Ford Scrapped 'Dark Horse Boss' Because It Sounded Weird

Ford had a different name in mind for its supercharged Mustang, and it had nothing to do with "SC." Back in January, Ford filed to trademark "Dark Horse Boss" in both Europe and the U.S., which pointed squarely at the automaker's new, range-topping pony car, according to Ford Authority, which was first to report the filings. The filing never made it to a fender badge.

Ford originally planned to call the car the Dark Horse Boss, then backed off because "Horse Boss" sounded, in a word, weird, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Ford Authority. So the company landed on Mustang Dark Horse SC instead, with the "SC" tipping its hat to the supercharged engine.

It's an ignominious end for a name with real pedigree. Boss is woven into Blue Oval history, going back to the Boss 302 Ford built in the late 1960s to get into Trans Am racing. The Boss 429 followed for NASCAR duty, and the Boss 302 was revived decades later. None of that mattered once someone said the phrase out loud.

The decision tracks with where CEO Jim Farley's head is at. He has made clear he has little interest in bringing back old nameplates such as Boss or Cobra, telling reporters at the Detroit Auto Show in January that Ford is charting a new, forward-looking direction with the Mustang rather than leaning on its history.

Ford has also explained why it skipped Shelby for its top Mustang, GTD aside. "The reality of it is that Shelby doesn't race. And this is Ford Racing. So Dark Horse Racing. It's as simple as that," a Ford spokesperson told Ford Authority.

There's more to it. The Shelby brand didn't fit the buyers Ford is chasing with the Dark Horse SC, according to sources familiar with how the call was made cited by Ford Authority.

[Images: Ford]

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