By Robert R Guio

Ford has given the Mustang Dark Horse SC the open-air treatment, and it isn’t simply a coupe with the roof removed. The new Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible pairs a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 with 795 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque, making it the most powerful Mustang convertible Ford has offered.

It also marks Ford’s first new high-performance Mustang convertible since 2013. Orders are scheduled to open in fall 2026, with dealer arrivals beginning in spring 2027. Ford has not announced pricing in the release.

What matters here is the intent. The Dark Horse SC coupe is aimed at serious track capability, while Ford says the convertible was engineered as a top-down grand touring machine. That could make the drop-top more interesting for drivers who want huge performance without treating every weekend drive like a qualifying lap.

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795 Horsepower Changes the Mustang Convertible Formula

The headline number is 795 horsepower, backed by 660 lb-ft of torque from a supercharged 5.2-liter V8. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission handles shifting and channels that output.

That engine puts the Dark Horse SC Convertible in a different category from the Mustang GT convertible and its 5.0-liter V8. Ford Racing engineers started with the GT convertible architecture and reinforced it for the additional output.

A lightweight magnesium tower-to-tower brace stretches across the engine bay to help manage the extra forces. Ford also fits a specially calibrated next-generation MagneRide suspension designed to stay comfortable during normal cruising but become more controlled when the driver starts using the performance.

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Ford Tunes the Dark Horse SC Convertible for the Street

Ford is making a deliberate separation between the Dark Horse SC coupe and convertible. Chief engineer Arie Groeneveld says both were developed by Ford Racing engineers, but the convertible was not prioritized around lap times.

That feels like the right decision. A convertible changes a performance car’s mission. The appeal is not simply how quickly it reaches the next corner, but how much of the engine, road and surroundings the driver can experience.

The roof lowers at the touch of a button, exposing occupants to the V8 exhaust note and supercharger whine that would otherwise be filtered through a closed cabin. Ford describes the result as its ultimate top-down grand touring Mustang.

There is still plenty of visual theater. Precision Purple joins the exterior color choices, while Ford also mentions a unique brake-caliper color and premium interior details in Black Onyx and Space Gray.

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Who Is the 795-HP Mustang Convertible Really For?

This is not the Mustang for someone looking for the lightest or most track-focused Dark Horse. That remains the coupe’s territory. The convertible is for the driver who values speed, sound and occasion in roughly equal measure.

Ford says the horsepower and torque figures are based on premium fuel and measured under the SAE J1349 standard, giving the output figures a standardized basis.

Modern performance cars increasingly justify themselves with lap records, aerodynamic figures and complicated drive-mode menus. The Dark Horse SC Convertible still brings serious engineering, but its central idea is easier to understand: put down the roof, hear the V8 and go somewhere worth driving.

The unanswered question is price. With orders opening this fall and showrooms receiving cars next spring, Ford has time to fill in that blank. Until then, the Dark Horse SC Convertible looks less like a track car with a missing roof and more like a deliberate return to the idea that very fast cars can also be built for the pleasure of the road.