Buying a Seventh-Generation Ford Mustang GT: What to Know First

The S650 Mustang GT pairs a 480-plus-hp Coyote V8 with a manual or 10-speed automatic. Here is how to choose between GT and Dark Horse, and what to inspect before you commit.

The seventh-generation Ford Mustang GT — chassis code S650, in production since 2023^[1] — is the V8 heart of America’s longest-running nameplate, a badge in continuous production since 1964.^[1] It is also one of the last places you can buy a naturally aspirated V8 with a manual gearbox at an accessible price point, which makes it worth shopping carefully rather than quickly.

Know the range before you shop

The GT uses the fourth-generation 5.0-liter Coyote V8, rated at 480–486 hp depending on configuration.^[1] Above it sit the Dark Horse, at 500 hp, and the supercharged Dark Horse SC.^[1] Body styles are a 2-door coupe or a 2-door convertible,^[1] and the layout is the traditional one: front engine, rear-wheel drive.^[1] Transmission choice matters most to resale and to daily character — a 6-speed manual is offered on the GT, alongside a 10-speed automatic.^[1] Decide which you want before you start looking, because it narrows the field considerably.

What to check on any example

Mustangs get driven, and many get modified. None of that is disqualifying, but it should shape your inspection.

• Service history. A complete dealer or independent record beats a low odometer reading with gaps in it.
• Modifications. Tunes, exhausts, and suspension changes are common on this platform. Factory-stock cars are simpler to insure, finance, and resell; if a car is modified, ask for the original parts.
• Clutch and driveline on manuals. Have a pre-purchase inspection assess clutch engagement, gearbox feel, and any driveline noise.
• Tires and brakes. These are consumables on a car with this much output; price worn items into your offer.
• Independent PPI. Always. A few hundred dollars here protects a five-figure purchase.

Context and next steps

Perspective helps when negotiating: Ford had built its 10 millionth Mustang by August 2018,^[1] so this is not a rarity play — it is a driving play, and condition matters more than scarcity. The current S650 cars are assembled at Flat Rock, Michigan.^[1]

Start with the full Ford Mustang GT database page for the complete spec record, then browse Mustang GT listings in live inventory to see what the market is actually asking today.