Dark Horse SC, who's adding one, who's replacing with one, what will it do to GT500 values?

[9secondko]

What you all's best guess as to how many DHSC's (percentage wise) go to someone who drives it on a track versus only the street or hardly at all?

I’m guessing more of these will see street usage than heritage cars have historically.

a ton of them will see track use as it’s going to be a blast. But the street drivers will increase. Perhaps many will be daily drivers as well. If I had one, I’d mix daily usage for sure. Too much fun not to enjoy as often as possible.

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[TonyNJ]

I was at a PCA event and heard two 911 drivers talking, one of them said, “it’s cheaper and faster to buy a dedicated track car than to track a street car with CCBs.”

I believe that’s true and it really stuck with me.

Here it is... cheaper and faster.

 

[MachNroll]

Agreed, and what I want the DHSC to be, for Ford's sake, is a visceral "fun" car that non track guys can talk about in terms of smiles per gallon. That is all they have to do and it is a winner, plus that also guarantees other fun Mustangs in the future. I'm pretty sure that happens and all is well. Just let it be raucous. Don't tame it.

You may have just unintentionally created a marketing concept for Mustangs; "The Ford Mustang, its raucous, and comes with many smiles per gallon."

 

[JT1]

My overarching point is that track guys do not under any circumstance drive sales.

True, It's the posers, they drive the sales, but also drive me nuts. I think Ford USED to have less posers than the other brands, but not anymore. Sometimes I bring mine to a C&C or a show and end up next to a guy who has "Shelby" branded aftermarket stuff on EVERYTHING, various snake props around the car, and the car never has been nor ever will be near a track. Nothing more annoying than a guy bragging about a cars's performance, that will never actually drive it in a performance environment.

 

[Tonymustang302]

As a track guy, im offended

 

[MAGS1]

True, It's the posers, they drive the sales, but also drive me nuts. I think Ford USED to have less posers than the other brands, but not anymore. Sometimes I bring mine to a C&C or a show and end up next to a guy who has "Shelby" branded aftermarket stuff on EVERYTHING, various snake props around the car, and the car never has been nor ever will be near a track. Nothing more annoying than a guy bragging about a cars's performance, that will never actually drive it in a performance environment.

Can I ask why it bothers you so much? They bought the car and appreciate the performance it’s capable of. Maybe they don’t have the time to track it. Or maybe they just aren’t into tracking but just appreciate the car for what it’s capable of and want to own one. Either way, it’s their money and their car so who cares if they actually take it to the track or not

 

[lo-fi]

True, It's the posers, they drive the sales, but also drive me nuts. I think Ford USED to have less posers than the other brands, but not anymore. Sometimes I bring mine to a C&C or a show and end up next to a guy who has "Shelby" branded aftermarket stuff on EVERYTHING, various snake props around the car, and the car never has been nor ever will be near a track. Nothing more annoying than a guy bragging about a cars's performance, that will never actually drive it in a performance environment.

Are they posers or fans? There is a difference. A fan appreciates. A poser tells some lies, either directly or by omission.

Regardless, Ford needs them to survive.

 

[lo-fi]

As a track guy, im offended

Haha, don't be. We need you guys to drive aftermarket development.

 

[Thomas]

True, It's the posers, they drive the sales, but also drive me nuts. I think Ford USED to have less posers than the other brands, but not anymore. Sometimes I bring mine to a C&C or a show and end up next to a guy who has "Shelby" branded aftermarket stuff on EVERYTHING, various snake props around the car, and the car never has been nor ever will be near a track. Nothing more annoying than a guy bragging about a cars's performance, that will never actually drive it in a performance environment.

What bugs me, is people who bought a cool car for the same reason people buy Gucci, but who know little to nothing about cars and crucially, do not care to. The reasons for this are somewhat selfish as I generally hope to be meeting another like-minded person who is either an enthusiast, developing enthusiast, but at least has a genuine interest and it's disappointing when you find out that they just don't care. Conversation is shallow, if it happens at all, and people can be rather aloof about it.

If you like cars, talking cars, and take a genuine interest or have enthusiasm (however new) for the topic and associated topics, and you have a cool car (or don't) then you're a notch above a 'right in my book regardless of whether you use it to its capabilities. That's extra credit. I could certainly understand however, a high level of understanding and appreciation amongst those who do but maybe don't look down on everyone else.

 

[saleen367]

Here it is... cheaper and faster.

Its cheaper to operate, but the Dark Horse R lists for $146595 (July 2023 pricing), with only 500hp.

 

[cocopanda]

I doubt I will ever sell my Mustang. Ride it till its dead or I can't afford to fix it.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

A completely stripped down car purpose produced for the track with only 500hp is a whole different animal. There’s no comparison to that car and one that was produced for the street.

Its cheaper to operate, but the Dark Horse R lists for $146595 (July 2023 pricing), with only 500hp.

 

[saleen367]

A completely stripped down car purpose produced for the track with only 500hp is a whole different animal. There’s no comparison to that car and one that was produced for the street.

I agree, but considering this topic is about the SC (which I'm assuming you're making the comparison to), the DH R is still slower around most tracks, can't be titled for street use and costs more. It has a sales demographic of around 50 people max when new.

 

[Strokerswild]

Are they posers or fans? There is a difference. A fan appreciates. A poser tells some lies, either directly or by omission.

Regardless, Ford needs them to survive.

Therein lies the predicament. Ford chose to take some pretty decent existing hardware, but wrapped it in a (heavy) body design many don't like (don't get me going on the goddamn screens), and gave it a name that means nothing to a Mustang fan.

How this one pans out for Ford will be interesting, since I'm pretty sure the S650 isn't setting any sales records as it is.

It kind of makes me ponder if they're just letting the Mustang nameplate slide into the sunset....

 

[MAGS1]

I'm pretty sure the S650 isn't setting any sales records as it is.

Not like S550 did either. 2025 sales were a little over 45k units. That’s not far off the last couple years of S550 and follows the downward trend of Mustang sales over a much longer period of time. Sales spiked the first year of S550 and have declined every year since. It’s not the screens or the names, it’s a market trend that has been happening for a while now

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