to make every Mustang more fun and visceral to drive.”
For the pinnacle of 5.0-liter V-8 performance and track capability, the Mustang Dark Horse features a uniquely engineered fourth-generation Coyote V-8 engine with 500 horsepower and 418 ft.-lb. of torque to set a new benchmark for Mustang street and track performance, and the most powerful non-Shelby edition ever.
Krenz says the Coyote engine was upgraded even further to produce the 500 horsepower, delivering its most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 yet. These upgrades include a uniquely balanced crankshaft and forged piston connecting rods — the latter first introduced in the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 — to handle higher cylinder pressures and piston speeds.
“Every time someone gets behind the wheel of a Mustang, we know they want to feel that strong connection to their vehicle — and we’re just as invested in creating that bond,” says Suzanne Robinson, program supervisor for the Coyote engine. “With the increased responsiveness you get from the new dual throttle bodies, we’re wringing every ounce of performance we can out of our engine so Mustang enthusiasts can have that experience.”
Robinson says the new fourth-generation Coyote V-8 engine is the core of making the all-new Mustang. “The available active-valve performance exhaust system enables the Mustang GT coupe and convertible to deliver 486 horsepower and 418 ft.-lb. of torque,” she says. “Beyond the boost in power, the system’s design delivers a custom-V-8 sound with the ability to close the valves to restrict the amount of noise made by the car.”
Additionally, the Coyote V-8 features a segment-first, dual intake and dual throttle body induction system that’s matched with structural improvements and upgraded oil pan. This helps minimize induction loss by enabling higher air flow rates.
For Mustang GT and Mustang Dark Horse, horsepower and torque ratings are the same for automatic and manual transmissions.
Continuing a tradition of affordable performance, the all-new 2024 Mustang EcoBoost delivers with its all-new 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine that produces 315 horsepower, the most standard power in a four- or six-cylinder Mustang ever, according to Ford. In addition, the engine delivers 350 ft.-lb. of torque.
Mustang EcoBoost also offers the optional active-valve performance exhaust system designed for even more excitement from its turbocharged-soundtrack.
The Mustang EcoBoost coupe and convertible feature a new engine from the ground up that incorporates Ford’s new Modular Power Cylinder engine architecture, driving prowess in design and function — and is targeted to have improved EPA-estimated fuel economy over the outgoing model year.
It uses a new bore-to-stroke ratio, port fuel injection coupled with direct injection, variable cam timing, integrated exhaust gas recirculation, and twin scroll turbocharging technologies to deliver the performance Mustang drivers expect.
The all-new 2024 Mustang coupe and convertible models go on sale in the U.S. starting in next summer and are assembled at Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock.
