Reasonable price to order a new DH?

[Ken H.]

I’ve owned a C8 and currently own a DH with handling package. Get the C8 it’s superior in every way!

I have both. I agree except for price, luggage/stuff space, ease of entry/exit, and very importantly, exhaust rumble.

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[OmegaDH]

I have both. I agree except for price, luggage/stuff space, ease of entry/exit, and very importantly, exhaust rumble.

I like the overall look of the mustang as well. But everybody's opinion are different.

The interior of my loaded 2020 Lincoln Continental put both to shame IMO. And it was really fun to drive. They should have put a V8 in it...But all manufacturers collaborate on which markets they will compete in...or another words, they didn't want to take away sales from the luxury imports.

 

[Ken H.]

I missed that one. Thanks.

 

[Junkyard Dog]

the air force cadets buy them up as soon as they hit the lots.

How?



They are paid like 1500 bucks a month.

 

[OmegaDH]

How?



They are paid like 1500 bucks a month.

I don't know what military officers make...but go to Phil Long Ford's website and you'll notice all the loaded mustangs are on his lots outside of the academy in Colorado Springs and not in Denver. Sometimes you just have to read the room.

 

[MGHTYDX]

I don’t think X plan is available on dark horse, if you can get anything below MSRP at all it’s a steal.

but if you’re not taking one in stock off the lot, I would be prepared to expect FULL MSRP ordering
Between scheduled downtime and shutdown, if you order today, September would probably be earliest

When I bought my DH in February, I believe that X Plan pricing had just become available on Dark Horses. But the dealer said the price I was getting on top of the rebate was better than the X Plan price.

 

[Quarktasche]

Im not sure how applicable it is because Im from Europe, but I got my brand new Dark Horse (2026) (with the styling, without the recaro, ember blue, manual) for 65k.
msrp of 79k is too high in my opinion and I feel the price you should aim for should be closer to 70k.

 

[BuckeyeBOSS]

Im not sure how applicable it is because Im from Europe, but I got my brand new Dark Horse (2026) (with the styling, without the recaro, ember blue, manual) for 65k.
msrp of 79k is too high in my opinion and I feel the price you should aim for should be closer to 70k.

Yeah, I paid $64k for my DH Premium with some options and while I love the car, don't think it's worth a penny more than that for what it is.

 

[FitmentIndustries]

Top two cars on my list to order this coming fall for spring 27 delivery are either a C8 2LT (new engine interests me) or a Dark Horse. I already know what to expect to pay for the C8.
Live in Alaska so dealers are limited but then again not many people, if any, rushing around trying to procure a DH.
The Dark Horse I would buy would be pretty loaded with the 700A package, 6 speed, and handling package putting the MSRP in the upper $70K range, maybe even hitting 80 with a few other minor options. In all honestly I wouldn't buy one if I had to pay over MSRP.

Is "X" pricing reasonable to expect? Can I do better? This car will be ordered and not picked up off the lot.
Thanks.

Forget about X-Plan pricing because Ford completely excludes the Dark Horse from the program. ‍

Much like the old Shelbys and the Mach 1, Ford explicitly bans its limited-run performance variants from partner discounts. Getting one at MSRP for a custom factory order is absolutely doable, but since you are in Alaska, your biggest hurdle will be dealer allocations. You need to force the dealer to prove they have a verifiable, unassigned build slot from Ford before handing over a deposit. Get a signed buyer's agreement locking in MSRP with zero "market adjustments" or mandatory dealer add-ons, and if local dealers won't play ball, look at volume dealerships in Washington or Oregon and ship it up via the Marine Highway.

Spec-wise, you are hitting the nail on the head with that loaded 700A manual setup. Going with the 6-speed gets you the bulletproof TREMEC TR-3160 instead of the standard GT's finicky Getrag, which pairs beautifully with that 500-horsepower Coyote V8. Just keep an eye on that Handling Package when the order banks open, as those aggressive aero bits and wider wheels can occasionally trigger factory supply-chain constraints.

 

[graymatter]

Forget about X-Plan pricing because Ford completely excludes the Dark Horse from the program.

Normally valid, but they are honoring A/Z plan pricing (better than X plan) on 2026 Dark Horse right now, including new orders placed before July 6th.

 

[aross99]

What is the lead time from order to delivery?
IF I decide to go with a Dark Horse I would plan for a March/April 27 delivery.

Heads up that Ford does not build the Handling Package Dark Horse models from about November-March due to issues with summer tires during the Michigan winters. Production starts up late in arch as I recall, so the earliest delivery on a new order would probably be May at the earliest. You might be able to find one at a dealer somewhere, but I don't know how you get it to Alaska. If you end up ordering one, be prepared for a longer than expected wait - I've heard of wait times up to a year for those models. Having to do an order may reduce your negotiation power also.

 

[zaimer]

As long as you're short. I don't fit height-wise in a C8, the roof is VERY LOW. The Mustang has PLENTY of headroom.

6 speed, enough said. I've owned my fair share of peformance vehicles. Manual is second to none. The automatics get boring rather quickly, even the best of them. I sold my 992.1. S last summer. Getting a new DH now.

 

[Barstoolman]

6 speed, enough said. I've owned my fair share of peformance vehicles. Manual is second to none. The automatics get boring rather quickly, even the best of them. I sold my 992.1. S last summer. Getting a new DH now.

You’re right! There’s nothing like a six speed in 24/7 Southern California stop and go traffic. Can’t think of anything more fun!

 

[BuckeyeBOSS]

6 speed, enough said. I've owned my fair share of peformance vehicles. Manual is second to none. The automatics get boring rather quickly, even the best of them. I sold my 992.1. S last summer. Getting a new DH now.

I get the desire for a manual, they can be fun. My last fun car was a modded 2015 Z/28, but I got tired of driving a high powered manual on the street (and at the drag strip... ONCE). Back to an auto here for my DH with the mods I have planned.

 

[zaimer]

You’re right! There’s nothing like a six speed in 24/7 Southern California stop and go traffic. Can’t think of anything more fun!

Yeah I know, I was thinking the same as I read your post. I live in an area where great driving roads are accessible and I don't deal with terrible traffic on the daily. I'd never live somewhere like that lol.. CA does have some beautiful areas but LA is brutal.

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