FERNDALE, Michigan ― Now you can go topless riding 795 ponies.

Just in time for the Woodward Dream Cruise, Ford on Friday unleashed the 2027 Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible, the drop-top version of its wicked, 795-horsepower, 5.2-liter, supercharged V-8 Dark Horse SC. With its soaring soundtrack, Ford Racing-engineered performance, and sleek styling, the SC Convertible takes aim at luxury, six-figure coupes like the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, Mercedes SL, and BMW 8-series.

The SC Convertible expands the Dark Horse lineup to four models, establishing it as a premium sub-brand within the Mustang lineup to appeal to upscale muscle-car customers enticed by the range-topping, limited edition, GT3-race-car-based, $330,000 Mustang GTD halo.

“We’ve leveraged (SC) to elevate the Mustang brand into the premium sportscar space to go head-to-head with the world's elite sportscar competition like the Porsche 911, BMW, Mercedes,” said Mustang Brand Manager Ryan Shaughnessy at a media sneak peak in Corktown ahead of its Ferndale unveiling. “We designed it to beat them. We’ve created an entry into ultra-high performance on Mustang for those customers who aspired to the Mustang GTD. There is this massive opportunity for a . . . diverse, affluent customer that has historically gravitated towards European premium sportscars, but now they want something different.”

Where the base, $66,075, 5.0-liter V8-powered Dark Horse boasts 500 horsepower, the Dark Horse SC models screw in the GTD’s 5.2-liter, supercharged V-8 ratcheting output to 795 horsepower and 660 pound-feet of torque.

Carrying forward the successful formula of the 480-horse GT ($53,075) and GT Convertible ($58,575) duo, Dark Horse SC Convertible brings an open-air, boulevard-cruiser vibe to the Dark Horse lineup.

“If the Coupe is the race-bred side of our DNA, this convertible is the pure street cred part of the formula,” said Ford Racing Global Director Mark Rushbrook. “It's just pure fun, fast, freedom.”

Got another $50k in your pocket? Don’t expect to find the SC Convertible in rental lots like the GT Convertible, but it appeals to the same topless thrills. After unlatching, the soft top can be lowered automatically in about eight seconds when the ‘Stang is stationary. Expect it to start at around $110k when arrives in spring 2027 next year compared to the $105,485 Dark Horse SC Coupe.

“We had a totally different objective for (the Convertible) versus the SC Coupe,” said Dark Horse SC Chief Engineer Arie Groeneveld. “Rather than pursuing ultimate lap times, we were after the ultimate, top-down grand touring machine. Open air, the powertrain, the sound, the performance. Just joy.”

For its premium price, Dark Horse SC Convertible shares SC Coupe specs that shame the 469-577 horsepower, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 found in the $146,600-$187,850 Mercedes-AMG SL55 and SL63.

To keep all those ponies on the asphalt, the SC Convertible is equipped with massive, six-piston 16.5-inch Brembo front brakes (four-pot, 14-inch Brembos out back), sticky Pirelli P-Zero tires, and a wing sprouting from the trunk lid.

The rear-wheel-drive Mustang will need all its grunt to outgun its all-wheel-drive European competitors in a straight line. The 577-horse SL63, for example, can hit 60 mph in just 3.0 seconds with launch control and 9-speed automatic transmission.

With 815 horses and a seven-speed automatic, the Mustang GTD managed 2.8 seconds in a Car and Driver test.

To feed its supercharged horses, Ford Racing engineers applied learning from the GT3 race car to increase the air-intake frontal area by 60%. Wrapped in carbon fiber (one of the SC’s few options including paint, brake caliper colors, and Black Onyx or Space Gray interiors), Ford calls the carbon facia the “Strong Man” with its flexed-bicep appearance.

For its price, the Mercedes SL-class boasts one of the finest interiors in autodom with lush materials and sculpted screens. SC can’t match that opulence but brings Mustang’s standard, 26-inch hoodless screen housing a digital, 12.4-inch instrument gauge cluster and 13.2-inch infotainment display. The system features striking graphics driven by Unreal Engine, the maker of high-end 3D gaming software. Drive modes include SPORT and SPORT PLUS, QUIET so you don’t wake the neighbors, and a MY MUSTANG to customizing performance settings.

Those modes are enhanced by sophisticated MagneRide electronic shocks, comparable to those found on European competitors, that can instantly change suspension settings from boulevard comfy to corner-carving stiff.

Customers in the premium sportscar segment “want a vehicle that's edgy, sexy, disruptive,” said Shaughnessy. “One that makes them stand out on the street, but also makes them feel alive. That's exactly what we delivered with the Dark Horse SC convertible.”

The Dark Horse models ― which include the track-prepared, full roll-cage, $145k Dark Horse R race car ― fill out a lineup that now spans nearly $300,000 from the $34,990, turbo-4-cylinder-powered Mustang EcoBoost to the $327,960 GTD which, with options, can sticker above $400k. Compare that to the Mercedes SL-class which ranges from $113,900- $229,010.

The Mustang price spread is consistent with Ford’s icon strategy which leverages badges like the Mustang, Bronco, and F-150 for big model ranges and big profit margins. F-150, for example, now runs from the $40,085 XL work truck to the $114,550, 720-horswpoer, supercharged V-8 Raptor R.

“Our broader strategy is growing our icons,” said Shaughnessy. “That entails unique products, services, experiences — things that maximize customer value. At the pinnacle of that is Mustang.”

Mustang, the world’s best-selling sportscar, captures 36% of the sportscar-buying female customer, and the Dark Horse SC Convertible leans into that strength.

“If you look at the broader premium sports car market, female audience mix is up to 40% for some of our competition,” said Shaughnessy. “We recognize this opportunity for a new kind of diverse, affluent customer.”

Built at Flat Rock Assembly, the Mustang Dark Horse SC Convertible opens for orders this fall. SC Coupe models are on sale now.

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