Dark Horse is the first new name for a Mustang edition since the Bullitt tribute for 2003. Dark horse originally being a horse racing term for a steed entered into a race with which gamblers aren’t familiar or have much info to consider. A winner no one saw coming. It has ported over to the political field to indicate a longshot candidacy.

Ford brought some press from around the world together in North Carolina to appreciate the car along the backroads and do some hot (well, more than warm) laps around an irregular variation of the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course. This is a short exposure; expect a more comprehensive report with extended experience later.

Press the start button and the Dark Horse roars to life as if it were opening for Aerosmith. After a momentary throat clearing, it settles into an impatient, growling idle. This fourth generation version of the Coyote 5.0-liter, DOHC, 32-valve V-8 is, like previous Coyotes, eager to rev. And that escalator ride from idle to its 7450 rpm redline produces a dang glorious exhaust contralto accented with deep vibrato. The “active valve” exhaust is available on the Mustang GT and even on the four-cylinder models....