Clive Sutton’s 788bhp CS800DH: The Ford Mustang Dark Horse That Broke Free from All Restraint
What happens when an already formidable muscle car gets a jolt of madness from one of the UK’s most notorious performance specialists? You get the Clive Sutton CS800DH – a Ford Mustang Dark Horse turned up to eleven, wrapped in carbon fibre, screaming through a Borla exhaust, and packing an outrageous 788bhp punch. For purists, the stock Mustang Dark Horse – with its naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 pushing a healthy 447bhp (453hp in Europe) – is already a standout in Ford’s muscle car lineage. But for those who believe too much power is barely enough, Clive Sutton has delivered a machine that isn’t just faster – it’s louder, meaner, and more track-hungry than anything else wearing a pony badge in Europe. The CS800DH isn’t simply an upgrade; it’s an assault on restraint. It's a declaration of war on emission-choked mediocrity. It’s a tuner’s love letter to the age of mechanical excess, written in boost pressure and carbon weave. Buckle up – because this Mustang is galloping far beyond the edge of reason.
A Familiar Name, A Radical Vision: Who Is Clive Sutton?
To understand the CS800DH, it helps to understand the mind behind the madness. Clive Sutton is no stranger to fast Fords. The London-based specialist has made a name for himself delivering American muscle with an extra helping of lunacy, and he’s been shipping high-powered Mustangs, Ram TRXs, and tuned-up Escalades to British customers who demand nothing short of outrageous. Sutton’s projects aren’t just about throwing horsepower at a chassis – they’re about creating statement cars. These are machines that dominate the road, turn heads, and rattle windows as they go by. With decades of experience navigating the often tricky UK regulatory scene and importing US muscle to Europe, Sutton knows exactly how to blend power with practicality – and his in-house team handles everything from powertrain upgrades to luxurious retrims. The CS800DH is just the latest in a line of over-the-top builds that include widebody GT500s and modified Shelby models. But this time, he’s taken Ford’s most track-focused production Mustang – the Dark Horse – and turned it into something even more fearsome. This isn't just a louder Mustang. It's a whole new animal.
Heart of the Stallion: Supercharged V8 Fury
At the heart of the CS800DH lies the tried-and-true Coyote 5.0-litre V8 – but with a twist big enough to change the story. Sutton has strapped a 3.0-litre Whipple supercharger onto the V8, massively increasing the intake airflow and dialing up performance figures to ludicrous levels. The result? A staggering 788bhp and 642lb ft of torque – a 76 percent increase in horsepower and a 61 percent jump in twist compared to the standard Dark Horse. Those are numbers that encroach on supercar territory, and the mechanicals are just as serious. The engine mods are accompanied by a full Borla ATAK quad-tip cat-back exhaust with a custom H-pipe setup, providing a supercharger whine and V8 roar that’ll make pedestrians leap for cover and petrolheads weep with joy. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a short-throw manual gearbox – no automatics here – ensuring the driver stays intimately connected to every shift, surge, and slide. It’s a classic muscle recipe taken to modern extremes: big power, rear drive, manual transmission. Only this time, it’s been engineered to demolish not just straights, but twisty roads as well.
Taming the Monster: Chassis and Suspension Overhaul
Adding nearly 350bhp to a production car isn’t something you do lightly. Extra power means extra heat, extra stress, and extra responsibility to make sure everything else can handle the increase. Sutton has addressed that with a reworked suspension setup featuring stiffer and lower MagneRide adaptive dampers. These electronically controlled shocks give the car the ability to switch from street cruiser to track predator with just a few clicks, and they help rein in all that newfound torque when cornering forces threaten to overwhelm the chassis. The CS800DH also rides on lightweight, 20-inch Vossen alloy wheels, finished in a bronzed tint and wrapped in ultra-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber. These tyres are a smart choice – offering the balance of daily usability with real high-speed grip and temperature resistance. The CS800DH isn’t just built for drag strip sprints. Sutton’s approach ensures it’s equally potent on fast back roads and track days, where the chassis can stretch its legs and show just how much confidence a well-tuned setup can inspire. It’s not just wild—it’s been thoughtfully engineered to handle the madness.
Carbon Overload: A Body Built to Intimidate
Visually, the CS800DH looks nothing like your average Mustang. Even the already aggressive Dark Horse seems tame by comparison. Sutton has reskinned key parts of the car with carbon fibre – not just for weight savings, but to make a statement. The front splitter, side skirts, diffuser, bonnet, headlight surrounds, and massive 1,580mm rear wing are all crafted from the lightweight weave. The effect is dramatic – giving the CS800DH a purposeful, motorsport-inspired look that’s as eye-catching as it is functional. The bonnet design not only adds visual aggression but features dual-sided construction for improved rigidity and airflow. The rear diffuser helps with underbody aero, while the massive wing boosts downforce at high speed, helping plant the rear end under acceleration and cornering loads. And then there are the wheels – bronze Vossens that perfectly contrast the carbon accents and give the car a high-end, bespoke feel. It’s a show car, a track car, and a luxury cruiser all in one. The carbon overdose doesn’t just make the CS800DH lighter. It makes it unforgettable.
Cabin Fever: Inside the Reimagined Mustang
Inside, the CS800DH has been given a luxurious makeover worthy of its six-figure price tag. Clive Sutton offers a full retrim of the cabin, with buyers able to select from a wide array of leather and Alcantara colour combinations. Want green Alcantara with red stitching? No problem. Prefer tan leather with carbon accents? Also doable. The cabin isn’t just about colour choices, either. Recaro sports seats provide superb lateral support and come equipped with heating and cooling functions, making them equally suited to summer sprints or winter cruises. Alcantara covers key touchpoints – steering wheel, shifter, dash trim – giving the interior a motorsport feel while still remaining plush and road-trip friendly. The cabin retains all of Ford’s digital trickery, including the 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster and 13.2-inch central touchscreen running SYNC 4. But in the CS800DH, those features feel secondary to the real thrill: hearing that supercharger whine climb with every gear, gripping the wheel through every corner, and knowing that this isn’t just a Mustang. It’s your Mustang, tailored to your taste and tuned for pure fury.
The Price of Madness: £135,000–£165,000, Explained
Sticker shock is inevitable when you hear that the CS800DH will set you back between £135,000 and £165,000 – double the price of a standard Dark Horse in the UK. But unlike some modified vehicles that offer wild looks and little else, the Sutton build backs up its price tag with serious hardware and craftsmanship. That starting price includes not just the car and its upgrades, but also full Ford Performance backing and a three-year warranty from both Ford and Clive Sutton. In other words, you’re not buying a DIY project or an uncertified hot rod – this is a fully integrated, professionally engineered machine that can be serviced, insured, and driven with confidence. Consider the alternatives: most supercars offering 700+bhp cost well over £200k. The CS800DH offers that kind of performance with a manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive, a usable back seat, and everyday comfort. You’re also buying exclusivity – this isn’t a mass-market product. Sutton’s customers want to stand out, and the CS800DH delivers on that promise with custom looks, custom sounds, and custom feel. It’s a bespoke muscle car for a select few who want something totally unhinged.
Legacy of Loud: The Final Hurrah for ICE Muscle?
In a world that’s rapidly shifting toward electrification, cars like the CS800DH feel like the last stand of a glorious era. The writing is on the wall for big displacement, high-revving V8s – especially in Europe, where emissions rules are forcing carmakers to think smaller and quieter. That’s why builds like this matter more than ever. They are time capsules of a wilder age – a celebration of mechanical noise, power, and personality. The Dark Horse was already one of the most analog-feeling Mustangs in a long time, and Sutton’s take amplifies every one of its best traits. From the click of the short shifter to the roar of the Borla exhaust, every moment in the CS800DH is an event. It’s unapologetically loud, proud, and fuel-thirsty. It exists not to meet government regulations or win over eco-warriors, but to thrill the kind of driver who still believes in the magic of combustion and the joy of manual control. If this really is the twilight of the V8 pony car, then the CS800DH is one hell of a sunset ride.
Verdict: A Mustang for the Brave
There are fast cars, and then there are cars like the Clive Sutton CS800DH – a vehicle that blurs the line between street machine and track monster, between tuner car and boutique exotic. With 788bhp under your right foot and enough torque to liquefy tyres on demand, this isn’t a car for the faint of heart. It’s for those who want to own something truly outrageous, a car that makes no compromises in its pursuit of power, noise, and visual drama. The base Dark Horse is already one of the most well-rounded Mustangs Ford has ever built. But the CS800DH is something else entirely. It’s the Mustang unshackled – stripped of any corporate caution or regulatory muzzle and given free rein to run wild. At £135k+, it’s not cheap. But it’s also not meant to be. This is a collector’s car, a statement car, a dream realized in carbon and boost. For those who dare, the CS800DH isn’t just a Mustang. It’s the ultimate expression of one.
