First Drive: 2010 Ford Taurus SHO

I agree with compliance. I'd love to see this powertrain dropped into the Fusion.

No matter how good it is, I doubt it will match the legend of the original.

I think what made the original special is it looked almost exactly like a regular Taurus and it only had a manual.

That way it sold exclusively to car guys. People who want image want more flash and less effort.

Like the 2nd gen SHO, the new one will sell to the sort that walk into the dealer and just automatically order every option. "Which is the most expensive Taurus? ... The SHO?... I'll take that one".

Good for making money, not for making legends.

G8 wont be around to compete and G8 cannot compete with this level of technology and equipment. Aside from CTS-V this may be the best American sedan on the market. It really doesnt have many direct competitors because of its size but I'd take it over the ugly TL any day.

A G8 is more of a purist's car, as in the driving experience is all that matter, all of the go and none of the toys. This is more on the level of a CTS-V. By that, I mean that it'll go fast and handle well but carry it's occupants in luxury with all the technology you could want. The original SHO was more like the G8.

"350 pound-feet arrives way down at 1,500 revs and holds steady all the way up to 5,250 rpm"

This part still impresses me. Kinda makes me wonder if you need a 6-speed.

4300+ lbs.

It needs the 6 speed! :)

the car is heavy but its also huge. Bigger than G8 or Genesis or 300.

I love it, but it seems a little heavier than it needs to be. My 2000 Dodge Intrepid was the same length but weighed in at around 3500 lbs. Add 200 lbs for the AWD and 100 lbs or so for the engine goodies, and the Intrepid would still weigh 500+ lbs less. Imagine the performance if Ford would put the Taurus on a diet!

"G8 cannot compete with this level of technology and equipment"

The G8 is a big heavy car with a big heavy V8 engine and it still weighs 300 lbs less then the Taurus.

I think maybe the Taurus has too much technology and equipment.

"G8 cannot compete with this level of technology and equipment."

Well, how closely does the group that wants monster engines in their cars overlap with the group that wants tech and toys? If you want tech you don't even need to buy the SHO version, so that's not really what a shootout with the G8 is about. I couldn't care less about Sync personally.

I suppose most people want power and toys, but most of us are also bound by a budget and have to choose. I'd choose the G8 (on paper). People who don't have a budget will choose Bimmers. Who is this SHO aimed at again? I don't think it really excels at anything, even if it seems good at a lot of things.

I wonder how worried Ford is about the Genesis. The more I think about it the more it feels like that is its closest competitor.

Arumage, you also have to add the weight of probably 8 airbags, plus (likely) thicker glass (for a quieter interior) and various other body stiffening reinforcement.

"The G8 is a big heavy car with a big heavy V8 engine and it still weighs 300 lbs less then the Taurus.

I think maybe the Taurus has too much technology and equipment"

compared to what? This level of equipment is expected in a $40k car. The TL and GErman cars have this type of equipment. The TL is 8" shorter and much smaller and weighs about 4000lbs.

compliance:

You are really oversimplifying things. According to you people will only buy the G8 or a BMW. Actually no full sized BMW model is available for anything close to the price of the SHO. And what about the Avalon, Lucerne, Genesis, 300/Charger? The SHO can't steal sales from those models?