Fully Loaded 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Pricier Than A Shelby GT500

Ford has launched the online configurator for the 2024 Mustang lineup, and the most expensive trim, the Mustang Dark Horse Premium, will set you back $79,515 fully loaded. The 2022 Mustang Shelby GT500 had a starting price of $76,820, including the destination and gas guzzler fees. So yes, the Dark Horse Premium is more expensive than a Shelby, and it's not even a Shelby. Where is all of your hard-earned money going in that case?

Excellent question, but first, we need to point out that the Dark Horse begins at a much more reasonable $59,270 while the Dark Horse Premium increases to $61,865 (not including the $1,595 destination fee).

Both trims are powered by the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote V8 with 500 horsepower and 418 lb-ft of torque. Buyers can choose between two transmissions, the Tremec six-speed manual or the optional 10-speed automatic ($1,595). As usual, checking the option box for features is where things get pricy very fast.

Mustang Dark Horse Premium buyers can tack on the Dark Horse Handling Package for $4,500 (which includes those gorgeous carbon fiber wheels), Tarnish Dark High Gloss paint ($5,495), and leather-trimmed Recaro seats ($1,650) instead of the standard cloth seats. Remember that opting for the sportier Recaros deletes the standard climate-controlled seats with memory settings. Some less expensive options include a car cover ($600), a cargo organizer ($105), and a roadside assistance kit ($70). But once you add up every possible option, you're at nearly $80k.

The good news is that the Dark Horse comes with lots of standard goodies, aside from that lovely NA V8, straight out of the box, such as the Co-Pilot 360 driver-assist system, a 12-speaker stereo system, heated steering wheel, touchscreen navigation with voice activation, and an active exhaust.