DARK HORSE

THE MOST HARDCORE VERSION OF FORD'S SEVENTHGENERATION PONY CAR IS A SPORTS COUPE WITH DEPTH AND ATTITUDE THAT EXTENDS WELL BEYOND ITS V8 ENGINE

- JEZ SPINKS

THE FORD MUSTANG will soon be the last pony car standing. At least one with an internal combustion motor under the bonnet. 

Chevrolet is about to axe the Camaro (again) and Dodge's Challenger/Charger duo are set to be replaced by an electric interpretation of the classic American sports car.

Will the biggest seller of the breed see another generation after this seventh iteration in nearly 60 years? For now, Ford says it sees no end date for its iconic Mustang coupe/convertible, though it hasn't gone overboard with the development budget for the new S650 Mustang. Based on the same platform as the previous $550 model, it carries over parts including roof, windscreen pillars and rear glass, and the turbo four-cylinder and V8 engines are upgraded rather than replaced.

The four-cylinder turbo EcoBoost entry-level Mustang continues, as does the V8 GT, though Ford chose to skip the launch of those models. Instead, it waited a week to bring Australian media to North America to sample the Dark Horse - the first all-new appendage nameplate since Ford's nostalgic, 2001 riff on the famous Bullitt movie.

Ford is hoping the Dark Horse will become a future collectible in the way the likes of the 1971 Mach-1 is revered to this day, though it won't confirm exactly how limited the "limited availability" will be.

The next-generation Mustang is due to reach Australia in early 2024 - perfectly timed for what will be the 60th anniversary of the Blue Oval's Pony car- and US pricing suggests the Dark Horse could flirt close to $100,000 here. It has a fair bit more tech and gear than the $84,000 2021 Mach-1 it essentially replaces.

The entry EcoBoost model is also likely to start closer to $60,000 than $50,000 as with the previous model.

The latest, fourth-generation Coyote V8 gains dual airboxes and twin throttle bodies, revised cam timing, and redesigned exhaust manifolds for a freer-breathing top end.