Ford holds Taurus SHO focus group in Chicago... what does it mean???
Click above for gallery of more modern Taurus SHO renderings
Being an avid Super High Output fan, any news of a Taurus SHO return gets my imagination going. Should it be FWD, AWD, or RWD? V8-powered or have a twin-turbo V6 underhood? Should it be light and handle well or compensate for its mass with awesome amounts of power? I ask these questions to myself, but last Monday a group of 11 Chicago area SHO fanatics were asked those same questions by members of the Taurus program from Ford.
As told by Don Mallinson on V8Sho.com, the story goes that this band of brothers participated in a focus group and had their brains picked for an evening about what makes a SHO a SHO, and if the much missed name were to be resurrected, what should the car be like today? Mallinson is clear that he and the focus group participants did not see a prototype, sketches of a prototype, or anything else that would confirm development is well on its way. The experience was pretty much a one-way street of questions, but these 11 people may have influenced Ford's decision to bring back the SHO and, if so, in what way. Such an awesome responsibility, I probably couldn't handle it.
Gallery: 2009 Ford Taurus SHO Concept
[Source: V8SHO.com via Jalopnik]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
LMBVette 1:37PM (5/07/2008)
I dig the Mercury Marauder wheels and blacked out grille of the 'chop.
I hope they bring back the SHO, I was always a fan.
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MemphisNET 1:39PM (5/07/2008)
Agreed to the Marauder styling.
RWD, V8 or Turbo 6, 300HP min.
Tool 2:15PM (5/07/2008)
Doing a Taurus SHO now would serve as a good halo car for Ford, but probably wouldn't result in a lot of sales.
There is always an audience who is into performance and it would probably enhance the Taurus brand. And considering that there is no real performance car in the Ford line-up other than the Mustang, doing a SHO would be a good move, especially if Ford could simply stuff a decent V8 into it and do it relatively inexpensively.
Frank 8:13PM (5/07/2008)
+ 1, fo sho.
Sean Flanagan 1:44PM (5/07/2008)
John,
I could hear your head exploding all the way over here in New Jersey.
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Ligor 1:48PM (5/07/2008)
that c-pillar is a styling killer for this car no matter what the rest looks like
those tail lights also need so me help
I say make it AWD with the 3.7L V6 and Turbos on it
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Hank 1:51PM (5/07/2008)
AWD NA v8 power, as it should be!
Rick 2:54PM (5/07/2008)
Why does everything need a huge engine to satifiying? A turbo 4 would be plenty fun and help on gas. I don't understand this 'has to have a 6 or an 8 to be cool mentality'.
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Justin 4:04PM (5/07/2008)
Listen to a loud 4 cylinder and a loud v8. That is why some of us prefer a v8
Judy Zik 8:55PM (5/07/2008)
You have seen the Taurus right? That is one big car. It would eat a 4 cylinder engine for breakfast. There is a reason why car makers don't put 4 cylinder engines in Minivans anymore. The strain murders the engines and in real world conditions a 4 Cylinder engine straining to pull too much weight saves you little or no gas over a 6.
If they build a new SHO it will be AWD and and Twinforce (Eco whatever) V6. No way a low volume seller like the SHO is going to have the kind of sales to pay off development costs for going RWD.
There is some irony to all the people saying they can't make a SHO out of the current Taurus. Sounds a lot like the comments people made about the original SHO that Ford couldn't make a sports sedan out of the old Taurus. They can and if they do it will have the same halo effect on the new Taurus that the old SHO gave the old Taurus.
MikeW 2:27PM (5/08/2008)
No, it is time for four cylinder engines to return to minivans.
Toyota could/should put the new 2.7 I4 + 6 speed automatic into the Sienna.
How many minivans had their four cylinder engines coupled to 5 or 6 speed automatics? or double clutch, or CVT, or any other modern transmission?
When Ford has their EcoBoost 2.0, it should go into the Taurus.
Say 250hp I4, then a mid-level engine could be a direct injected 300hp 3.7 V6, and a top level engine could be the EcoBoost 350hp 3.5 V6.
Though if gas prices go to $6 a gallon, the 3.0 V6 should return, and $8, the 2.5 I4 should appear [with appropriately short gearing]
Jared 1:51PM (5/07/2008)
Though I love the thought of a new SHO, I have a feeling that if it were done the way that it has been discussed with the current Taurus, it would most likely be unsuccesful. It would be like the latest GTO. Enthusiasts begged for a Holden for the American market, but it wasn't done right. The Taurus needs a different platform first, lighter and smaller. A Fusion SHO with a turbo 4 would be great. I would love to see a Fusion similar to the Mazdaspeed3.
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Nick 1:52PM (5/07/2008)
The former Taurus SHO was a midsized sedan. The current Taurus is larger than many ski boats. A high performance SHO makes about as much sense as a high performance SUV, Pick-up, or Semi-truck. There is a market, but a small one for people who don't understand basic physics (more weight = bad)
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89sho 2:01PM (5/07/2008)
The old Taurus was 2-tons and the new one is two tons. the new one just has more room and a larger fuel tank...
Yes it would be nice to have a focus with a Twin-Turbo V6 but not as practical!
simianspeedster 2:33PM (5/07/2008)
"The old Taurus was 2-tons and the new one is two tons. the new one just has more room and a larger fuel tank..."
Flat wrong (and odd coming from a guy whose username is 89sho). The original SHO weighed between 3,300 and 3,500 lbs. 500+ lbs. is a BIG difference!
http://www.shotimes.com/php-bin/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0&sid=26
BTW, I think a new SHO would be a horrible idea for Ford given their current situation. They'd be better off importing the hottest edition of the Mondeo.
-SimianSpeedster
Jared 3:17PM (5/07/2008)
I agree with Simian. Skip the SHO. Bring us the Modeo instead.
89sho 1:55PM (5/07/2008)
I loved my 89' SHO and would love to have a 2010 SHO with ECO-Boost 3.5L twin-turbo's spinning up to 415-hp please...
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Igor Holas 4:21PM (5/07/2008)
350hp / 350ft/lbs
the 400+hp versions of the 3.5l v6 EB are reserved for RWD applicaitons - Ford does not have the transmissions to handle such power (and the D3 platform has problems handling such power as well)
the EcoBoost Taurus is all but confirmed .... the only question remains:
SHO Taurus
or
SVT Taurus
...
Igor
theo 1:55PM (5/07/2008)
V8, RWD/AWD is the only way they could go, since the return of the SHO would have the G8 as a direct competitor. Anything else would be an also-ran.
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89sho 2:03PM (5/07/2008)
I loved my 89' SHO and would love to have a 2010 SHO with ECO-Boost 3.5L twin-turbo's spinning up to 415-hp please...
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