Ford Taurus ‘SHO’ to make Chicago Auto Show debut
December 31st, 1969
Fast factory versions of frumpy family sedans are nothing new - they've been around almost as long as the industry has - but few really capture the mind of the auto enthusiast like the Ford Taurus SHO (Super High Output) did during the 1990s. Perhaps because it was one of the few American takes on the concept at the time, or perhaps because it was simply a quick and fun sedan, but whatever it was SHO fans are still clamoring for a revival.
Those fans may finally get their wish as Ford is expected to launch a new SHO model, based on the 2010 Taurus sedan, at next week’s Chicago Auto Show. Ford has given us the first clue that a performance version of the Taurus will be coming this month, with the company announcing a ‘Performance Series’ under the ‘Key Features’ section on its official site for the new Taurus. Adding to the speculation, the guys at Jalopnik previously managed to get their hands on several images of an incomplete SHO-badged dashboard taken at an unknown Ford design studio.
While Ford is yet to confirm the new Performance Series is actually a SHO model, the upcoming car will almost certainly benefit from the company's first EcoBoost engine – a 3.5L direct-injected and turbocharged V6 with an estimated 350hp (261kW) and 350lb-ft (474Nm) of torque. According to AutoWeek, the latest Taurus SHO will look almost the same as the standard model barring a few badges and custom exhaust tips.
Ford's first-generation Taurus SHO was initially centered around a stock of Yamaha-designed 3.0L V6 engines intended for a sporty two-seater that was killed off before it reached production. Since Ford still had the engines, it decided to use them for the SHO, its hottest version of what was, at the time, the world's best-selling car. Starting in 1989, production ran for three generations over a decade, ending in 1999. By the end the car was almost unrecognizable, however.
The first two generations excelled with manual transmissions and high-output (for the time) V6s. For the third model, built from 1996-1999, a V8 making about the same power as the V6 it replaced was specified, but the manual transmission was removed as an option. Declining popularity and sales that never passed 9,000 units per year meant this was the last generation of the SHO.2010 Ford Taurus sedan
Fast factory versions of frumpy family sedans are nothing new - they've been around almost as long as the industry has - but few really capture the mind of the auto enthusiast like the Ford Taurus SHO (Super High Output) did during the 1990s. Perhaps because it was one of the few American takes on the concept at the time, or perhaps because it was simply a quick and fun sedan, but whatever it was SHO fans are still clamoring for a revival.
Those fans may finally get their wish as Ford is expected to launch a new SHO model, based on the 2010 Taurus sedan, at next week’s Chicago Auto Show. Ford has given us the first clue that a performance version of the Taurus will be coming this month, with the company announcing a ‘Performance Series’ under the ‘Key Features’ section on its official site for the new Taurus. Adding to the speculation, the guys at Jalopnik previously managed to get their hands on several images of an incomplete SHO-badged dashboard taken at an unknown Ford design studio.
While Ford is yet to confirm the new Performance Series is actually a SHO model, the upcoming car will almost certainly benefit from the company's first EcoBoost engine – a 3.5L direct-injected and turbocharged V6 with an estimated 350hp (261kW) and 350lb-ft (474Nm) of torque. According to AutoWeek, the latest Taurus SHO will look almost the same as the standard model barring a few badges and custom exhaust tips.
Ford's first-generation Taurus SHO was initially centered around a stock of Yamaha-designed 3.0L V6 engines intended for a sporty two-seater that was killed off before it reached production. Since Ford still had the engines, it decided to use them for the SHO, its hottest version of what was, at the time, the world's best-selling car. Starting in 1989, production ran for three generations over a decade, ending in 1999. By the end the car was almost unrecognizable, however.
The first two generations excelled with manual transmissions and high-output (for the time) V6s. For the third model, built from 1996-1999, a V8 making about the same power as the V6 it replaced was specified, but the manual transmission was removed as an option. Declining popularity and sales that never passed 9,000 units per year meant this was the last generation of the SHO.
Ford Taurus ‘SHO’ to make Chicago Auto Show debut
February 5th, 2009
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February 5th, 2009
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February 5th, 2009
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Those fans may finally get their wish as Ford is expected to launch a new SHO model, based on the 2010 Taurus sedan, at next week’s Chicago Auto Show. Ford has given us the first clue that a performance version of the Taurus will be coming this month, with the company announcing a ‘Performance Series’ under the ‘Key Features’ section on its official site for the new Taurus. Adding to the speculation, the guys at Jalopnik previously managed to get their hands on several images of an incomplete SHO-badged dashboard taken at an unknown Ford design studio.
While Ford is yet to confirm the new Performance Series is actually a SHO model, the upcoming car will almost certainly benefit from the company's first EcoBoost engine – a 3.5L direct-injected and turbocharged V6 with an estimated 350hp (261kW) and 350lb-ft (474Nm) of torque. According to AutoWeek, the latest Taurus SHO will look almost the same as the standard model barring a few badges and custom exhaust tips.
Ford's first-generation Taurus SHO was initially centered around a stock of Yamaha-designed 3.0L V6 engines intended for a sporty two-seater that was killed off before it reached production. Since Ford still had the engines, it decided to use them for the SHO, its hottest version of what was, at the time, the world's best-selling car. Starting in 1989, production ran for three generations over a decade, ending in 1999. By the end the car was almost unrecognizable, however.
The first two generations excelled with manual transmissions and high-output (for the time) V6s. For the third model, built from 1996-1999, a V8 making about the same power as the V6 it replaced was specified, but the manual transmission was removed as an option. Declining popularity and sales that never passed 9,000 units per year meant this was the last generation of the SHO.
2010 Ford Taurus sedan
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Comments (15 total)
Meet the top commenters on the LeaderboardBy chris #1, Posted: 5/8/2008
so basically we're talking about an XR5 mondeo, but with a nice 3.5L V6 and AWD maybe? that would be hardly enough to sell the car as a faster option to the 3.5L thats available in the camry.
better go with the 400 hp ecoboosted 3.5L with a 6 speed manual or paddle shift auto. full time (rear favoured) AWD is a must. should sell for 40k easily.
basically a ford version of the MKS,... cept less boring.
hey heres a good question.. the 2010 taurus is going to be the mondeo, which is the same car as the 6, which is how ford got the fusion. so the taurus (mondeo) is a midsized car (like taurus of the past was)... but they want to replace the current taurus with the mondeo? the taurus now is a full sized sedan. what gives? are we going to have the fusion (aka last gen mondeo) selling as a "cheap" mid size and the current mondeo (taurus) selling as the "nice" mid/full size?
what the heck has ford stuffed in their crack pipe this time? why not make the 2009 (read new) fusion the mondeo (with mash-up styling like the current focus) and then just reskin the "taurus" (volvo S80) like their doing with the MKS: to be more exciting (instead of "handsome" aka ugly like the S80)
By Gus #2, Posted: 5/8/2008
I agree, the Taurus needs to remain a larger car.
Looks good, though.
By chris #3, Posted: 5/8/2008
yeah,.. at this point in time, the "taurus" is now a large car. the fusion is now ford's midsize. you'll just confuse people even more if you switch THOSE two names around... just for historical accuracy.
the point here is that the mondeo has been a constant. It's always been a mid sized car. taurus used to be a mid sized car, and then got bumped up to a full sized sedan.... when ford brought the mondeo here and called it the contour. now fords going to use the mondeo as a "taurus" and sell it as a "large serdan"?
which leads into the next question.. are they skinning our current taurus to look like the mondeo... or was that ACTUALLY the mondeo we saw about a month ago now?
no wonder mullaly wants to simplify stuff. my head's spinning just thinking of it
By Gus #4, Posted: 5/8/2008
There should be three cars:
Focus (Euro)
Fusion (Mondeo)
Taurus (500)
That's it, done, finished. There is no more Crown Victoria, and people want to have a big car to choose from. Keep it simple, but offer tons of options so people can buy a ridiculuously cheap version or one that has every option known to man in the same vehicle. This is what Ford is good at. Get to it.
Should go with the Euro ST moniker, this car is too large and heavy to carry on the SHo name plate
Ford is really changing their ways, i'm very impressed with the new fusion and i always liked the classy interior of the taurus. If i had any say in this car, i would most definetly aprove of it.
If Ford is true to their word, I will relaunch SHO SHOP again.
Vadim.
Gus, the only reason Ford is keeping the Crown Vic (current design almost 2 decades old) is to provide the cops with a rugged cheap RWD V8, there is no way any police dept. is going to buy the Taurus(500) since it's FWD and underpowered. Ford doesn't want to lose it's biggest customer. However, I agree we should have the euro Focus and Mondeo.
The local police departments have moved to the FWD Chevy Impala while the sheriff departments seem to prefer the Dodge Charger.
The Crown Victoria is a slug. The Police Interceptor version only makes 250 HP, weighs 4158 lb, and is rated at 14/21 MPG
The Chevy Impala Police makes 233 HP, weighs 3700 lb, and is rated at 17/27 MPG
The Dodge Charger Police can be had with a 250 HP V6 or a 355 HP V8 and weighs 3898 lb.
The Ford Taurus makes 263 HP, weighs 3741 lb, and is rated at 18/28 MPG. It is also available with AWD and has the same passenger and cargo room as the Crown Vic. I see no downside to replacing the Crown Vic with the Taurus.
^JSH, the taurus is not exactly a cheap car base price starting at 24k. with the police package, this may push it up to 27k. With this amount of money you can get a charger with a 250hp v6 that was designed for a sportcar so it would be faster than the taurus.
JSH.. i've found that my local PDs have tried the chargers and impalas and moved back to the crown vics. typically they run these cars for 100k miles and then sell them.. and i suspect that they're finding that the crown vic is a proven platform, and rugged as hell, where as the other two vehicles were developed to be consumer goods.
dont just look at the horse power figures. the crown vic chucks out a lot of torque. pitting your interceptor cars in a race actually yields pretty similar results really.
The Crown Vic wasn't an inexpensive car either. It was discontinued in 2008 but base MSRP for 2007 was $24,600.
I'm not just looking at HP:
Crown Vic 250 HP / 297 lb-ft w/ 4 speed auto
Impala 233 HP / 240 lb-ft w/ 4 speed auto
Charger V6 250 HP / 250 lb-ft w/ 5 speed auto
Charger V8 355 HP / 395 lb-ft w/ 5 speed auto
Taurus 263 HP / 249 lb-ft w/ 6 speed auto
I suspect all these vehicles, with the exception of the V8 Charger, are within 1/2 a second in 0-60 acceleration.
Where I live most of the police cars are still Crown Vics, whereas the Charger is used mostly by State troopers. However, I have seen everything from Impalas to Camaros to Dodge Intrepids(as unmarked cars). There's even a Dodge Challenger used in the county next door, what a lucky cop! My point is, the vast majority of cars used by the police are still Crown Vics.
WHY? I would suggest waiting untill the economy is doing allot better.
mburleigh8, even in a down economy there wil be people willing to pay for a car like this.
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