The Mustang Dark Horse puts three pedals and 500 free-spinning horsepower on tap at an appetizing price point, especially for fans of an all-motor V8 experience that’ll go down in history as one of the all-time best. There’s also the all-new Dodge Charger for 2026, available with two or four doors as it takes the automaker into uncharted territory with available all-electric power, and both standard and high-output versions of the new gas-powered Sixpack turbo engine.
Your comment has not been saved
These competitors both deliver enormous performance numbers for the money, and each uses its own collection of technology, features, and hardware to connect with new and long-time performance enthusiasts alike. They’re both built for thrills, but the Dodge Charger Scat Pack and Ford Mustang Dark Horse excel in very different ways. Which one’s best for you? That depends on a multitude of factors. Below, we highlight the key similarities and differences of these two all-conquering American performance icons to help you make the best purchase decision for your dollar.
The Mustang brand is so familiar that Ford actually stopped putting the word “MUSTANG” on the vehicle exterior some years ago, since the look alone was sufficient to give the car’s identity away. By the way, this is recognition that’d make just about any marketing department jealous. More recent versions of Ford’s pony car have carried on with the long-lived and highly-proven Coyote 5.0-liter V8 engine, the most powerful version of which currently resides under the hood of the Dark Horse trim.
The flagship Dark Horse is part of the seventh-generation machine’s lineup, dubbed the S650. Shoppers can choose a six-speed manual transmission or 10-speed automatic, connecting the free-breathing V8 engine to the rear wheels. The Dark Horse represents the evolution of the Mustang into a high-tech era while staying in stride with the souls of its predecessors. The model is the most hardcore version currently available, and the experience of an all-motor 7,500-rpm V8 is Ford’s way of saying it cares.
The latest Dodge Charger rides on a new platform that gives shoppers the power of choice. Both gas and all-electric versions are available, and there’s a choice of two- or four-door bodies. The Charger is standard with all-wheel drive but switches to rear-drive at a button press. There’s a multi-plate wet clutch inside the transmission that opens to disconnect the front axle for on-demand burnouts. That’s Dodge’s way of saying it cares.
Gas-powered variations share a straight-six turbo engine available in two states of tune to match a wide range of tastes. All Charger models provide monstrous low-rev torque and AWD grip – features unavailable in the Mustang Dark Horse – but an automatic gearbox is the sole transmission. If you can do without the six-speed manual, the Charger is an AWD-equipped torque monster that can still thrill the kids with on-demand burnouts.
So far, the Mustang Dark Horse is appealing to customers who want a fast-revving V8 take on the Mustang’s long-proven recipe. Meanwhile, the all-new Charger gives shoppers one of the segment’s most high-tech toolkits in one of its fastest performance cars. Read on for a look at what makes them tick.
It wasn’t long ago that some of the spec sheet items on these relatively affordable performance cars were primarily reserved for six-figure exotics and supercars. For about $65,000, the Mustang Dark Horse serves up a 5.0-liter, four-cam Coyote V8 engine in its highest state of tune, making 500 hp and redlining at 7,500 rpm.
The Coyote is one of the last naturally aspirated V8s of its kind. It also offers a six-speed manual, a feature that’s slowly disappearing from the market. To this traditional rear-drive recipe, the Dark Horse adds magnetic adaptive dampers, a Torsen limited-slip differential, and an available handling package for $5,595 with adjustable strut top mounts, a rear splitter, tow hooks, exclusive wheels and tires, and more.
Pricing from $64,380, or $69,375 with the Premium Package. The pony car can hit 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds with the 10-speed automatic or 4.1 seconds with the six-speed manual. There’s also a new drift-brake system available, allowing drivers to engage rear-wheel lockup for initiating drifts via an electronic handle resembling an old-fashioned handbrake.
Specifications
Model
2025 Ford Mustang Dark Horse
2025 Dodge Charger Scat Pack
Starting MSRP
$64,380
$55,000
Engine
5-liter V8 gas NA
3-liter inline six-cylinder gas twin turbo
Power
500 hp
550 hp
Torque
418 lb-ft
530 lb-ft
Max Engine Speed
7,500 RPM
6,250 RPM
Drive
RWD
AWD
Transmission
10-speed automatic 6-speed manual
8-speed automatic
0-60 mph
3.7-4.1 seconds
3.9 seconds
The Dodge Charger Scat Pack delivers 50 more hp than the Mustang Dark Horse and costs nearly $11,000 less for starters, so it’s the best horsepower per dollar value of the pair. Of course, there’s more to the story. The 3.0-liter straight-six twin-turbo Hurricane engine is dubbed Sixpack in this application. Its maximum engine speed is a much less-exciting 6,250 RPM, though it has enough torque to squash the air from your lungs at engine speeds where the Coyote is still rolling out of bed.
The Charger Scat Pack runs the High-Output (H.O.) version of the Sixpack engine, in this case making 550 hp and 530 lb-ft of torque. Other versions run the Standard-Output (S.O.) tune, good for 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque. With the H.O. engine, fuel is directly injected at over 5,000 PSI into the combustion chambers and matched by up to 30 PSI of boost from the dual Garrett GT2054 compressors, arranged in a counter-rotating setup for reduced lag. A liquid-to-air heat exchanger extracts heat from the compressed air charge to help keep the engine breathing cool. This approach also eliminates the need for the turbochargers to pressurize several feet of intercooler plumbing, which comes at the expense of throttle response.
With the eight-speed automatic calling the shots, drivers can expect 0-60-mph runs in 3.9 seconds and a 12.2-second quarter-mile pass. It’d be a tight race at the drag strip, with the Dark Horse boasting a slightly quicker potential 60-mph time but falling behind the Mopar’s quarter-mile times by about a half second, according to various sources. Depending on equipment levels, the Mustang comes in about 1,000 pounds lighter than the Charger, but the Charger’s superior torque and AWD grip help eat away at the disadvantages of its added weight at the drag strip.
Of the two machines, the Dodge appears to be the superior choice for the driver who loves to geek out on their tech. Both have drive-mode selectors and multi-mode exhaust systems. Still, the Charger allows drivers to engage with their drivetrain hardware in an approachable way, easily, putting RPM-programmable launch control, line-lock, and a push-button rear-drive mode all just a click or two away from the driver’s fingertips. One tap disconnects the front axle, allowing you to perform a burnout to clean and heat your slicks in the burnout box. Another click re-engages AWD on the line for a fast launch. There’s a mechanical, limited-slip axle in the rear with a preloaded clutch that ensures both rear wheels remain locked during low-traction events, as the most powerful production version of the Hurricane straight-six attacks the rear rubber.
Not that the Dark Horse doesn’t come with its fair share of gadgets, including the most high-tech and premium-looking Mustang cockpit yet. Still, by sticking to the original Mustang’s recipe of a V8 engine up front and rear-wheel drive, the Dark Horse might be the ideal pick for someone who wants to relive an older era but with modern tech. In the Mustang Dark Horse, it’s less about exploring new things and more about delivering a finely-honed take on a time-tested recipe that’s earned plenty of adoring fans along the way. And you get to do it with a manual, which will be a big selling point for some.
With twice the available doors and driven wheels, the Charger leans strongly towards the more logical choice for most families, though the Mustang’s more hardcore nature and tiny rear seat help make it just inconvenient enough to be used more for special occasions, which is just fine with many owners, too. If you’re buying more for the feel of the machine than its power figures or door count, then this battle for your dollars largely comes down to gadgets and torque vs shifting and revs. It’s always nice to have choices.
Sources: Ford, Stellantis
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Your comment has not been saved
This thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
What was once the standard transmission offered, the manual is now facing near-extinction, especially in the States.
The most luxurious SL ever is also by far the most expensive.
In 2025, Cadillac is going after the mighty Rolls-Royce with its Celestiq, though it thought about doing so over a decade ago with a luxury coupe.
And why you shouldn’t either.
There’s a new venomous Shelby Mustang around, and it’s packing 850 hp. Forget about a Shelby GT500, because the Super Snake-R makes the old GT500 look
Shelby adds even more power, a trick suspension, and enough Shelby branding to cover your entire garage.
