Coupe

Since Sao Paulo (Brazil) – There are mythical names in the history of the car. The look of each of us depends, they can be tens or simply a few. But there is something true and it is that “Mustang“ It is in any of those lists. Not every day you have the possibility of handling a legend. And even less if it’s the brand new version Dark Horsewhich replaces the discontinued Mach 1 And -as repeated us several times in the press day- is designed to Track Days (ver equipment and price).

During a long day that started at 9 in the morning and ended at 20 back to the hotel, Ford The New Mustang Dark Horse In detail, he let us handle it for almost two hours in Routes Paulistas and gave us three laps in the circuit of Velo Cittá, In the area of Mogi Guaçú. The first impressions are reproduced below.

On the outside

The details of this version begin with the horse logo with matte finish and the plotted lines on the hood. Those same stripes have the name on the side edges “Dark Horse” To reinforce the version we have in front of us. The front horse logo, distinctive of this version, is in both front fenders and in the trunk.

The tires are new design and with 19 inches, shoes with 255/40R19 tires forward and 275/40R19 back. Through that tire design you can see the tweezers Brembo Of the brakes, with the brand in white. The entire tube has a very dark aesthetic, honoring the name of that model and it is something that I noticed that it highlights a lot when you see it coming through the mirror of another car, with the drls on. Yes, it has a bad face.

Photo: Motor1 Argentina

The larger black spoiler stands out in the back (for all colors of the range) and the four exhaust outlets of 4.5 inches, which crown their particular sound.

Within

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The first thing that catches our attention inside are those upholstered in leather combinations and their seams in dark blue. The version we handled had electrical regulation of the driver’s seat and companion. Both seats had heating, but only that of the driver had ventilation. There are several details Dark Horsewith a frontal view logo of the Mustang’s head, which is really very well achieved.

He cockpit this “Inspired by the design of hunting airplanes” (according to the gazetilla), and everything is very close to the driver. The instrument board is 100% digital, with different configurations that change according to the chosen driving mode (or we can select it ourselves).

The sound system is in charge of Bang&Olufssen And it has 900W of power, with 12 speakers and a subwoofer in the trunk.

SECURITY

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The Mustang Dark Horse comes with seven airbags, adaptive cruise speed control with Stop & Go, shock alert with pedestrian detection and front and rear autonomous braking, maintenance assistant and lane focused, evasive maneuvering assistant, blind spot monitoring with cross traffic alert, monitoring of tires, ESP, ESP, ESC Pending, front and rear cameras, traffic signals recognition.

He IIHS from the United States (Member of Globalcap) granted him in his shock tests a “accusable” qualification for Mustang. It is an intermediate note, which does not reach the maximum (“good”). The doubts were raised, especially by the difficulty in placing children’s safety chairs.

Motor and transmission

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And under the hood is one of the keys to Dark Horse. He V8 Coyote It goes from the 492 HP of the GT Performance to the current 507HP, exceeding the 100HP barrier per liter of cylindrated, while the torque remains in 567nm. Additional data: 80% of the torque is now available from 2,500 rpm, cranks and pistons are identical to those of the Shelby GT 500 and the escape was totally redesigned, for a better sound and a greater performance.

The transmission is in charge of the already known 10 -speed automatic box, which was stressed for this Dark Horse version.

BEHAVIOR

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I left the dealership Ford Signal In Sao Paulo. They were about 20 minutes or less traffic – not so heavy – until we moved away from the city on an increasingly light highway. I have to confess that the first blocks were almost torture, thanks to the donkey loins that had to happen as slowly as possible and – so and all – a couple of times I heard a slight rubbing of the lower front. Yes, we come in a sports car that is low and on top with firm suspensions. EYE: The same happened with the previous Mach 1.

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Once on the highway and with the normal handling mode, comfort on board is very good, we almost forgot that we are in a car designed for track days (until we accelerate a little and the escapes remind us of what, it is a Dark Horse). Not to mention if we pass it to Sport. The sound becomes more hoarse and the car more “rebound”. The box also begins to stretch the changes and to reduce the march every time you can, to keep the regime always cheerful.

We arrived in the middle of the route and my coequiper takes the steering wheel. I take the opportunity to take photos and also see and understand a little more of the Mustang equipment. There are five driving modes, of which two asked us not to use them on the highway: “track” and “drag track”. I think it was not necessary to explain why.

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We arrive at Velo Cittáa complex with one of the most modern paths in Brazil. The circuit is one of those called “Very technical”where there is not so much space to develop great speeds, but curves of all styles and formats, where you have to handle to go fast. In some sectors they put chicanas with cones, to reduce the final speed and avoid paper and damage.

I was one of the first to turn, but the car that touched me had already been on the track for a few days. This event was repeated during the week with Brazilian, Latin American and concessionaires. And yes, the tires suffer that abuse.

They were three laps to the path and, as I did not know the track, my third turn was the best, already familiar with the curves and their paths. Anyway I could experience what this Mustang Dark Horse on track is. The first positive detail is the sound of the engine. Not only pushes by power, but also excites us for noise. To that is added a very well set up box and that reacts fast, either automatically or in manual-secuential use.

Photo: Motor1 Argentina

Are we still adding in favor? The tuning of the suspensions is very good, at least for the demand of the PISTE. It is firm, without rolled and transmitting the power to the floor in curves of all kinds. The highest sector of the circuit is the most fun and where that work is most noticeable. A series of curves to the left, right and new left on descent, where the power accompanies the tail and when we want it to be released, it does it without hesitation.

Apart from the brakes: abused by journalists, but always effective when stopping. In my last turn I took the opportunity to stop more inside than ever in the curves and the braking power surprised me.

There was no time to measure accelerations or play with the apps for track day that brings the car. The technical file says that it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds And I think it is very possible to reach that figure.

CONCLUSION

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I start this segment by citing my partner during the tour: “Mustang always gives you more for less silver than its competitors”told me Kalil Zschocke While in the presentation they showed a picture with the comparison between the Dark Horsehe Porsche 911 Carrera She BMW m2 and the M3 Competition. And I think it is a great conclusion for this brief, but intense contact. The brand new Dark Horse can be a great car to rute at legal speeds and ridiculously low motor regimes. But it is also a car to enjoy several fast laps, without demonstrating fatigue (at least for hands such as mine that are closest to those of a Track Day participant than a professional pilot). Here I take the opportunity to send Paul Szebesta a greeting, which I should have occupied in my place, but preferred something much more frivolous: running in Nürburgring (See note).

In addition, in “Silver by HP” relation, I think there is nothing better at this time in the sports V8 market. If we add wonderful brakes, a chassis with a very worked tuning and an electronics designed to go fast, the combo is tremendous. Is the box automatic? Well, nobody is perfect.

O.C.

Photo: Motor1 Argentina

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Source: Motor1 Argentina