DEARBORN, Michigan, April 21, 2026, 10:33 EDT
Ford is now taking orders for the 2026 Mustang Dark Horse SC, after announcing the supercharged version will deliver 795 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque. That puts the new coupe right under the much more expensive Mustang GTD in Ford’s road-car range.
Ford’s about to hand customers a Mustang packing nearly 800 horsepower this summer, but the GTD still holds the top spot as the halo model. This new SC version lands right between the 500-hp Dark Horse and the 815-hp GTD—similar power, but there’s a much bigger price gulf.
Ford’s base Dark Horse SC carries a sticker price of $103,490 before destination and other fees, with the Track Pack jumping to $139,990 and the Track Pack Special Edition tagged at $170,970, per reports referencing official Ford numbers. A few sources put the entry price higher—$108,485—when destination and gas-guzzler charges are factored in.
Under the hood, Ford’s supercharged 5.2-liter V8 delivers the muscle, every unit built by a single technician at the Dearborn Engine Plant, Road & Track said. Power routes to the rear wheels through a Tremec seven-speed dual-clutch automatic—two clutches for sharper shifts.
Ford isn’t just talking up the SC’s extra horsepower. Mark Rushbrook, who heads Ford Racing globally, pointed to the car’s development alongside the GTD and Mustang GT3, calling it “a direct pipeline of innovation” that runs straight from the track to the street. Car and Driver
The Mustang’s own page lists just about everything under the SC program: engine, gearbox, aero tweaks, cooling, brakes, suspension, steering feel, tires—all addressed. Ford highlights a new aluminum hood, topped with a carbon-fiber vent. That vent? It generates 2.5 times the downforce of the regular Dark Horse vent, channeling more air pressure to keep the car planted on pavement or track.
Opting for the Track Pack swaps in Michelin Cup 2 R tires, carbon-fiber wheels, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, and pulls out the rear seats. Ford pegs the weight savings at roughly 150 pounds. Combined with its aerodynamic tweaks, the setup is good for 620 pounds of downforce at 180 mph.
Arie Groeneveld, chief program engineer for the Mustang Dark Horse SC, said Ford put the car through its paces alongside the Mustang GTD and GT4 at Sebring and Virginia International Raceway, using those models as measuring sticks. Buyers looking for a track-oriented Mustang who either miss out on the GTD—or don’t want to shell out for it—get a more targeted answer from Ford with the Dark Horse SC.
The competitive landscape here gets complicated—that’s really the crux of it. According to Motor1, a Track Pack SC lands squarely in the mix with the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and a handful of Porsche 911 models. Ford’s still bringing a clear horsepower edge over quite a few of those rivals.
But sticker shock and availability might put the brakes on the car’s momentum. The SC comes in well below the GTD price-wise, yet a Mustang with a six-digit tag remains a stretch for plenty of shoppers. Ford, for its part, hasn’t revealed production numbers in the latest reports. The GTD, meanwhile, still outguns the SC on specs, boasting higher output and racier hardware.
Customer deliveries kick off in summer 2026, according to Ford’s From The Road site. For buyers, the Dark Horse SC steps in where the Shelby GT500 bowed out—now with extra horsepower, a fresh emblem, and a sticker price that could give you pause.
