Ford Racing Reveals 2026 Mustang Dark Horse SC With Supercharged V8

DEARBORN, Mich. – In a different era it would have been a Shelby. But right now, Ford has made it clear that its performance ambitions for the Mustang ride on the Dark Horse.

Ford revealed the Mustang Dark Horse SC this week, dropping a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 under the hood and packing the pony car with loads of Ford Racing gear. The result: A Dark Horse that promises a taste of the performance of the $300,000, 800-hp Mustang GTD, but at considerably lower cost.

Ford didn’t reveal specs or pricing, but given the Dark Horse makes 500 hp and sits in the old Shelby GT350 position, it looks like the Dark Horse SC is the successor to the GT500.

Orders start in the spring, followed by summer deliveries. It will be built at Ford’s Flat Rock, Mich., assembly plant.

The blown V8, which teams with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, is only part of the story. Ford upgraded the Dark Horse’s MagneRide dampers, tuned the springs for stiffness, and added new stabilizers and upgraded control arms. Magnesium strut towers and forged suspension links also beef up the chassis. Ford says it also tuned the steering rack, tie rods and calibrated the suspension geometry to get even more performance out of the base Dark Horse.

Enthusiasts can opt for the Track Pack, which further dials in the suspension and adds Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber. Cast-disc Brembos are standard running gear, while the Track Pack adds carbon-ceramic brakes.

The design changes are all functional, including new fenders and an aluminum hood, plus larger air intakes and rear wing. In back, the Track Pack employs a duckbill design to improve downforce. It works so well, Ford says the GTD now uses a similar feature. The Dark Horse Track Pack pulls 620 pounds of rear downforce at 180 mph.

“It was about bringing grit, aggression and attitude,” Ford senior designer Aaron Walker said.

The interior is sporty, handsome and creates the appearance of a Dark Horse with some GTD flair, including its leather-wrapped flat-bottom steering wheel. Recaro and Dinamica sports seats are available on the base car and standard on the track pack.

More options include a Carbon Package, which carbons up the mirrors and fascias, a teal option, which is a deep-cut throwback to old Boss Mustangs, and a variety of color schemes and graphics.

“It was to be unapologetic, it was to be bold, it was to be bad-ass,” said Sarah Watson, senior color and materials designer.

The limited-run Track Pack Special Edition basically combines the Track and Carbon packs and then adds a black roof, race-red Brembos and special graphics.

Inside and out, the Dark Horse SC has presence, and at a preview event in Dearborn ahead of the car’s official reveal, it had the gravitas of great Mustangs of the past.

With all of these upgrades, Ford even says the Dark Horse SC is starting to sniff European exotics. “This car is phenomenal. It’s scream-out-loud fun,” said Arie Groeneveld, chief program engineer.

Until we can drive it, we’ll withhold confirmation. For now, the Dark Horse SC is a formidable Mustang, the likes of which we weren’t sure we were going to see again.

OUR TAKE: There’s an NHL commercial about how the next golden age is now. By pushing the Dark Horse name forward as its standard bearer for performance, Ford isn’t looking backwards to sepia-toned images of Le Mans. Shelbys are legendary—but clearly Ford and the modern Shelby American are no longer close. Let’s live in the now with the Dark Horse.

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