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Is Ford Preparing a Mustang Dark Horse Boss?
While they’re sometimes wide of the mark, trademark filings can reveal upcoming cars well before they’re announced. Nothing is official, but a recent trademark application filed around the world suggests that the heritage-laced Boss nameplate will return to the Ford Mustang line-up after a long hiatus.
Ford filed a trademark application for “Dark Horse Boss” on January 15, 2025, in the European Union; it also applied to claim the name in the United Kingdom, Argentina, and Peru. While the filing hasn’t been approved yet, the application remains under examination, documents published by the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office reveal that Ford wants to own “Dark Horse Boss” to use it on motor vehicles.
Admittedly, that’s hardly a surprise. Dark Horse Boss sounds like a gnarly enemy you’d have to defeat to beat a Zelda game, but Ford isn’t Nintendo. Your guess is as good as ours when it comes to what the nameplate will end up on, however. Ford already sells a Mustang Dark Horse; it’s positioned at the top of the range if we exclude the limited-edition GTD, and it comes with a long list of performance goodies like a 500-horsepower 5.0-liter V-8 (up from 486 in the GT) and a trim-specific Tremec six-speed manual transmission.


There’s no Boss in the current Mustang range, but the nameplate should immediately ring a bell. It was notably used in 1969 and 1970 on two variants of the Mustang called Boss 302 and Boss 429, respectively. The former made a comeback during the 2012 and 2013 model years on a limited-edition evolution of the S197-generation Mustang marketed as a much more track-capable alternative to the standard coupe.
Ford also trademarked the “Boss” name (without “Dark Horse”) in the United States in January 2025. Here again, the application hasn’t been granted; it’s labeled as “awaiting examination” by the patent office.
Could the 2026 model year bring a Dark Horse Boss trim level positioned above the Dark Horse in the Mustang pecking order? It’s not impossible. What would the hypothetical Dark Horse Boss look, drive, and sound like? Our money is on meaner, faster, and potentially even louder than the Dark Horse, which sets the bar pretty high. It would have to be sharper to drive on and off the track; it would also be more expensive. It might replace one of the Shelby variants of the last-gen Mustang, which reportedly aren’t coming back.


Ford hasn’t commented on the trademark filing, and it hasn’t announced plans to expand the Mustang range toward the top, though it’s clearly not out of ideas. And, keep in mind that a trademark filing isn’t a guarantee that a new model is on its way. Carmakers routinely file trademarks to ensure new and existing nameplates don’t end up on a rival’s car, even if product planners aren’t planning on using them.
This sounds a lot to me like the talk of the new Boss 429 that are swirling around. A kind of throwback design that will also deliver about 700 horse. If that is the case then trademarking the name might make sense. Still who’s to say. While most everyone agrees that the original Boss 302 and 9 got their name because it was referred to as the ‘bosses car ‘ that term was briefly in vogue at the very same time. Kind of a ‘groovy’ replacement that never took hold. I know it from seeing an old rerun of SCTV – ‘What school do you go to?’ – ‘Franklin’ – ‘Boss school ‘. Eugene Levy and John Candy who’s last name was something like Fistinyourface .
So will the Dark Horse Boss be $80k list? What a silly name if this truly happens. Are we competing with Dodge for longest names? I’m waiting for the Dark Horse Boss Man Stable Manager Fort Worth Texas Edition myself.
Totally agree, if they put out a new Boss, then Just call it a Boss, put a normal dash in it and put it on a real serious diet.
Ford how about you start looking ahead and bring out a gas powered performance car that will be affordable for young people and smaller? You’re selling to a niche market, time for a change people.
If ford wants to create there total performance image from the 60s era and really create excitement produce the boss 429 period.Take all crap out of it,all the computers would be a good start bring back the boss 429 hood scoop and the magnum 500 wheels and paint them in the original paint colors offered in the late 1960s,maybe I should be president of ford
That is an unholy union of names. Just call it the Boss 302. The 12-13 cars were a stroke of genius with their call back to the 69-70. The new car doesnt lend itself as well, but a little retro might help its flattened interest. What am I saying? No one will be able to afford it.
Ah 500 hp, that will get you from one stop light the next in a hurry then sit there for 4 minutes until it changes