2027 Ford Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible: Let's Open It Up

The successor to the Shelby GT500 convertible is finally here

written by Greg Migliore
edited by Nick Yekikian
8/14/2026
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What's new: The Mustang Dark Horse gets a convertible variant.
Why it matters: Ford continues to grow its pony car lineup with more power and more choices, and its taking aim at a very competitive group of cars like the Mercedes-AMG SL, the Porsche 911 and more.
Edmunds says: Convertibles are fun. The Shelby GT500 didn't always have one. It's neat the Dark Horse SC does.

— Detroit

It’s been a minute since Ford cracked open a convertible with this much power from the factory. The Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 convertible ended its run for the 2014 model year, and the early 2020s GT500 didn’t have a drop-top. Now comes the Shelby’s spiritual successor, the 2027 Mustang Dark Horse SC convertible.

The convertible packs all of the same power as the coupe — 795 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque — from a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 teamed with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. All that power, as you might have guessed, goes to the rear wheels only.

Ford debuted the Mustang Dark Horse SC convertible at an event today ahead of the Woodward Dream Cruise in metro Detroit. The Dark Horse SC coupe was revealed in January. The supercharged Dark Horse models sit between the naturally aspirated Coyote-powered 5.0-liter V8 Dark Horse and the 815-hp GTD, which costs around $315,000.

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Mustang takes aim at … Mercedes and Porsche?

Like the Dark Horse SC, the Dark Horse SC convertible has beefed-up MagneRide dampers, new stabilizer bars, and strengthened control arms, which separate it from the lower-level Dark Horse. Despite its heady performance chops, the Dark Horse SC convertible has a different mission than the fixed roof, with more compliant chassis tuning like a grand tourer.

"Our objective with this car is completely different as opposed to the SC coupe," said Arie Groeneveld, the chief engineer for both Mustang Dark Horse SC models.

Ford envisions the Dark Horse SC convertible as a competitor for Mercedes SL, BMW 8 Series and Porsche 911 drop-tops, offering prodigious power, statement-making styling and a wind-in-your-hair driving experience. All of these are well-established (and frankly, very good) convertible offerings, so this 'Stang has its work cut out already.

"They crave that multi-sensory experience," Mustang marketing manager Ryan Shaughnessy said. It's a "we car" cruiser as opposed to the "me car" ethos of the coupe's solitary track rat. "This is something you share the experience with," Groeneveld said.

Growing the Mustang base

Ford also expects the Dark Horse SC will attract more female buyers, perhaps as much as 30% to 40% of the mix, as opposed to about 7% of buyers for previous high-performance convertible Mustangs, like the Shelbys. The Dark Horse SC will also be pitched toward an affluent crowd, like a luxury good of sorts, in contrast to the track-demon coupe, which is certainly still expensive at $108,085.

The convertible debuts a new Dark Horse SC color, called Precision Purple metallic, which is a deep bluish purple and meant to channel the vibrant colors used by European exotic brands, said Sarah Waston, senior lead for colors and materials. Its interior will be very familiar to the Mustang faithful but has a few extra touches. There are carbon-fiber inlays for the dash and it uses the steering wheel from the Mustang GTD, though it's wrapped entirely in leather. The exterior has a carbon-fiber front end and grille, and the Dark Horse SC models measure about an inch wider than the Dark Horse.

The Dark Horse SC convertible rides on 20-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli rubber. Stopping comes from brakes with 16-inch rotors in front and 14-inchers in back. The convertible is heavier than the coupe, though Ford wouldn’t say by how much. Orders start this fall, followed by deliveries in spring 2027 out of Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan, factory. Pricing will be available closer to the launch, but expect the 'vert to be priced closer to $120,000 all in.

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by Greg Migliore

Greg Migliore is an accomplished journalist with more than two decades covering the auto industry. He was the editor-in-chief of Autoblog for more than seven years and also served as the editorial director of AutoGuide. He's also been an editor at Automobile and Autoweek magazines. A widely quoted industry expert, he has contributed commentary to Autoline After Hours, NPR, Yahoo Finance and America on the Road. He's a graduate of Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University and the Yale Publishing Course. He is a member of the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards jury. When not writing, editing or driving the latest new vehicles, Greg can be seen driving around in his extremely low-mileage 2006 Dodge Charger.

edited by Nick Yekikian

Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

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