Race Sundays and sell Mondays with the 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse R. This Mustang will primarily be used for club racing and the Mustang Challenge, which will commence in 2024 in collaboration with IMSA. It’s the latest in a long line of racing Mustangs, just below the GT4 group but much above home-built track cars. The Dark Horse R is a mass-produced automobile. The plan is identical to what made the sign famous 60 years ago. Since it’s a racehorse, don’t use it on public roads. During a recent sneak peek at Ford Performance’s plant north of Charlotte, North Carolina, I thought of the R’s production. I learned. Body Function The engine is a fourth-generation Ford 5.0-liter Coyote V8 modified for highway use. The machine has better-flowing exhaust pipes, a Borla exhaust system, and no emissions system carbon filters. The powerful Five-Oh’s oiling design was altered because race cars endure severe side-to-side G forces. It sports a Ford Performance oil pan with a larger capacity and barriers to prevent oil spills during abrupt turns. The street car’s Tremec six-speed manual gearbox and Torsen limited-slip differential power the Coyote’s 3:73.1 final drive ratio. This is particularly fascinating because current race cars like the Toyota GR Cup and the Global MX-5, primarily based on production cars, feature difficult-to-use sequential transmissions to last longer in races. Inside-Out Streetcar switching continues. The R and Dark Horse share screens, center panels, and aerodynamic elements. Motec dash fronts OEM instrument cluster. The rest of the interior is production-line plastic. A fixed-back Recaro racing seat with a six-point Sparco racing harness replaces the road-going version’s comfortable, adjustable seat. Gearheads, this harness offers three-inch lap and two-to-three-inch shoulder straps. Roll cages around it. Ford Performance’s fire suppression system and steering wheel come from Italy. Safecraft makes the global standard side netting. I was still intrigued about what was happening underneath, so I talked to Dave Born from Ford Performance about the myriad elements that went into constructing this racetrack-ready beast. Born noted that Watson Racing, a Ford partner, manufactured the R’s V8 oil catch container. Let’s work. Born stated Watson Racing, another Michigan company, built this car. Watson Racing, one body-in-white (bare chassis without a VIN) from Flat Rock assembly, is a short drive away. They modify the inside, then assemble and weld the cage structure. The plant repaints it before sending it to Watson for assembly. Ford and Multimatic have raced together for years, and the Dark Horse R suspension system reflects their camaraderie. Multimatic’s DSSV passive dampers are behind the wheels. Motorsports-level tweaking is possible with adjustable compression and rebound. Spring rates and sizes are unknown, but the shocks swiftly change camber. Multimatic uses a simple shim method instead of a bolt that must be unfastened, relocated, and measured again. This improves tires, where the rubber meets the road. Ford Performance R1 flow-formed wheels with 295/30/R19 Michelin race slicks on all four corners will soon be in Ford’s race catalogue. Born said, “It worked out great for both of us.” “It’s great to work with them because we need a tire for our car, and they wanted one for the market.” The R has Brembo brakes like the street vehicle, with four-piston callipers and six pistons up front. The R’s race-grade grip is optimised by the front brakes’ racing pad formulations. The street car’s back brakes are identical, but the pads are more robust. “Even the system that controls the powertrain is from the factory,” Born remarked. But we provide you the software to connect it to the Motec data system so they can talk. We want to get rid of as much as possible while producing tech. Appropriately priced The DOT-approved Dark Horse R is substantially different. Instead of wheel bolts, studs, and ring nuts improve transmission, engine, differential, and brake cooling. It’s unique among today’s pricey, high-tech race cars. Ford says you can start the Dark Horse R, shift into first gear with your right arm, and compete with other racers for $145,000. That’s big compared to the Global MX-5 Cup. Even though it appears like an excellent deal when considering that a Toyota GR Cup car begins at $20,000 cheaper, has much less power, and utilises a SADEV sequential gearbox instead of a stick shift, GT4 cars cost more than $200,000. Ford’s racing involvement this year is fantastic. The cheaper Dark Horse R is an excellent addition. The beast honours the badge’s humble 1960s motorsports beginnings. The number of cars at IMSA paddocks and other venues will be interesting to watch throughout the following year.
