There is no precise peak wheel-horsepower figure in the reported dyno test. FordMuscle’s comparison found that a 2024 Mustang GT’s dual-throttle-body intake pulled ahead of a 2018 Mustang’s original intake at about 7,000 rpm, but the article does not give a peak wheel-horsepower number. For factory output, Ford rates the 2026 Mustang GT at 480 hp and 415 lb-ft, or 486 hp and 418 lb-ft with the available active-valve performance exhaust; the 2026 Dark Horse is rated at 500 hp and 418 lb-ft. Those are manufacturer ratings, not wheel-horsepower results from the test.
What the dyno test actually measured
In a February 4, 2025 report, Steve Turner of FordMuscle described Darryl Wengerd of Wengerd Performance adapting a 2024 Mustang GT intake to a 2018 Mustang. The two intake configurations were tested on a chassis dyno at HPR Automotive. This was an intake comparison on a 2018 car—not a standalone engine-dyno test of an untouched Gen-4 Coyote. FordMuscle’s dyno-test report
The report says the runs stayed close until about 7,000 rpm, where the 2024 dual-throttle-body intake configuration began to pull ahead. Wengerd used the same tune apart from throttle-body data and chose MAP-based logging to monitor manifold pressure. The published account describes the comparative trend, but it does not state a precise peak wheel-horsepower figure.
Reported manifold-pressure observations
FordMuscle quotes Wengerd reporting approximately 102 kPa at 7,000 rpm for the 2024 dual-throttle-body intake, compared with 93 kPa at 7,700 rpm for the 2018 single-throttle-body setup with a velocity stack. The article also summarizes readings of 101 kPa for the 2024 manifold and 93 kPa for the 2018 pull. These are observations from the configurations in that test, not universal pressure values for every Gen-4 engine.
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Ford’s published output ratings
Ford’s 2026 Mustang specifications provide manufacturer-rated output figures for the GT and Dark Horse. They are not chassis-dyno wheel-horsepower results. The GT figure depends on exhaust configuration; the Dark Horse has its own modified naturally aspirated Gen-4 5.0L Coyote rating. Ford’s 2026 Mustang specifications
| Vehicle or engine | Published output | What the figure represents |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Mustang GT, standard exhaust | 480 hp and 415 lb-ft | Ford vehicle rating |
| 2026 Mustang GT, available active-valve performance exhaust | 486 hp and 418 lb-ft | Ford vehicle rating for this exhaust configuration |
| 2026 Mustang Dark Horse | 500 hp and 418 lb-ft | Ford vehicle rating for the modified naturally aspirated Gen-4 5.0L Coyote |
Ford Performance lists its Gen-4 crate engine at 480 hp at 7,150 rpm and 415 lb-ft at 4,900 rpm, using premium fuel. Those are crate-engine specifications, not measurements from the FordMuscle chassis-dyno comparison. Ford Performance Gen-4 crate-engine listing
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- Better repair - this intake manifold for specified Ford F-150 5.0 Coyote engines has IMRC rods and peripheral components made of corrosion-resistant steel instead of rust-prone carbon steel
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Gen-4 and Gen-4X are different crate-engine versions
FordMuscle’s April 19, 2024 report distinguishes the standard Gen-4 crate engine from the Gen-4X. It gives the Gen-4 as 480 hp and 415 lb-ft, and the Gen-4X as 460 hp and 420 lb-ft. The report describes the standard Gen-4’s dual-throttle-body configuration and the Gen-4X’s single 80mm throttle body and tuneable ECU. The variants are not interchangeable, and their listed ratings should not be confused with the intake test’s wheel output. FordMuscle on the Gen-4 and Gen-4X crate engines
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to interpret the headline figure
- If you mean Ford’s rated Mustang GT output: the 2026 GT is listed at 480 hp and 415 lb-ft with standard exhaust, or 486 hp and 418 lb-ft with the available active-valve performance exhaust.
- If you mean the Dark Horse: Ford lists 500 hp and 418 lb-ft for the 2026 model.
- If you mean what the reported dyno test made at the wheels: the FordMuscle article establishes a high-rpm intake comparison, not a precise peak wheel-horsepower number.
- If you mean a crate engine: distinguish the Gen-4’s 480 hp/415 lb-ft from the Gen-4X’s reported 460 hp/420 lb-ft.
Ed Krenz, Ford Mustang Chief Nameplate Engineer, put the Dark Horse target plainly: “For us, 500 horsepower was non-negotiable.” FordMuscle’s Dark Horse engine coverage
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