The Horse Has Bolted! Ford New Zealand Opens Reservations for the All-New 2024 Ford Mustang
01/08/23
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 1 August 2023 – Ford once again sounds a wake-up call for sports car lovers around the country with the introduction of the all-new 2024 Ford Mustang. The seventh generation is the most exhilarating and visceral yet, from its digital cockpit to its V8 powerplant to its edgier yet timeless exterior design.
Reservations open today enabling customers to get in early and order from a three-model line-up that includes the all-new Mustang GT Fastback and the all-new Mustang Dark Horse with either a manual or automatic transmission.
Edgier Design with Timeless Mustang Cues
The seventh generation adds modern chiselled looks to its heritage-inspired design, which sets out to appeal to the broadest Mustang customer mindset yet. Its low, horizontal brow across the front emphasises overall frontal width, while the upper grille design shape is influenced by the original 1960s design. The Tri-Bar LED headlamps continue the Mustang’s classic lighting signature. Its sleek roofline, broad sprinting stance and shortened rear overhang are also true to the authentic proportions of the first generation, while the widened rear haunches point to the power over the wheels in true Mustang style. The roofline is optimised for driver entry and exit without removing their helmet on the track, and an extended rear houses a new crisp signature tri-bar lighting and redesigned diffuser for improved aerodynamic balance in the rear.
A Completely Rethought Interior
Behind the chiselled exterior silhouette of the seventh-generation Mustang lies the most technologically advanced, driver-centric cockpit of any Mustang to date. The all-new cockpit offers the driver two flowing and curved displays that can be quickly customised to show information the driver wants or needs to see.
The car’s 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster can be customised to display different animated designs and new drive-mode dependent visuals. Based on the same Unreal Engine 3D creation tool used in modern video games, when choosing personalised drive mode settings, the car’s current setup is displayed on the centre stack as real-time graphical renderings. Settings can be adjusted by simply swiping the graphic to rotate the car virtually in a true gamified style.
“We’re taking advantage of every pixel,” said Craig Sandvig, Ford Mustang interaction design manager. “We can be creative in showing necessary driving information and give the driver control of selecting vibrant colour schemes new to Mustang, classic Mustang gauges or even a ‘calm’ screen where only minimal details are displayed.”
This digital instrument cluster on both the GT and Dark Horse flows seamlessly into a 13.2-inch SYNC® 4 centre stack behind the same piece of integrated glass, angled towards the driver. Together, these screens create a fully immersive digital experience that emulates a fighter jet cockpit – but in a real-world sports car.
Both the GT and Dark Horse also come with the latest B&O® Sound System, providing crisp audio through 12 speakers and a subwoofer.
Most Advanced and Athletic V8 Engine Yet
The way Mustang looks, drives and sounds is key to the experience that makes customers want to get in the driver’s seat and hit the road. The all-new Mustang delivers an even more exciting drive experience with new and advanced engine technologies.
At the core of making the all-new Mustang the most exhilarating and visceral Mustang yet is a new fourth-generation Coyote V8 engine. The available active-valve performance exhaust system enables the Mustang GT Fastback to deliver 362kW @7250 RPM, and 567Nm@4900 rpm. Beyond the boost in power, the system’s free-flowing design delivers a custom-V8 sound with the ability to close the valves to restrict the amount of noise made by the car.
The fourth-generation Coyote V8 also features a class-first, dual intake and dual throttle body induction system that’s matched with structural improvements and upgraded oil pan. This helps minimise induction loss by enabling higher air flow rates.
Dark Horse
With sinister looks and a specially modified 5.0-litre V8, it’s the most powerful 5.0-litre V8 yet, projecting 373kW@7250 rpm and 567Nm@4900 rpm.
A special team of Ford engineers, designers and experts worked for more than three years to create Mustang Dark Horse, a street and track-capable performance Mustang with striking visual cues and all the capability sports car lovers expect. Mustang Dark Horse is the first new performance name for the brand since Mustang Bullitt was introduced in 2001.
The heart of Mustang Dark Horse is its unique 5.0-litre Coyote V8 engine, specially modified with piston connecting rods first introduced in the 760-horsepower Ford Performance Mustang Shelby GT500. Mustang Dark Horse will deliver the highest level of performance in the all-new Mustang family.
Visually differentiated from any 5.0- litre V8 before it, Mustang Dark Horse includes a dual throttle-body intake design to improve engine breathing, accentuated by the open nostrils in the front grille.
Mustang Dark Horse may be ordered in New Zealand with the unique six-speed TREMEC manual transmission. The manual also includes a special Mustang Dark Horse transmission oil cooler. Drivers also have the option to choose Ford’s advanced 10-speed automatic transmission with sport paddle shifters for fast and precise shifting – from the motorway to the race circuit.
The Mustang Dark Horse provides unique chassis tuning, larger rear sway bars and heavy-duty front shocks. Stopping is courtesy of 19-inch Brembo front 6 piston brakes. Steering response and grip is further enhanced with a K-brace for even better handling and feedback from Mustang Dark Horse. Mustang Dark Horse puts the torque down without losing traction through a Torsen® rear differential and staggered wheels (19-inch-by-9.5-inch front and 19-inch-by-10-inch rear wheels).
Mustang Dark Horse offers standard MagneRide® shocks capable of monitoring wheel and tyre movement 1,000 times per second, optimising performance based on driving surface or driving mode.
2024 Ford Mustang New Zealand Line-Up
Driver-Focused Immersive Digital Cockpit
The Mustang Dark Horse infuses even more performance style and functionality into the all-new seventh-generation car’s technologically advanced, driver-centric cockpit.
A thicker, flat-bottomed steering wheel wrapped in suede and finished with Bright Indigo Blue accent stitching incorporates anodised silver paddle shifters on models ordered with the 10-speed automatic transmission and a dedicated drive mode button is at thumb’s reach, allowing drivers to quickly choose the desired driving setup.
Contrasting blue stitching across the door panels and seats, lift the ambience of the cabin, enhanced further by unique Recaro seats in Deep Indigo Blue with a unique seat perforation, emitting further hints of blue below the surface.
Sophisticated and Sinister Functional Styling
Mustang Dark Horse carries the most striking visual cues of any new road-going Mustang.
“It’s more than a new name. Dark Horse brings a new design language to Mustang that is refined yet perfectly suited to its dual purpose of street and track performance,” said Joel Piaskowski, global director, Ford Design. “The visual changes, both inside and out, message that Dark Horse has a directed performance focus. The mechanical changes reinforce the purpose of Dark Horse, providing the driver with increased confidence and competence.”
At the front, a bold, shadow graphic surrounds the darkened LED headlamps, which compliments a unique, gloss black grille with trapezoidal nostrils and Mustang Dark Horse-unique lower front bumper with high gloss ‘fangs.’ Lower side skirts and, to the rear, a fixed rear wing, new race-inspired diffuser and darkened quad exhaust tips demonstrate the car’s track-focused design cues.
New Mustang Dark Horse badges were designed for this performance version of Mustang to visually separate it from other models. The badges are placed on the fenders and door sills, while a dark, anodised version of the famous pony stays on the front. Inside, unique Mustang Dark Horse badging is featured on the instrument panel and digital display screens.
“This is the first time for Mustang that we’ve ever had a forward-facing horse,” Piaskowski said. “It’s aggressive, a bit sinister and it’s coming from the shadows head-on to win.”
2024 Ford Mustang New Zealand Available Colours
The 2024 Mustang GT will be available to order in a variety of stunning colours while the 2024 Mustang Darkhorse will be available in three select colours with two of those exclusive to the Dark Horse model only.
GT Fastback will be available to order in Oxford White, Race Red, Carbonised Grey, Grabber Blue, Iconic Silver, Yellow Splash and Shadow Black. The Dark Horse is also available in Shadow Black but can be ordered in either the exclusive Vapour Blue or Blue Ember.
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines always-on digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 173,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.
Ford, a global American brand woven into the fabric of Europe for more than 100 years, is committed to freedom of movement that goes hand-in-hand with looking after the planet and each other. The company’s Ford+ plan, with Model e, Ford Pro and the Ford Blue business units is accelerating its European transformation to an all-electric and carbon neutral future by 2035. The company is driving forward with bold, new EVs, each one designed with European drivers in mind and innovating with services to help people connect, communities grow, and businesses thrive. Selling and servicing Ford vehicles in 50 individual European markets, operations also include the Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Customer Service Division and 14 manufacturing facilities (eight wholly owned and six unconsolidated joint venture facilities) with four centres based in Cologne, Germany; Valencia, Spain and at our joint venture in Craiova, Romania and Kocaeli, Türkiye. Ford employs approximately 34,000 people at its wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures and approximately 54,000 people including unconsolidated businesses across Europe. More information about the company, its products and Ford Credit is available at corporate.ford.com.
