Mustang vehicles of all types are designed to break records and blow minds, and it’s time for a new Mustang model to do just that. Joining the herd this year is the Mustang Dark Horse R: a track-only vehicle that expands on the innate power of the Mustang Dark Horse to become a thrilling and unstoppable racer.
“Mustang Dark Horse R has been developed with Mustang racing enthusiasts top of mind,” said Jim Owens, Ford Mustang Marketing manager. “Ford Performance leaned into countless areas of expertise developed through years of racing the Mustang and honed in on an aggressive yet approachable package for customers to pick up and play with.”
This new variation of the classic car is the most track-capable 5.0-liter V8 street-legal Mustang ever. A new racing opportunity is about to arise– the new, single-make Mustang Challenge series– and the Dark Horse R has been designed to impress in that competition. Despite its intense racing DNA, however, it maintains some common ground with its road-going version, like a Flat Rock Assembly Plant-provided body, 500+ horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine, Tremec 3160 manual transmission, Torsen limited slip differential with 3.73 final drive ratio, aero and Brembo rear brake calipers/rotors.
The Mustang Challenge series is scheduled to start in 2024, and will have a 10 to 12-race calendar plus a mix of five to six North American sports car race weekends that have yet to be announced. Each vehicle competing in the series has been developed specifically for the Mustang Challenge by Ford’s series partners at Michelin.
“Mustang Dark Horse R owners will have the opportunity to race and test their driving skills with other Mustang enthusiasts at some of the world's most incredible tracks,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports.
The IMSA-sanctioned series will be managed by The Ford Performance Racing School. Each round of the series will consist of two practice sessions, one qualifying session and two sprint races, and the top finishers will be rewarded with contingency payouts. All racers will be competing for the title of overall series champion at the end of the season.
“The new Mustang Challenge series is a perfect addition to our IMSA family and we are grateful to our longtime partners at Ford for trusting us to be the sanctioning body for this spectacular new platform,” said IMSA President John Doonan. “When I was a little boy going to the race track, I vividly remember the rumble of the Mustang race cars and their V8 power, so imagining a full field of Dark Horse Rs charging into Turn 1 for the first time on an IMSA race weekend will bring back a flood of memories and be awe inspiring.”
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