Is the handling package a rare option on the Dark Horse?

[Papo]

I ordered my 2025 Dark Horse Premium with the handling package back in September of 2024. With the supply issues related to the handling package and the water intrusion recall, I didn’t get it until November of 2025, more than a year after I ordered it.

I am told that the due to these issues and also due to low demand, the handling package is a rarely chosen option on Dark Horses, making these Dark Horses extremely rare. Does anybody know about Ford’s production numbers for the handling package on the Dark Horse?

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[mrnavy2]

How can u tell if you have the Handling Package?

 

[SALEEN032]

Easiest way is that the HP has the front splitter and the Raised Rear Wing with the Gurney flap

 

[Papo]

How can u tell if you have the Handling Package?

Yes! The most visible distinctions of the handling package from the standard non-handling package Dark Horse is a bigger rear wing with gurney flap, a more aggressive front splitter and fatter tires. The tires with the handling package are Pirelli P Zero RS 315/30R19 wide in the rear and 305/30R19 in front. Less visible distinctions of the handling package include an engine oil cooler, a magnetic damping suspension, adjustable strut mounts, revised chassis tuning, differential cooler and front towing hooks.

 

[Farmer Fran]

I do not think they release numbers by options other than color and transmission but I could be wrong.

Go Birds! ??

 

[mrnavy2]

Yes! The most visible distinctions of the handling package from the standard non-handling package Dark Horse is a bigger rear wing with gurney flap, a more aggressive front splitter and fatter tires. The tires with the handling package are Pirelli P Zero RS 315/30R19 wide in the rear and 305/30R19 in front. Less visible distinctions of the handling package include an engine oil cooler, a magnetic damping suspension, adjustable strut mounts, revised chassis tuning, differential cooler and front towing hooks.

Thank you for your quick response.

 

[Paul's stable]

Yes! The most visible distinctions of the handling package from the standard non-handling package Dark Horse is a bigger rear wing with gurney flap, a more aggressive front splitter and fatter tires. The tires with the handling package are Pirelli P Zero RS 315/30R19 wide in the rear and 305/30R19 in front. Less visible distinctions of the handling package include an engine oil cooler, a magnetic damping suspension, adjustable strut mounts, revised chassis tuning, differential cooler and front towing hooks.

Also larger sway bar and sit 1 inch lower than none HP Dark Horse. Also Front wheel well moldings.

 

[Skye]

Owning a rare or unique car can be enjoyable in many ways. But the Owner will lose money like everyone else.

Before and into the debut of the Mach 1, we were dealing with COVID. Shortly after its debut, Ukraine was invaded by Russia. Both events had meaningful impacts on supply chains and manufacturing. Shortages and delays abound across several industries.

The Mach 1 Registry at the 6G site shows the following % of Owners who received the HP option:

2021: 33%

2022: 57%

2023: 24%. The 2023 Model Year (MY) was abbreviated, to make way for the 7G.

Overall, 41% of those registered received the HP kit.

I'm making several assumptions on the following...each MY saw chassis numbers of about 6,000, for a total of 18,000 Machs. Using the 41% figure, that'd be 7,380 with the HP kit. Is that rare? Some would think so. Others, not. Color can make a huge difference, not immediately in price, but in availability.

6G HP Machs command a bit more than non-HP models. About the cost of the HP option itself. Machs seem to be holding their value a bit better than GTs. But like any vehicle, they're depreciating. Fighter Jet Grey, Shadow Black, Iconic Silver made up close to 75% of production. Finding an non-HP or HP in those colors is easy. Finding one in GBM, Mischievous Purple, Race Red, Yellow or Orange can be very difficult. Long-term, I expect the more common colors to be priced lower, but by how much, IDK. The less common colors should become increasingly difficult to locate.

IMO, long-term, as in decades, vehicles in-general become rare for the following reasons:

- They were kept original*
- They were well-maintained
- They were well-documented
- They continue to operate

*Several mods are acceptable, if easily reversible and the original parts were kept. Trying to find some OEM pieces years later can be a serious challenge

For the people that did keep their cars and keep them well, some could be quite valuable in sale price. But when subtracting for insurance, maintenance, registration and inflation, it's difficult to see the original owner profiting, if breaking even. It is cool to keep and enjoy something unique. But I've never considered anything remotely resembling a profit, in my current car or others I'd considered.

Before I received Skye, I looked into purchasing a Grade 1 or Grade 2 K-code, 1G car. But I couldn't get the financials to work. You'd think something like that would continue to appreciate. It does and it doesn't. It still needs to be maintained. Insurance cost will increase as value does. And the recently-restored, like-new car begins depreciating, when considering other vehicles which were restored even more recently. While I would of loved having one, keeping it would have cost me more than what I have now. As to the people doing the restorations, finding a good, complete car to restore is a big hurdle. And then so much money to restore it. It's not cheap. The final numbers can look big, but the costs getting there are almost equally as large.

Returning to production numbers, I don't expect to see those for a few more years. Marti Reports provides verified numbers, but they publish years after-the-fact. Marti is currently publishing up to the 2020 MY.

 

[JimiHendrix]

I ordered my 2025 Dark Horse Premium with the handling package back in September of 2024. With the supply issues related to the handling package and the water intrusion recall, I didn’t get it until November of 2025, more than a year after I ordered it.

I am told that the due to these issues and also due to low demand, the handling package is a rarely chosen option on Dark Horses, making these Dark Horses extremely rare. Does anybody know about Ford’s production numbers for the handling package on the Dark Horse?

MY OPINION:
Rare - not so much, Attractive - yes, (but only to select people) however what makes them scarce is the extra $$$ for that package most people just don't want to pay for it and feel it's not necessary to them because they have no intention of tracking their car, and don't want to wait.

For me - I don't track my car, I have no track near me, and I have no desire. But, as a longtime car enthusiast I always try to buy the car that has the highest build, top of the line.

 

[Papo]

I do not think they release numbers by options other than color and transmission but I could be wrong.

Go Birds! ??

Indeed! Go Birds!!!

Owning a rare or unique car can be enjoyable in many ways. But the Owner will lose money like everyone else.

Before and into the debut of the Mach 1, we were dealing with COVID. Shortly after its debut, Ukraine was invaded by Russia. Both events had meaningful impacts on supply chains and manufacturing. Shortages and delays abound across several industries.

The Mach 1 Registry at the 6G site shows the following % of Owners who received the HP option:

2021: 33%

2022: 57%

2023: 24%. The 2023 Model Year (MY) was abbreviated, to make way for the 7G.

Overall, 41% of those registered received the HP kit.

I'm making several assumptions on the following...each MY saw chassis numbers of about 6,000, for a total of 18,000 Machs. Using the 41% figure, that'd be 7,380 with the HP kit. Is that rare? Some would think so. Others, not. Color can make a huge difference, not immediately in price, but in availability.

6G HP Machs command a bit more than non-HP models. About the cost of the HP option itself. Machs seem to be holding their value a bit better than GTs. But like any vehicle, they're depreciating. Fighter Jet Grey, Shadow Black, Iconic Silver made up close to 75% of production. Finding an non-HP or HP in those colors is easy. Finding one in GBM, Mischievous Purple, Race Red, Yellow or Orange can be very difficult. Long-term, I expect the more common colors to be priced lower, but by how much, IDK. The less common colors should become increasingly difficult to locate.

IMO, long-term, as in decades, vehicles in-general become rare for the following reasons:

- They were kept original*
- They were well-maintained
- They were well-documented
- They continue to operate

*Several mods are acceptable, if easily reversible and the original parts were kept. Trying to find some OEM pieces decades later can be a serious challenge

For the people that did keep their cars and keep them well, some could be quite valuable in sale price. But when subtracting for insurance, maintenance, registration and inflation, it's difficult to see the original owner profiting, if breaking even. It is cool to keep and enjoy something unique. But I've never considered anything remotely resembling a profit, in my current car or others I'd considered.

Before I received Skye, I looked into purchasing a Grade 1 or Grade 2 K-code, 1G car. But I couldn't get the financials to work. You'd think something like that would continue to appreciate. It does and it doesn't. It still needs to be maintained. Insurance cost will increase as value does. And the recently-restored, like-new car begins depreciating, when considering other vehicles which were restored even more recently. While I would of loved having one, keeping it would have cost me more than what I have now. As to the people doing the restorations, finding a good, complete car to restore is a big hurdle. And then so much money to restore it. It's not cheap. The final numbers can look big, but the costs getting there are almost equally as large.

Returning to production numbers, I don't expect to see those for a few more years. Marti Reports provides verified numbers, but they publish years after-the-fact. Marti is currently publishing up to the 2020 MY.

Excellent info. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BimmerDriver]

Less visible distinctions of the handling package include an engine oil cooler, a magnetic damping suspension, adjustable strut mounts, revised chassis tuning, differential cooler and front towing hooks.

I highlighted the items above that I believe are present in the non-HP dark horse. Although we only have one tow hook...

 

[Papo]

MY OPINION:
Rare - not so much, Attractive - yes, (but only to select people) however what makes them scarce is the extra $$$ for that package most people just don't want to pay for it and feel it's not necessary to them because they have no intention of tracking their car, and don't want to wait.

For me - I don't track my car, I have no track near me, and I have no desire. But, as a longtime car enthusiast I always try to buy the car that has the highest build, top of the line.

I don't intend to track it either. I got the handling package because of the fatter tires, the huge wing, the aggressive front splitter, the lower stance... I could not resist it. In short, I got the handling package because of the looks and the manual transmission because of fun, and I am getting both in spades.

 

[Skye]

Good discussion and details. For anyone involved with these topics in the future, ask for (if buyer) or present (if seller), the window sticker; it will confirm if the car was built with the HP kit or not. VINs do not identify the option.

 

[POPPOP]

Yes! The most visible distinctions of the handling package from the standard non-handling package Dark Horse is a bigger rear wing with gurney flap, a more aggressive front splitter and fatter tires. The tires with the handling package are Pirelli P Zero RS 315/30R19 wide in the rear and 305/30R19 in front. Less visible distinctions of the handling package include an engine oil cooler, a magnetic damping suspension, adjustable strut mounts, revised chassis tuning, differential cooler and front towing hooks.

Front wheel lip moldings

 

[bountifulgoose]

Yes! The most visible distinctions of the handling package from the standard non-handling package Dark Horse is a bigger rear wing with gurney flap, a more aggressive front splitter and fatter tires. The tires with the handling package are Pirelli P Zero RS 315/30R19 wide in the rear and 305/30R19 in front. Less visible distinctions of the handling package include an engine oil cooler, a magnetic damping suspension, adjustable strut mounts, revised chassis tuning, differential cooler and front towing hooks.

The base dark horse has the oil cooler hell the gt pp gas the oil cooler. The base also includes the diff cooler, base also has magna ride, although the hp is upgraded a bit to make it even stiffer,

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