The Ford Mustang’s badge is right up there with Ferrari in terms of instant recognizability. It’s not surprising, then, that Ford is carrying over the running horse emblem for the new S650 generation and its electric vehicle (EV) lineup under the same name. However, in addition to the familiar pony and “GT” badges, the new Mustang S650 has a standout badge in its lineup. 

Why is the Ford Mustang logo a horse? 

Even though the Ford Mustang isn’t named after a horse, many Ford executives agreed that a wild, westward horse best exemplified the pony car and its image. For instance, Lee Iacocca famously said of the vehicle, “the Mustang is a wild horse, not a domesticated racer.”

The name and logo make sense; the galloping horse badge represents freedom for the demographic that the car targeted. That is, more so than the hypothetical Cougar badge on one of the prototypes or the airplane upon which the moniker is based. Today, the upcoming S650 cars carry the galloping horse badge into the seventh generation of the Ford model. 

Why is the Mustang logo different from Ford’s?

Owners will tell you the Mustang includes the Ford “blue oval” logo on parts and paperwork. However, the Mustang brandishes its running pony on its exterior, whereas other Ford models would display a Ford badge. As a result, the Mustang is recognizable as a different piece of the Ford formula. 

However, the pony isn’t the only badge on the Ford model. For generations, including the new seventh-generation car, Ford’s sports coupe and convertible offerings have worn a series of badges to delineate editions of the pony car. For instance, the cobra badge and Mach 1 script have taken the place of running horse badges to let observers know that the Mustang they’re looking at is no ordinary pony car.

Is a Mustang GT a V6 or a V8?

The new Ford Mustang S650 GT is a 5.0L Coyote V8. In fact, the last few generations of Mustangs, like the S550, and S197, included V8-powered GTs exclusively. Moreover, Ford discontinued the V6 before the 2018 facelift. 

Ford says the new seventh-generation Ford Mustang carries over the GT logos, complete with GT badging on the decklid and 5.0 badges on the front quarter panels. That’s not unique to the seventh-generation Ford model, though. For instance, the S197 and S550 GTs wore the badges in the same spots. 

Why is the new Mustang logo different?

The new Ford Mustang brandishes the same logos except for one. The new Dark Horse, with its 500-horsepower 5.0L Coyote V8 and track day pedigree, wears a head-on horse badge. 

In the new track-ready Dark Horse’s badge, the emblem shows less of the entire animal, instead highlighting the head, eyes, snout, and ears. The result is a sinister-looking alternative to the GT and 5.0 badges that would otherwise occupy the space. 

What do you think of the new seventh-generation car? Tell us in the comments below!