Ford Mustang Dark Horse on the Route Napoleon – car pictures of the week

What car would you choose to drive on one of the most visually stunning and endlessly demanding driving roads Europe has to offer? Probably not a Ford Mustang. But times are changing, and the Mustang has evolved to become a deeply charismatic and involving coupe in its latest generation. 

In issue 324 of evo, we drove the new Dark Horse version on the spectacular Route Napoleon in France to find out whether Ford has a BMW M2-beater on its hands. To read the feature, pick up a copy of evo 324 in-store or online via the evo shop.

The Route Napoleon has hosted countless evo features over the years, from Car of the Year tests to first drives of the latest and greatest supercars. It’s an unforgettable stretch, beginning in Cannes and snaking up through the alps to Grenoble 200 miles north. The road and scenery evolve across its length, the drive beginning in a wooded valley and climbing up towards alpine summits and along sheer rock faces. 

The Dark Horse is a wonderful companion with which to explore the road. Based on the latest S650-generation Mustang, it gets a little more power, revised suspension and beefed up cooling to cope with the demands of the track, as well as a more robust transmission with a Torsen diff. 

‘The Mustang isn't a car that you guide with your wrists and a light touch’, we noted during the drive. ‘You need to get involved. It's honest and consistent in its responses rather than being hyper agile or alert, and as long as you don’t throw its weight around you can find a really satisfying flow with it. At a controlled pace the Dark Horse is brilliantly charismatic and entertaining.’

Just how entertaining? Grab a copy of evo 324 to read the full test.