Hennessey Supercharged the New Ford Mustang Dark Horse to Crank Out 850 HP
Leave it to Hennessey Performance Engineering to look at the new Ford Mustang Dark Horse and see a car in need of some upgrades.
The Texas-based tuner has just unveiled its take on the track-centric variant of the Detroit giant’s seventh-generation muscle car. The build takes what was already a ferocious coupé and adds even more power to the mix.
First unveiled last fall, the Dark Horse is a completely new breed of Mustang. Ford took the best aspects of the sixth-generation Mustang Mach 1 and Shelby variants and combined them to create a 500-hp beast capable of outrunning the fiercest competition. And despite being designed with the track in mind, the variant is still street-legal (the Dark Horse S and Dark Horse R can only be used for racing, though).
How do you improve upon a muscle car like the Dark Horse? If you’re Hennessey you start under the hood, with Ford’s naturally aspirated Coyote 5.0-liter V-8. The tuner has equipped the potent mill with a high-performance supercharger, high-flow air induction system and upgraded fuel injectors. Thanks to these modifications, along with an upgrade of the engine management system, output has been boosted by 70 percent to a stunning 850 horses and 650 ft lbs of twist. Hennessey’s ‘Stang comes fitted with either the six-speed Tremec manual or 10-speed automatic gearbox available on the standard Dark Horse, both of which send power to the rear axle. We have a feeling we know what transmission most enthusiasts will opt for.
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The H850 Dark Horse, as it’s been dubbed, also wears a special aero kit that includes a new front splitter, side skirts and a rear spoiler. The package’s carbon-fiber elements aren’t just there for looks; they allow the car to cut through the air with even more ease. Rounding out the changes are a new set of forged wheels and the requisite Hennessey graphics and badging.
You’ll have to inquire with Hennessey to find out how much the H850 will cost, but expect the price to be much higher than the $59,720 the standard Dark Horse starts at. Speaking of which, if you’re interested in the variant—or the fully loaded Dark Horse Premium (which starts at $63,265)—you’ll also want to reach out to Ford, as both are only being produced in “limited” quantities. The H850, like Hennessey’s other builds, comes with a three-year or 36,000-mile warranty.
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