The Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC delivers nearly as much power as the range-topping GTD while posting significantly quicker acceleration figures than the previous-generation GT500. With 795 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque from a supercharged 5.2-liter V8, the Dark Horse SC has become one of the fastest factory Mustangs ever tested.
How Mustang Power Has Evolved
When the Ford Mustang debuted in 1964, its most potent available engine was a 289-cubic-inch V8 producing 271 hp and 312 lb-ft of torque. More than six decades later, even the base Mustang exceeds those figures.
The current 2.3-liter EcoBoost produces 315 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, comfortably surpassing the output of the original Mustang. At the top of the lineup sits the Mustang GTD, whose supercharged 5.2-liter V8 produces 815 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque.
That gives the GTD roughly three times the horsepower and twice the torque of the original 289 from 1964.
The Mustang Dark Horse SC
The Mustang GTD is the most powerful Mustang ever built, with more than 800 hp. However, its availability and price make it difficult to obtain, requiring more than $300,000 and a lottery to purchase one.
For buyers seeking nearly the same level of performance without the GTD’s price or purchase process, Ford offers the Dark Horse SC. It uses the same supercharged 5.2-liter V8, but its output is reduced to 795 hp and 660 lb-ft of torque.
Those figures still put the Dark Horse SC ahead of the previous high-performance factory Mustang, the GT500, which produced 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque.
Dark Horse SC vs. GT500 Performance
The difference between the Dark Horse SC and GT500 becomes clear in acceleration testing. Motor Trend tested the Dark Horse SC with timing equipment, providing performance figures that show how much quicker the newer Mustang can be.
The Dark Horse SC reached 60 mph in 2.9 seconds and 100 mph in 6.2 seconds. It also completed the 45-65 mph passing test in 1.1 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 10.8 seconds at 131.8 mph.
By comparison, the GT500 reached 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and 100 mph in 7 seconds. It completed the quarter-mile in 11.3 seconds at 131.6 mph.
The Dark Horse SC is also 50 pounds heavier, but that additional weight did not offset its power advantage over the GT500.
Dark Horse SC Price and Track Pack
The Dark Horse SC costs roughly one-third as much as a Mustang GTD, although it remains an expensive performance car. Its base price starts below $110,000.
Adding the Track Pack costs $36,500 and pushes the price closer to $150,000.
Even at those prices, the performance offered by the hottest Mustang versions places them in a category where six-figure prices can still represent a relative bargain compared with the performance they deliver.
The Mustang’s Unique Position
The Dark Horse SC gives buyers the option of nearly 800 hp while costing less than a loaded luxury SUV, and its performance allows it to compete with or outrun cars costing twice as much.
The Mustang is once again the only car left of its kind, although that could change if Chevrolet revives the Camaro or Dodge puts a Hemi engine in the Charger.
