Mustang vs. M4: Which Is Better?

The 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Handling Package and the 2023 BMW M4 CSL both are high-performance, track-oriented sports cars that are in a league of their own. The Mustang traditionally competed in the pony-car segment along with the Camaro and Challenger, whereas the 4 Series (M) is a companion in the grand touring segment along with the CLE (AMG), A5 (S/RS), RC (F), and BMW’s own 2 Series (M) and 8 Series (M). The two segments share a lot more in common than you might think. Both consist of premium sports coupes. In fact, you can even order the 2024 Mustang with a Premium package in any trim possible.

The Mustang V8 and M4 are almost well-aligned together: GT and Base go first, then Dark Horse and Competition, and finally Dark Horse Handling Package and CSL. Competition xDrive is a trim of its own, and Dark Horse Premium is also a trim of its own.

Without a “Premium” trim, the Mustang Dark Horse with the Handling Package and the 10-speed automatic transmission starts at $67,155 with a monthly payment of $1,197 (at least in my area) for a 60-month finance. But when it’s equipped with “Premium” features, the Dark Horse HP 10AT rises up to $71,150 in base price with a monthly payment of $1,268.

The M4 CSL started at $140,895 as a 2023-only car. With a California-standard interest rate of 6.57% (+ a state-required sales tax of 7.25%), that accounts to $2,961.60/month for 60 months. I’ll make estimates for “90 months” and for “120 months.”

But to be fair, we’re comparing an American car with a German one here in the US. Just as a ballpark estimate, the M4 CSL would have costed us US$177,696 in Germany (+19% = ~US$210,000), and a USA car would have been much more expensive (especially as an import or export). There hasn’t even been official information on the European (let alone German)-spec Mustang yet, but theoretically, a German-spec Mustang Dark Horse, yet otherwise identical example to the particular competitor we have here would have set Germans back US$114,120 (+19% = ~US$135,000), or $152,160 (+19% = ~US$180,000) for a German-imported US-spec model (assuming that model has to be modified to comply with EU standards). So in reality, the Mustang Dark Horse HP isn’t quite far off from the M4 CSL. These prices couldn’t be more true in my theory since inflation is crazily going up more than before, and a cashless society will prevent American muscle from being the essential semi-family cars they once were.

The Mustang Dark Horse Handling Package wears a set of Trofeo RS tires — 305/30R19 98Y up front and 315/30R19 100Y in the back (same brand and model tires as a Pagani Utopia supercar!). The M4 Competition Sport Lightweight wears 275/35 ZR19 100Y XL front tires and 285/30 ZR20 99Y XL rear tires — marketed as Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires; these kind of tires are also used in various Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG, Koenigsegg and Corvette models. So in reality, the Dark Horse is more of a super-sports car than the M4 CSL is.

In terms of power output, both are in-betweeners. The Mustang Dark Horse is rated at 500 hp and the M4 CSL is rated at 543 hp. This means a bit more than the Scat Pack Challenger, RC F, and LT1/SS Camaro models, and a bit less than Camaro ZL1 and Shelby GT500 models. But do keep in mind, ZL1 and GT500 (and Hellcat too, which isn’t really a track car) all have supercharged V8s, while M4 CSL has a twin-turbo straight-six and Dark Horse has only a naturally aspirated V8.

The Mustang Dark Horse’s top speed is listed by the manufacturer as 163 mph, but mind you, this is a very conservative top speed and Ford is known to underestimate top speed figures versus other American manufacturers. Using the gear ratios of the 10-speed automatic, it is very possible for the 500-hp car to reach 195 mph without the Handling Package — and almost 185 with it.

The M4 CSL is listed at 191 mph for top speed, which is only 4 mph off the Dark Horse. The M4 CSL makes between 600 and 640 real horsepower if you already know that BMW is known for underestimating horsepower figures — just like Ford does with top speed figures. Although it is said to be a (quote) electronically limited (unquote) top speed, the car may not go any faster due to the high downforce that it absorbs. The M4 CSL is marketed as a competitor with the Porsche 911 GT3 RS and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, but it isn’t a supercar like them, and even those cars have top speeds listed as 184 mph and 188 mph (with the Z07 package — and 195 without it), respectively. The Mustang Dark Horse Premium, admittedly, is a much more comfortable grand tourer — even if it’s not from the Lincoln brand.

Acceleration figures for the Mustang Dark Horse in the conditions listed below include: 0–100 km/h in 4.3 s, 0–160 km/h in 8.5 s, 0–200 km/h in 13.0 s, and 0–250 km/h in 20.5 s, with a 100–200 closing gap of only 8.7 seconds and a top speed of 290–295 km/h (precisely 293.672 km/h).

• Road: Eight Mile Road, Stockton, CA 95212
• Weather: 65°F temperature, 2% precipitation, 72% humidity, 8 mph wind, clear weather
• Car weight: 4,113 pounds (approximately 1,867 kilograms)
• Powertrain: 5.0-liter, naturally aspirated V8 engine; rear-wheel drive with 10-speed automatic transmission with 500 bhp and 418 lb-ft/TQ

Acceleration figures for the M4 Competition Sport Light in the conditions listed below include: 0–100 km/h in 3.8 s, 0–160 km/h in 7.0 s, 0–200 km/h in 10.5 s, and 0–250 km/h in 17.5 s, with a 100–200 closing gap of only 6.7 seconds and a top speed of 305-310 km/h (precisely 308.169 km/h).

• Road: Eight Mile Road, Stockton, CA 95212
• Weather: 65°F temperature, 2% precipitation, 72% humidity, 8 mph wind, clear weather
• Car weight: 3,840 pounds
• Tires: Front — 275/35 ZR19 100Y XL, Rear — 285/30 ZR20 99Y XL (Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires)
• Powertrain: 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged straight-six engine; rear-wheel drive with 8-speed automatic transmission with 543 hp and 479 lb-ft/TQ

This comparison is sort of the equivalent to Lamborghini Diablo versus Ferrari F40.