Ford’s U.S. 2026 V-8 lineup includes five basic engine families: the 5.0-liter Coyote, two distinct supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 applications, the 6.8-liter gasoline V-8, the 7.3-liter gasoline V-8, and the 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V-8. They power everything from the Mustang GT and Dark Horse to the F-150, Raptor R, Super Duty pickups, E-Series cutaways, and medium-duty commercial chassis.
The important qualification is that Ford does not use one universal version of each engine. A 5.0-liter in a Mustang is calibrated and equipped differently from the 5.0-liter in an F-150, and the 7.3-liter’s 430-hp Super Duty rating falls to 325 hp in the E-Series. Here is the complete U.S. 2026 model-year picture, based on Ford’s consumer and commercial materials available as of August 12, 2026.
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Ford V-8 lineup at a glance
| Vehicle or application | V-8 | Ford-published output or role |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Mustang GT | 5.0L Ti-VCT V-8 | 480 hp and 415 lb-ft; 486 hp and 418 lb-ft with available active-valve performance exhaust |
| 2026 Mustang Dark Horse | Modified Gen-4 5.0L Coyote V-8 | 500 hp and 418 lb-ft |
| 2026 Mustang Dark Horse SC | 5.2L supercharged cross-plane-crank V-8 | 795 hp and 660 lb-ft |
| 2026 F-150 | 5.0L Ti-VCT V-8 | 400 hp and 410 lb-ft; available engine |
| 2026 F-150 Raptor R | 5.2L supercharged V-8 | 720 hp and 640 lb-ft |
| 2026 Super Duty pickup | 6.8L gasoline V-8 | 405 hp and 445 lb-ft |
| 2026 Super Duty pickup | 7.3L gasoline V-8 | 430 hp and 485 lb-ft |
| 2026 Super Duty pickup | 6.7L Power Stroke diesel V-8 | 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft standard output, or 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft high output |
| 2026 E-Series cutaway and stripped chassis | 7.3L gasoline V-8 | 325 hp and 450 lb-ft |
| 2026 F-650/F-750 | 7.3L gasoline V-8 or 6.7L Power Stroke diesel V-8 | Medium-duty gasoline or diesel choice |
| 2026 F-59 | 7.3L gasoline V-8 | Commercial stripped-chassis application |
Those figures are not directly interchangeable. Ford’s ratings reflect vehicle packaging, emissions configuration, transmission, engine calibration, intended duty cycle, and sometimes the available equipment attached to the vehicle.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall1. Ford’s 5.0L Coyote V-8
The 5.0L Coyote is Ford’s main naturally aspirated performance V-8 and the only current V-8 family shared between a mainstream sports car and a full-size pickup. In 2026, it appears in the Mustang GT, Mustang Dark Horse, and F-150—but those applications should not be treated as identical engines.
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Mustang GT: 480 or 486 horsepower
The 2026 Mustang GT uses a standard 5.0L Ti-VCT V-8 rated at 480 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. Ford lists a higher 486 hp and 418 lb-ft rating when the car is equipped with the available active-valve performance exhaust.
That makes the GT the most straightforward route into Ford’s current V-8 performance lineup. It remains naturally aspirated, so its power delivery comes without a turbocharger or supercharger, and the available exhaust system changes the published output as well as the car’s character.
Mustang Dark Horse: 500 horsepower
The Mustang Dark Horse uses a modified Gen-4 5.0L Coyote V-8 producing 500 hp and 418 lb-ft. It is more than a simple appearance package over the regular GT: Ford gives it a higher-output engine calibration and application-specific hardware intended for a more serious performance role.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe Dark Horse’s 500-hp rating is only modestly higher than the GT’s peak figure on paper, but displacement alone does not tell the whole story. The engine, cooling, chassis, track-oriented equipment, and overall vehicle calibration are part of the Dark Horse package.
F-150: 400 horsepower
The 5.0L Ti-VCT V-8 remains an available engine in the 2026 F-150 rather than the default powertrain across the entire range. Ford rates it at 400 hp and 410 lb-ft.
Ford describes the truck application as using port-fuel-and-direct injection along with twin independent variable camshaft timing. Its priorities are different from those of the Mustang version: truck packaging, towing, payload-related performance, durability, and usable low- and mid-range response matter more than maximizing high-rpm sports-car output.
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In the appropriate F-150 configuration, Ford publishes a maximum available towing rating of 12,800 pounds for the 5.0L V-8. That is a maximum for a properly equipped configuration, not a blanket rating for every F-150 with this engine. Actual towing capacity depends on cab, bed, drivetrain, axle ratio, equipment, trailer setup, and other configuration details.
2. Ford’s supercharged 5.2L V-8s
Ford has two headline applications for a supercharged 5.2L V-8: the F-150 Raptor R and the Mustang Dark Horse SC. They should be presented as separate high-performance applications, not as one universal 5.2L engine with one output figure.
F-150 Raptor R: 720 horsepower and 640 lb-ft
The F-150 Raptor R uses a supercharged 5.2L V-8 rated at 720 hp and 640 lb-ft. Ford identifies it as the most powerful engine available in the F-150 range and restricts it to the Raptor R.
The Raptor R’s engine is integrated into an off-road performance pickup whose requirements differ sharply from those of a road-focused Mustang. Cooling, suspension travel, chassis durability, four-wheel-drive hardware, tire size, and sustained operation over rough terrain all influence how the powertrain is used.
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The limited, high-performance Mustang Dark Horse SC raises the figure to 795 maximum horsepower and 660 lb-ft. Ford describes its supercharged V-8 as a cross-plane-crank design shared with the Mustang GTD supercar.
The Dark Horse SC is therefore not simply the Raptor R engine moved into a Mustang. Ford lists different output figures for the two vehicles, and their engine integration, cooling systems, transmissions, emissions configurations, and intended duty cycles are different.
This distinction matters whenever specifications are summarized by displacement. Saying that a vehicle has “Ford’s 5.2L supercharged V-8” is incomplete unless the application is identified.
3. The 6.8L gasoline V-8: Super Duty’s accessible work engine
The 6.8L is a naturally aspirated gasoline V-8 designed for heavy-duty work rather than sports-car performance. In the 2026 Super Duty pickup, Ford lists a 90-degree V-8 with a single in-block camshaft, overhead valves, and port fuel injection. It produces 405 hp at 5,000 rpm and 445 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm.
Ford positions the 6.8L as the workhorse gasoline choice for Super Duty buyers who need a heavy-duty truck but do not require the higher output of the 7.3L gasoline V-8 or the substantial low-rpm torque of the 6.7L Power Stroke diesel.
Ford states that the 6.8L is standard on XL, XLT, and Lariat Super Duty models. Exact availability can still vary by series, cab, bed, drivetrain, configuration, and market-ordering rules. The engine is paired with the TorqShift-G 10-speed automatic transmission.
The 6.8L’s role is easy to misunderstand if it is compared only with the Mustang engines. Its 405-hp rating is lower than the 5.0L Mustang’s output, but the truck engine is designed around a very different vehicle, operating environment, and workload.
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4. The 7.3L gasoline V-8: Ford’s large-displacement work engine
The 7.3L is Ford’s larger gasoline V-8 for heavy-duty and commercial work. In the 2026 Super Duty pickup, it produces 430 hp at 5,500 rpm and 485 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm.
Ford’s Super Duty specification identifies a cast-iron block, forged-steel crankshaft, overhead-valve architecture, and port fuel injection. Compared with the 6.8L, the 7.3L provides the higher-output gasoline choice in the Super Duty range.
Different 7.3L ratings in commercial vehicles
The 7.3L is also used in several commercial applications, but its published rating changes with the vehicle:
- E-Series Cutaway and Stripped Chassis: 325 hp and 450 lb-ft at 3,750 rpm, paired with a six-speed TorqShift automatic.
- F-650 and F-750: available as a gasoline V-8 engine choice in Ford’s 2026 medium-duty trucks. Ford also offers the 6.7L Power Stroke diesel V-8 in these applications.
- F-59: Ford inventory data identifies the 2026 stripped chassis with a 7.3L 2V DEVCT naturally aspirated, port-fuel-injected gasoline V-8.
The E-Series rating is the clearest reminder that “7.3L” does not automatically mean “430 hp.” A commercial cutaway or stripped chassis is engineered for sustained work, upfitting, predictable torque delivery, and fleet use. Its engine calibration and surrounding hardware do not have to match those of a Super Duty pickup.
5. The 6.7L Power Stroke diesel V-8
The 6.7L Power Stroke is Ford’s current diesel V-8 for Super Duty and selected commercial truck applications. Its defining advantage is not peak horsepower but enormous low-rpm torque for heavy towing and demanding truck work.
Two Super Duty output levels
Ford lists two 2026 Super Duty pickup versions:
- Standard-output 6.7L Power Stroke: 475 hp at 2,600 rpm and 1,050 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm.
- High-output 6.7L Power Stroke: 500 hp at 2,600 rpm and 1,200 lb-ft at 1,600 rpm.
The high-output engine’s 1,200 lb-ft rating is the highest torque figure in Ford’s current V-8 lineup. The standard- and high-output versions should be treated as separate factory choices, not merely as two software settings. Ford publishes different horsepower and torque ratings, and availability depends on the Super Duty series and configuration.
Diesel hardware and intended use
Ford describes the engine as a 90-degree diesel V-8 with a single turbocharger, overhead valves, and a compacted-graphite-iron block. Both Super Duty diesel versions use a TorqShift 10-speed automatic transmission.
The diesel’s torque peak arrives at 1,600 rpm, far below the engine speeds associated with the Mustang’s naturally aspirated performance V-8s. That low-speed output is why the Power Stroke is the logical choice for buyers who regularly tow heavy loads, operate at high combined weights, or want strong pulling performance without keeping the engine at high rpm.
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It is not automatically the best choice for every Super Duty buyer. A diesel generally makes the most sense when the truck’s workload justifies its added complexity and expense. Buyers who tow less frequently or prefer a simpler gasoline powertrain may find the 6.8L or 7.3L gasoline V-8 better aligned with their use, subject to the exact truck’s towing and payload requirements.
Which Ford V-8 is right for which buyer?
For a traditional V-8 sports car
The Mustang GT is the most direct answer. Its naturally aspirated 5.0L delivers 480 hp, or 486 hp with the available active-valve performance exhaust. It offers the traditional V-8 Mustang experience without stepping up to the more specialized Dark Horse or Dark Horse SC.
For a more serious naturally aspirated Mustang
The Mustang Dark Horse uses the modified Gen-4 Coyote and makes 500 hp. Choose it when the higher-output engine and the broader Dark Horse performance package matter—not merely because the badge says 5.0L.
For maximum Mustang power
The Dark Horse SC is the clear choice on published output, with 795 hp and 660 lb-ft from its supercharged 5.2L cross-plane-crank V-8. Its limited, high-performance positioning makes it a very different proposition from the regular GT.
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For a V-8 F-150
The F-150’s 5.0L V-8 produces 400 hp and 410 lb-ft and is the current naturally aspirated V-8 choice for buyers who want a full-size pickup without moving to a Super Duty. Ford’s published maximum available towing figure is 12,800 pounds in the appropriate configuration, but buyers must verify the rating for the exact truck they intend to purchase.
For gasoline-powered Super Duty work
The 6.8L is the lower-output gasoline workhorse at 405 hp and 445 lb-ft. The 7.3L is the stronger gasoline option at 430 hp and 485 lb-ft. The right choice depends on the truck’s configuration, price, towing requirement, payload requirement, and expected workload.
For maximum diesel torque
The high-output 6.7L Power Stroke is Ford’s answer, with 1,200 lb-ft in the 2026 Super Duty pickup. The standard-output version still produces 1,050 lb-ft, so the choice between them should be made around availability and the buyer’s real towing demands rather than horsepower alone.
For commercial upfitting
The 7.3L gasoline V-8 appears in the E-Series, F-650/F-750, and F-59 commercial families. These are cutaway, stripped-chassis, and medium-duty products designed to accept bodies and equipment, not consumer performance vehicles. Their ratings and transmissions reflect those commercial roles.
Which Ford vehicles do not currently offer a V-8?
Ford’s reviewed U.S. 2026 consumer and commercial materials do not list a V-8 option for the Bronco, Ranger, Maverick, Explorer, Expedition, Transit, or standard electric vehicle families.
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This statement applies to the current U.S. production lineup documented in Ford’s materials. It does not mean Ford has never used a V-8 in one of those nameplates, nor does it address aftermarket engine swaps, specialty conversions, historical models, crate engines, or non-U.S. products.
Why Ford’s current lineup is narrower—but still broad
Ford no longer spreads V-8 engines across most of its passenger-vehicle and SUV range. Instead, the company concentrates them where their characteristics remain especially useful or desirable:
- Performance cars: naturally aspirated Coyote V-8s in the Mustang GT and Dark Horse, plus the supercharged Dark Horse SC.
- Full-size pickups: the 5.0L F-150 V-8 and the supercharged 5.2L Raptor R engine.
- Heavy-duty pickups: 6.8L and 7.3L gasoline engines plus standard- and high-output 6.7L Power Stroke diesels.
- Commercial chassis: 7.3L gasoline and 6.7L diesel applications in vehicles built for upfitting and medium-duty work.
The result is not one unified Ford V-8 specification. It is a collection of specialized engines and calibrations that cover high-rpm performance, off-road power, towing, payload-related work, fleet service, and commercial body applications.
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Important specification traps to avoid
- Do not call every Ford V-8 a Coyote. The Coyote name applies to the 5.0L performance/pickup family. The 6.8L and 7.3L gasoline engines and 6.7L Power Stroke are different engine families.
- Do not assume every 5.0L has Mustang output. The Mustang GT is rated at 480 or 486 hp, while the F-150 version is rated at 400 hp.
- Do not use the Super Duty 7.3L figure for every commercial vehicle. The Super Duty rating is 430 hp and 485 lb-ft; the E-Series application is listed at 325 hp and 450 lb-ft.
- Do not combine the 5.2L supercharged applications. The Raptor R is rated at 720 hp and 640 lb-ft; the Dark Horse SC is rated at 795 hp and 660 lb-ft.
- Do not quote a truck’s maximum towing number without the configuration. The F-150’s 12,800-pound figure applies to the appropriate configuration, not automatically to every 5.0L truck.
- Do not confuse output with suitability. The highest horsepower figure is not automatically the best choice for towing, commercial use, off-road durability, or everyday ownership.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every Ford 5.0L V-8 use the same Coyote specification?
No. The Mustang GT, Mustang Dark Horse, and F-150 use different vehicle-specific versions and calibrations of the 5.0L family. The 2026 Mustang GT is rated at 480 hp, or 486 hp with the available active-valve performance exhaust; the Dark Horse makes 500 hp; and the F-150 version makes 400 hp.
What is Ford’s most powerful current V-8?
The Mustang Dark Horse SC has the highest published output, at 795 hp and 660 lb-ft from a supercharged 5.2L cross-plane-crank V-8. The F-150 Raptor R uses a separate supercharged 5.2L application rated at 720 hp and 640 lb-ft.
What is the biggest-torque Ford V-8?
The high-output 6.7L Power Stroke diesel V-8 produces 1,200 lb-ft in the 2026 Super Duty pickup. The standard-output version produces 1,050 lb-ft.
Does the 7.3L Ford V-8 make 430 hp in every application?
No. Ford rates the 7.3L at 430 hp and 485 lb-ft in the 2026 Super Duty pickup, but the E-Series cutaway and stripped-chassis application is rated at 325 hp and 450 lb-ft. Commercial vehicle calibration and duty cycle change the published output.
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The Bottom Line
Ford’s current U.S. V-8 lineup is smaller than its historical portfolio but far from limited. The 5.0L Coyote covers Mustang and F-150 duty, supercharged 5.2L engines serve the Raptor R and Dark Horse SC, 6.8L and 7.3L gasoline engines handle heavy-duty work, and the 6.7L Power Stroke supplies diesel torque. To compare them accurately, identify the vehicle application first—displacement alone is not enough.
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