The SHO must go on. SHO me the money. It's SHO time!
We've heard them all during the months of speculation leading up to this moment. Without further ado, we present to you the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO. That's right, Ford has decided to revive the moniker once affixed to the sports sedan that wowed the automotive world way back in 1989. The original SHO survived three generations of Taurus models, was sold for 10 years straight and attracted over 100,000 buyers. But just as the Taurus itself devolved from America's best-selling car to a rental fleet afterthought, the original SHO ended production in 1999 having gone from a budget sports sedan to an overpriced, underpowered executive whip.
Ford is working on rehabilitating the Taurus name with a significant redesign that debuted last month at the Detroit Auto Show. Using that sedan as its canvas, the new SHO may also restore respect to a name that has fallen too far. A 365-hp twin-turbo EcoBoost V6, all-wheel-drive and plenty of upgrades is a good place to start. Follow the jump to learn everything there is to know about the return of the SHO.
Ford is currently in the process of stuffing its new 3.5L EcoBoost V6 into any that fits. The Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and upcoming Lincoln MKT are all getting it. Being based on the same platform as the MKS, it was a no-brainer that the redesigned 2010 Taurus would also get the twin-turbo, direct-inject engine that Ford promises will deliver V8 power with V6 fuel economy. Rather than simply affix the EcoBoost badge to the Taurus' trunk and call it a day, Ford product planners decided that this model would be the perfect vehicle to once again wear the letters S-H-O.
That model designation originally meant Super High Output, which definitely applies to the modern version. Whereas the original SHO used a high-revving 220-hp 3.0L V6 (later a 235-hp 3.4L V8) developed and built by Yamaha, the new SHO's advanced engine turns a relatively small 3.5 liters of displacement displacement and a lot of pressure into 365 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 350 ft.-lb of torque at 3,500 rpm. That makes this version of Ford's 3.5L EcoBoost V6 the most powerful one available with 10 more horsepower than its other applications.
Unlike the original SHO, however, this new one is about much more than just the engine. Backing up the potent powerplant is a torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system mated to Ford's 6F55 six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. The tranny is augmented by a manual mode that can be controlled either by the console shifter or paddle shifters, and will also rev match downshifts and hold gears even when the tach is bouncing off the engine's redline.
The SHO further separates itself from lesser Taurus models with a beefed up suspension that includes SHO-specific shock absorbers, springs, stabilizer bars and strut mount bushings. Furthermore, the new SHO also features Ford's new SR1 suspension setup with MacPherson front struts and a multi-link set up in the rear. We'll have to wait for a test drive to determine for sure, but the SHO's suspension should be noticeably sharper than that of the standard Taurus and its other platform-mate, the Lincoln MKS. There will even be an optional Performance Package that includes better brake pads, recalibrated steering, a "Sport Mode" for the stability control system and shorter 3.16 to 1 final drive ratio. Nineteen-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle rubber will be standard, while 20-inchers wearing Michelin high-performance summer tires will also be available.
New wheels are one of only a few items that will visually set the SHO apart from lesser Taurus trim levels. The grille features a dark grey finish that matches the wheels and new parking lamp bevels are SHO-only items. There's also a decklid spoiler out back along with a simple SHO/EcoBoost badge on the trunk lid. One of the exclusive colors available will also be Atlantis Green, which Ford says was inspired by the Deep Emerald Green seen on many second-generation (1992-1995) SHO models.
While the exterior styling adheres to the same sleeper philosophy as the original, the new SHO interior is a bit more outgoing. The seats are leather-trimmed and two-tone with Mike Suede inserts, which Ford proudly points out are produced from post-consumer yarns made of plastic soda bottles. The dash and door panels also feature acres of aluminum trim, and SHO branding appears on the floor mats and passenger-side dash panel.
Those are basically the lengths to which Ford has gone to transform its new Taurus into a modern day interpretation of the original SHO. There is some bad news, however, some of which will likely not go over well with the SHO faithful who live on websites like SHOtimes.com, SHOforum.com and BringBackTheSHO.com, and who Ford also claims it listened to during the car's development.
For one, the original Yamaha 3.0L V6 (upper left) was one of the most gorgeous engines ever created with an overlapping system of intake runners that is a marvel to behold. The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 in the new version (upper right) is covered by a boring, black plastic shroud with SHO branding. Also, aside from the aforementioned availability of a SHO-inspired shade of green, there's not much that visually connects the new car to the original. Though the first- and second-gen SHOs did not look drastically different than a standard Taurus, there were certain SHO elements that have become associated with the car, specifically the "slicer" wheels that debuted in '90/'91 and were standard on all second-gen models.
Then there's the question of whether another Ford product might have been a more appropriate choice for a modern day SHO. The Fusion, for instance, is smaller, lighter and less expensive than the current Taurus. While the redesigned 2010 Fusion does offer a Sport model with a big V6, we envision a more balanced Fusion SHO that honors the original with front-wheel-drive, a manual transmission and high output 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder. It might be nice, but it's not the way Ford went.
The 2010 Ford Taurus SHO will start at $37,995 when it goes on sale this summer. That's a lofty price tag for a Taurus, but not for a 365-hp, all-wheel-drive sedan stuffed with this much tech and luxury. The original SHO stickered for just under $20,000 in late 1988, which was also considered a big premium to pay for Ford's bread-and-butter family sedan. But auto pundits of the day quickly realized that the SHO was a performance bargain compared to more expensive cars from brands like BMW. Based on what we've learned so far, the same thing will likely be said of the new one.
