Right now, if you want a high-performance Ford, you have a couple of options. For about $64,000, you can get yourself a Mustang Dark Horse with 500 horsepower; for $328,000, you can get an 815-horsepower widebody Mustang GTD that'll shame most cars on the road — as it better, for that kind of money. But what if you're interested in keeping up with the Corvette ZR1s and Porsche 911 GT3s in your run group without dropping house money on a car? Well, now Ford has an option for you: The Mustang Dark Horse SC.
The Dark Horse SC is, as you might imagine, a supercharged Dark Horse. It's a more in-depth upgrade than you're picturing, however, given that the SC doesn't use the standard Dark Horse's 5.0-liter Coyote engine — instead, Ford gave the SC the 5.2-liter mill from the GTD. Unfortunately, the company has yet to say whether it'll actually put down GTD power (as it may have to, if it hopes to compete with the 'Vette) or whether it'll get a detuned version.
Ford
That 5.2-liter engine is backed by a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, which Ford notably doesn't call a transaxle — the company is very proud of the transaxles in the GTD and GT3 variants of the Mustang, so it would likely brag about the same here if it could. The SC gets a host of suspension components reworked from the base Dark Horse, with Ford touting unique tuning on the magnetic ride dampers paired with new springs, sway bars, knuckles, and front control arms. It also has a unique steering rack and tie rods, as well as updates to the rear suspension geometry.
This is all before you get into the car's optional Track Package, which adds carbon-fiber wheels, Michelin Sport Cup 2 R tires, additional carbon aero pieces, and re-tuned suspension to account for all that. The Track Pack also gets the Mustang GTD's carbon-ceramic brakes, as an upgrade over the standard SC's six-piston front and four-piston rear Brembos.
Ford
Ford says the Dark Horse SC incorporates learnings from the GTD and GT3 variants of the chassis, and the new cooling-focused front end speaks to that track testing. Ford says the new front end improves cooling for both the brakes and the engine, as well as improving downforce. That's provided you remove the hood's rain tray, at least — don't expect the engine temps to change considerably with it in place. Though, if you find yourself needing that additional airflow in the wet, I'd like to know just what exactly you're using your Mustang for.
Ford hasn't released the crucial numbers for the Dark Horse SC yet — horsepower, torque, and price — but I'm expecting all three to land somewhere between the naturally-aspirated Dark Horse and the costs-more-than-some-dwellings GTD. If Ford can undercut the pricing of the Corvette ZR1, then this new Mustang may well be a solid competitor in a market otherwise dominated by European offerings.
