Insight: Ford Mustang Dark Horse and the racing DNA that runs through it

WHEN Henry Ford won his first and only race on October 10 1901 a legacy was born.

Ford Motoring Company’s founding father was struggling to secure finance in a then fledgling industry after his first foray with the Detroit Automobile Company had dissolved in 1900.

He had a vision to produce a mass-market car but the money-men weren’t biting so he turned to motor racing which was extremely popular at the time and generated good press for the winners.

He challenged the foremost racer in America, Henry Winton, to a 10 lap race at Grosse Pointe Race Track in Detroit. He then set out with his associates to build what was to become known as the Ford 1901 “Sweepstakes” car, named for that style of racing.

At the time it was the most technologically advanced car featuring an early form of fuel injection, a two cylinder engine, handmade porcelain insulated spark coils (a forerunner to the spark plug), produced an estimated 26 horsepower (19kW) and was recorded at 72mph (115.8km/h) over half a mile, beating the existing 65.79mph world record.

After three laps Winton was ahead by 300 metres but by the sixth lap Ford was closing in and when Winton’s car started to give mechanical trouble the race was won.

His victory demonstrated Ford’s ability as an engineer and 18 months after his famous and only win as a driver, he received the backing he needed and in 1903 he founded the Ford Motor Company and well… the rest is history.

It also cemented Ford’s racing DNA and with iconic cars including the GT40, Michael Schumacher’s Ford powered F1 Benetton, Thunderbird, Escort MK1 and of course the most successful selling sports car of all time in its various guises; the Mustang.

It’s the most iconic car of all time and has been coming out of the factory in a steady stream since it was first introduced in 1964 with 10 million of them to date having found homes.

It makes sense then that the Mustang Dark Horse continues the tradition of providing thrill seekers a car that provides all the theatre of a naturally aspirated V8 with 373kW and 567Nm of torque.

“Not only is the DNA of Ford racing but the DNA of the Ford Mustang was bred with the heart and soul of racing,” said Jim Owens, Mustang Brand manager at the Ford Performance Technical Centre during the recent media drive in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“It’s the first new performance nameplate that we’ve done since the Gen 4 Bullitt.

“Gen 5 and even Gen 6 weren’t performance Mustangs but as we were developing this seventh generation, we were standing on a foundation but looking forward to generating that future collectable for the new audience coming in to Mustang. We wanted that new heritage nameplate to be for this generation that buys Mustang, 30 years into the future, which is Dark Horse.”

Tim Smith, Mustang Engineering Supervisor said that when they started the product they knew what a great responsibility they had.

“People know the car and what an icon it is and how much responsibility we had to deliver a product that pushes us forward while still keeping its heritage intact.”

“The knowledge and data that we’ve picked up in racing, the wind tunnel and in the simulator has all been transferred to the Dark Horse.

“The airflow, cooling, transmissions, suspension, interior animation, cluster set-up and in fact everything has come together to make a car that’s great to look at, has a great sound and is brilliant to drive.”

As we now know too the track only Mustang Dark Horse R ups the ante significantly.

“Mustang is the icon of Ford Motor Company, both on the road and on the track,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director for Ford Performance.

“Mustang is the most raced nameplate in Ford’s racing history and it's the most successful, having won at racetracks all over the world.

“We all have our personal connection with Mustang. For me it started in 2002 when I took up leadership of the development team for the 2005 Mustang. I spent three years of my life, thinking and dreaming Mustang, to make it the best that it could be.

“I still own a 3000GT that I drive when I go on vacation and drive the hilly back roads of North Carolina.

“I also own a 2013 Mustang Roush which I take out on the track and have fun with my son.

“So I’m excited that the company has extended this commitment with the seventh generation Mustang but even more excited about the Mustang Dark Horse R.

“It bridges the gap between Dark Horse and Mustang GT3 and GT4 and we built this car for the most demanding track conditions for enthusiasts everywhere including the new Mustang Racing Challenge Series which is an IMSA sanctioned single-make racing series starting next year.

“It blends the best of the road car with uniquely selected racing performance for the race car that Mustang enthusiasts demand,” he concluded.

And while we’re on the subject of Mustang, I think the quote by Ford President and CEO Jim Farley, on the launch of the bonkers Mustang GTD with its supercharged 5.2-litre V8 engine with 800 horsepower is refreshing in this modern world of not wanting to offend or stick your neck out.

“This is our company, we’re throwing down the gauntlet and saying, ‘Come and get it.’”

“We’re comfortable putting everybody else on notice. I’ll take track time in a Mustang GTD against any other auto boss in their best road car.”

And there you have it, a racing DNA to be sure.