Ford's Most Sinister Mustang Loses Its Roof But Keeps The Supercharged V8

The Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC convertible pairs the 795-horsepower 5.2-liter engine with a soft top and softer suspension tune.

Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible

Photo by: Anthony Alaniz / Motor1

Anthony Alaniz

By: Anthony Alaniz

Aug 14, at 6:00am ET

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The Breakdown:

The Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible is the automaker’s first high-performance soft-top sports car in 13 years.
It has the same supercharged 5.2-liter V8 as the Dark Horse SC Coupe, producing 795 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque.
Ford will announce pricing later this year, with order books opening in the fall ahead of deliveries next spring.

Ford has created a convertible version of its new Dark Horse SC. It’s Ford’s first high-performance soft-top Mustang in over a decade, and it doesn’t hold back.

Under the hood is Ford’s familiar supercharged 5.2-liter V8 engine. It produces 795 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque, the same as the coupe. It pairs with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission powering the rear wheels.

Where the coupe and convertible diverge are their suspension tunes. The convertible comes with MagneRide dampers at all four corners paired with unique springs and sway bars. Arie Groeneveld, the Dark Horse SC’s chief engineer, said:

‘Both the Dark Horse SC coupe and convertible have been developed by our Ford Racing engineers. But instead of prioritizing the convertible for setting lap times, we’ve engineered it to be the ultimate top-down grand touring machine.’

The new Dark Horse SC is built on the GT convertible platform. Ford added a magnesium tower-to-tower brace for added rigidity.

Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible

Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible wheel and brake.

Photo by: Anthony Alaniz / Motor1

SC Stands For Subtle Changes

In addition to the softer suspension tuning, Ford made a few minor tweaks to the Mustang Dark Horse SC convertible. The soft-top roof has a different aerodynamic profile than the hardtop, so Ford had to compensate for that.

Engineers extended the trailing edge of the hood vent’s fin, closing a portion of the open area. The SC convertible also features unique rear wing stanchions designed for the deck lid—it retains the same profile and attack angle as the coupe's, but it lacks gurney flaps.

The SC convertible will go on sale with new color options for the exterior, brake calipers, and interior details. The new Precision Purple exterior color is not as extreme as the Mystic and Mystichrome colors offered on earlier Mustang Cobra variants, but it does color-shift in the light.

Pricing And Availability

Ford says it will release pricing for the Dark Horse SC convertible later, likely ahead of the order books opening this fall. The automaker will begin deliveries starting next spring.

What do you think?

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The 2026 Ford Dark Horse SC coupe starts at $108,085, including the destination charge. Expect the convertible to cost even more to start.

Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible

Source: Anthony Alaniz / Motor1

Motor1’s Take: Anyone who has wanted a high-performance convertible Mustang now has an option. The price tag and performance capabilities put it in competition with high-end sports cars from Europe, with a pure American twist—an unadulterated V8 engine and an obscene amount of power.

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