Taurus SHO revealed! AWD!

i didn't think they had the balls.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-taurus-sho.html

Just minutes ago, Ford unveiled its high-performance sedan flagship, the 2010 Taurus SHO. Resurrecting a formerly discarded name, the SHO sedan will be powered by a 365-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine. Power will go to all four wheels thanks to standard all-wheel-drive. The Taurus SHO will retail for $37,995 including destination when it goes on sale this summer.

Introduced in 1989, the original Taurus SHO was conceived as a “sleeper” performance sedan. Produced through 1999, more than 100,000 were sold. Given the strong following the previous-generation SHO has to this day, Ford says it had to pay careful attention to enthusiasts. The automaker says it consulted SHO enthusiasts during the development of the new model - in fact, more than 25 SHO club members from across the United States were on hand to witness the unveiling today at the Chicago Auto Show.

The foundation of the 2010 Taurus SHO is a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine, which delivers 365 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 350 pound-feet of torque at 3,500 rpm. Clearly, the definition of “Super High Output” has changed over the years — the last SHO had just 235 hp, while its predecessor had only 220 hp.

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 also uses twin turbochargers, as opposed to a single unit. The reduced size of each turbocharger results in reduced internal inertia, allowing this advanced engine to avoid the “turbo lag” often prevalent in earlier-generation turbocharged vehicles. Meanwhile, direct injection promises improved fuel economy and a smoother response from the engine.

The new Taurus SHO driveline combines a six-speed 6F55 SelectShift transmission with standard torque-sensing all-wheel-drive. The six-speed transmission offers a wide array of gears to enable quick acceleration, yet comfortable high-speed cruising, through a 2.77 to 1 final drive ratio. SelectShift provides conventional automatic operation or a manual shift mode that gives the driver complete control via paddle shifters. For performance-minded drivers, paddle controls allow “match-rev” downshifts and will hold manually selected gears for precise control.

For the discriminating automotive enthusiast, Taurus SHO offers an available SHO Performance Package consisting of upgraded brake pads, recalibrated power-assisted steering for even more responsiveness, a “Sport Mode” setting for the standard AdvanceTrac Electronic Stability Control and a shorter 3.16 to 1 final drive ratio for faster acceleration. Summer-compound 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 performance tires on premium painted wheels also are included.

Standard features include: push-button start, the Easy Fuel capless fuel filler, Ford SYNC with voice activation, and ambient lighting. Also standard is MyKey, which enables the owner to set specific limits for certain operators, such as new drivers. These ‘parental controls’ include the ability to set an 80 mph speed limiter, stereo volume limiter, consistently-engaged stability control, speed chimes, a persistent safety belt reminder, and earlier low-fuel warning.

Options include a reverse camera, radar-based adaptive cruise control, blind spot alert, Cross Traffic Alert (for reversing into traffic), massaging seats, voice-activated navigation, and a 12 speaker 390-watt Sony sound system.

That's going to be a hell of a sleeper.

i think we have one at work.


They pulled a camo taurus into the one bay, and the engine did sound kind of funny, but i never really heard it go above idle

I say, quiet an exceptienal vehicle, my fine sirs; peers. May I to commend the designers on capabitie for Americans finery? Furthermore.my loins are girded like the oxen with anticipations in regard to piloting example!

I wonder how good it's going to be. If the transmission shifts good, suspension handles good, and AWD is responds well, it may be a competitor for the Audi A6.

On the other hand, it could be a huge piece of shit and it's biggest competitor is a Checker Cab.

that's pretty fucking sweet for a sedan.

honestly i am very hopeful about this. if that price point is accurate, it SHOULD be very capable.

or, lemme put it this way: it had better be.

I would think so. I can't wait to see it at the auto show next week. I will provide pics.

do. get good interiors. i HATE the auto shows. so many people. and god knows i hate those.

I'm about to go apeshit on someone.

i dont think anyone other than we know why...

I read that GM is going to be slashing production for the G8. Despite it being a highly-capable, well-priced, rave-reviewed sports sedan, apparently the sales aren't there. I'm worried about whether or not the SHO will find success.

I suppose since it would be a variant of an existing car rather than a stand-alone model, Ford would be better insulated against slow sales, but it's still troublesome.

big_jesus wrote:i dont think anyone other than we know why...

Fuck that's a great smilie.

big_jesus wrote:do. get good interiors. i HATE the auto shows. so many people. and god knows i hate those.

It's hard to get interior shots, there's always a Mexican family trying to fit all the family members in one car.

I'm taking my digital camcorder with too, what I'll do with it I don't know, but I have this feeling that I need to bring it.

Also I'm going on tuesday, at opening time, which I did last year and it was spectacular. I had about two hours free reign before it got crowded.

SBF wrote:
It's hard to get interior shots, there's always a Mexican family trying to fit all the family members in one car.

ahahahaha its so fucking true.

or they all pack in there so nobody can see them stripping anything that isn't epoxied down from the interior of the car.

Like air conditioning control knobs? I also love grabbing a shifter with no knob. I think that pisses me off more than anything.

big_jesus wrote:

SBF wrote:
It's hard to get interior shots, there's always a Mexican family trying to fit all the family members in one car.

ahahahaha its so fucking true.

I think it was 2 years ago I really wanted to sit in a Z06, and some Mexican bitch sat in the drivers seat for over 5 minutes, and when waiting to sit in a car, that 5 min takes forever. She couldn't even see over the steering wheel and she was posing for her family who didn't even have a camera. FUCK.

JaysonAych wrote:I read that GM is going to be slashing production for the G8. Despite it being a highly-capable, well-priced, rave-reviewed sports sedan, apparently the sales aren't there. I'm worried about whether or not the SHO will find success.

I suppose since it would be a variant of an existing car rather than a stand-alone model, Ford would be better insulated against slow sales, but it's still troublesome.

AWD, plus having the desirable lower optioned models are fine too.

hahahahaha! exactly. that is exactly why i do not go.

big_jesus wrote:hahahahaha! exactly. that is exactly why i do not go.

Because they don't have the desirable non-AWD lower end models that 1300 was talking about?

yeah, dude! i need to know what the interiors of the cars that aris will break into and use as bathrooms for the next four years.

dont ask me why.

any info on any upcoming cobra mustangs or anything?

Yeah Ill post some info when I get some time.

big_jesus wrote:yeah, dude! i need to know what the interiors of the cars that aris will break into and use as bathrooms for the next four years.

dont ask me why.

that's how it is when i come home. every night.

It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

yes and No

No it isn't too expensive for a comparable car

Yes its a 38K taurus WTF?

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

what the hell are you talking about?

big_jesus wrote:

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

what the hell are you talking about?

It may be comparably priced with more "premium" priced vehicles in that range, but it remains to be seen if the buying public will take a near 40K Taurus seriously. Many would probably expect that it would be budget-priced since it's "just a Ford."

JaysonAych wrote:

big_jesus wrote:

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

what the hell are you talking about?

It may be comparably priced with more "premium" priced vehicles in that range, but it remains to be seen if the buying public will take a near 40K Taurus seriously. Many would probably expect that it would be budget-priced since it's "just a Ford."

Exactly. And honestly, how many people are going to buy a Taurus when they can get an Evo or Sti for about the same amount of money?

Omni wrote:

JaysonAych wrote:

big_jesus wrote:

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

what the hell are you talking about?

It may be comparably priced with more "premium" priced vehicles in that range, but it remains to be seen if the buying public will take a near 40K Taurus seriously. Many would probably expect that it would be budget-priced since it's "just a Ford."

Exactly. And honestly, how many people are going to buy a Taurus when they can get an Evo or Sti for about the same amount of money?

That Taurus is going to be a lot roomier and more comfortable than either of those cars. May not have the driving dynamics of those cars, but for someone who wants something bigger and more livable, the Taurus will work well.

My concern is with it being compared to the G8. It's RWD, V8-powered, probably not as hefty, isn't much smaller than the Taurus, but about $6K cheaper.

Omni wrote:

JaysonAych wrote:

big_jesus wrote:

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

what the hell are you talking about?

It may be comparably priced with more "premium" priced vehicles in that range, but it remains to be seen if the buying public will take a near 40K Taurus seriously. Many would probably expect that it would be budget-priced since it's "just a Ford."

Exactly. And honestly, how many people are going to buy a Taurus when they can get an Evo or Sti for about the same amount of money?

well stis and evos are compacts. the taurus is a mid-full size semi-luxury car. they arent really competing models.

JaysonAych wrote:

big_jesus wrote:

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

what the hell are you talking about?

It may be comparably priced with more "premium" priced vehicles in that range, but it remains to be seen if the buying public will take a near 40K Taurus seriously. Many would probably expect that it would be budget-priced since it's "just a Ford."

so maybe they should have made this platform some sort of lincoln model and made the sho a less expensive v8 rwd model

honor man wrote:

JaysonAych wrote:

big_jesus wrote:

Omni wrote:It looks like it's going to be pretty badass but that's way too fucking expensive.

what the hell are you talking about?

It may be comparably priced with more "premium" priced vehicles in that range, but it remains to be seen if the buying public will take a near 40K Taurus seriously. Many would probably expect that it would be budget-priced since it's "just a Ford."

so maybe they should have made this platform some sort of lincoln model and made the sho a less expensive v8 rwd model

I think the platform is actually shared with the Lincoln MKS. But I think it's natively a FWD platform, which would be a bitch to convert to RWD.

i predict that ford disappears the day before this car is slated to be delivered to showrooms.