the V8 is not dead, it is alive!

With the presentation of the electric Ford Mustang Mach-E In 2019, we expected the internal combustion engine version to stop buying green bananas. After all, it seemed like the pony car could be over at any moment.

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Ford also equipped the traditional Mustang with relatively economical four-cylinder turbo engines, but a car with this heritage actually requires at least a six-cylinder. In fact, according to the real enthusiasts, a V8 belongs in it. That type of engine, however, seemed to have no future in the transition era to electric cars.

Half of Mustang customers choose V8

But the fans thought differently. Almost half of American Mustang customers still choose this option and in Europe too, the V8 is the most sold engine variant. This means that Ford can keep the big eight-cylinder alive, without making a loss.

“Ford is thumbing its nose at Dodge with the new Mustang.”

Ford’s general manager Jeff Marentic is delighted: “I understand the green movement that is currently taking place, but we are proud of our V8 engines.” At the same time, Ford is thumbing its nose at Dodge, which recently halted production of its famous eight-cylinder muscle cars. This is certainly not unique, because the number of new cars that are still available with a V8 is decreasing faster than the endangered yellow-edged Limburg loess beetle.

Mustang Dark Horse for ultimate driving pleasure

Ford itself probably had its doubts about the long-term viability of the traditional Mustang, because the last major innovations date back seven years. In addition, the seventh generation Mustang shows that Ford has not tried to reinvent the wheel. The fact that both the platform and the engine are old acquaintances will be a hot dog for the enthusiasts. In fact, it will cause them to cry tears of joy rather than sorrow.

Completely new is the Dark Horse version, which according to Ford is focused on ultimate driving pleasure. For us every reason to choose this variant for the first test drive. We were also quite interested in the convertible model, but that is at most a GT. It has 7 hp less and is less focused on driving dynamics.

V8 even more eager than in Mustang Mach 1

For 145,400 euros, the Dark Horse offers a 453-hp V8, a six-speed manual transmission, an adaptive suspension, Brembo brakes and a Torsen limited-slip differential on the rear axle. The result is – in the best sense of the word – no surprise. The fact that the V8 engine now works with dual throttle valves, but also has to live with a stricter particulate filter, is even a real added value: the Mustang is cleaner than ever and responds even more eagerly to the throttle than we remember from the Mach 1 version that we drove more than two years ago.

“You can compose the finest engine music with the accelerator pedal: from a gentle burble to a hammering rumble.”

This is what the V8 of the Mustang Dark Horse (2024) sounds like

The whole is accompanied by a surprisingly intense sound that comes from the four exhaust pipes via adjustable valves. If these valves are closed, you can still hear the heavy but soothing murmur of the eight-cylinder under the long bonnet clearly, but subtly. In this way, the driver can compose the finest engine music with the accelerator as an instrument: from a pleasant babbling to a hammering rumble that would have made even Phil Collins pale in his heyday.

Is the Ford Mustang (2024) a real sports car?

One instrument that is better than ever, but could do with some fine-tuning, is the steering. The setup is a bit more direct and offers more feel than before, but it’s not yet the surgical precision instrument you find in Porsches and Lotuses. Is that a bad thing? No, not if you treat the Mustang for what it really is – to European eyes: not a pure sports car, but a powerful gran turismo with a characterful drivetrain.

“The gearbox spoils you with shortshifter-like shifting and a mechanical click-clack feeling.”

And we’re not just talking about that classic-sounding beast of a V8, but also about the gearbox. It was specially modified for the Dark Horse version by the performance specialists at Tremec, resulting in short-shifter-like shift paths and a wonderful mechanical click-clack feeling in the magnesium gear knob.

That the Mustang is more of a GT than a hardcore sports car, you can also tell from the chassis. The American springs surprisingly smoothly, but is always neatly kept in check by the adaptive dampers of the MagneRide chassis. The result is sufficient comfort, while at the same time the roll in bends is efficiently controlled.

High pain threshold required

The Mustang offers more than enough space in the front seats, while the two-seater rear bench is more suitable for people with a high pain threshold. Without having tested them, we recommend the Recaro sports seats (1800 euros), because the standard seats are comfortable, but do not offer enough lateral support to counter the playful nature of the Dark Horse.

Processor like a pinched four-cylinder

The fear that Ford would dilute the classic Mustang genes with a digital dashboard turned out to be unfounded. The screens are beautifully designed and offer the opportunity to revive the classic ‘clock shop’. Only the processor behind the infotainment looks more like a pinched four-cylinder than a V8. That they may forgive him, as long as there is an eight-cylinder under the hood.

Enjoy while you can

While most of the competition is killing off the V8 engine, Ford is giving it a makeover. More than ever, the seventh generation Mustang combines the relaxed American style of the classic pony car with the focus of a European sports car. That makes the Mustang, especially as a Dark Horse, very desirable, but the ‘regular’ Fastback GT (from 131,400) is also still worth it.