We’ve known for a few days that Ford has something lined up for the Mustang at the Detroit Auto Show this month. Two new models from Ford Performance are expected, with strong whispers that the Cobra or Boss names could return. Now we at least know what one of those cars will be, thanks to a fresh teaser on the official Ford Mustang Instagram page. A harder, more track-focused version of the Dark Horse will be unveiled tomorrow, and the short audio clip shared by Ford makes it clear that a supercharger is involved.
Aside from the ultra-rare Mustang GTD, the last factory supercharged Mustang was the Shelby GT500. Right now, the Dark Horse sits at the top of the regular Mustang range, powered by the excellent 5.0-litre naturally aspirated Coyote V8 producing 500 horsepower. It can already be specified with the Handling Package, which brings sharper chassis calibration, a more aggressive rear wing, adjustable strut top mounts and other track-minded upgrades. But the Dark Horse set to break cover on January 15 sounds like it’s operating on a completely different level.
The supercharger whine is unmistakable, and Ford is calling it the most advanced, most powerful, and most track-capable Dark Horse yet. That points to a meaningful jump in performance, along with further hardware and tuning changes aimed squarely at circuit use.
Ford already offers a supercharger kit for the Mustang GT and Dark Horse that lifts output to 810 horsepower, which could be a realistic preview of what this new model might deliver.
There’s also the option of Ford dipping into the parts bin and using the 5.2-litre supercharged Predator V8 from the Mustang GTD, another engine capable of comfortably exceeding 800 hp.