Click above for high-res gallery of the BringBacktheSHO Concept V2
We heard yesterday from a group of Ford Taurus SHO fans who were questioned in a focus group by Ford employees working on the next Taurus program, so we know that the Blue Oval is at least considering a high performance version of the next Taurus. Combine that with a grainy cell phone pic we posted of what could be a design study for the next Taurus and you've got fertile elements for our friends over at BringBacktheSHO.com who specialize in letting their imaginations run wild. Ryan Pasch who runs the website actually attended the focus group in question earlier this week, so these renderings based off of that grainy camera phone pic may be more accurate than we realize. Pasch calls the car in his renders the BringBacktheSHO Concept V2, and judging from the pics in our gallery below, we're as ready for the SHO's triumphant return as he his.
[Source: BringBacktheSHO]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Koko @ May 8th 2008 10:34AM
The rendered speculation looks great IMO. I still can't believe people love the old "SHO". It would be great to see Ford come out with a great looking Tauras like that. Time will tell.
Volk @ May 8th 2008 9:45PM
too vanilla to my taste
Derek @ May 8th 2008 11:38PM
That was the point of the SHO. A regular looking family sedan that could blow the doors off any comparable sedan of the time and many sportscars as well. If you are looking for a "look at me" car, the SHO was never your thing.
nick @ May 8th 2008 10:37AM
My brother had one, I remember two things about it. First the shifter was the worlds world, it was jello, you couldn't feel the gears. Secondly it had those cool butterfly values, I think the old ZR1s had them as well. At a certain RPM they would open and the engine would take off. It was cool. Besides that, it was a POS.
MUSASHI66 @ May 8th 2008 10:47AM
You don't like 220hp out of 3L engine in 1990? Some BMW models didn't have that until recently, with a same size engine.
PS. You probably mean "valves", not values.
Joe @ May 8th 2008 10:53AM
Yeah...when it came out, it was the fastest affordable four door sedan available, from this country or any other.
Also, they're called secondaries. The first gen 3.0L Duratec also has them, as did the V8 SHO motor. They're tons of fun when they open, and they make the motor SCREAM. The second gen Duratec doesn't have them, however, as it has oval port induction. It moves the torque curve around to where it's more usable, but you don't get that extra kick at 3800 RPM.
Koko @ May 8th 2008 11:11AM
I guess I never really got into the engine technology or performance figures. I was looking at it as the same run of the mill Tauras that was available at the time. Poor quality, bland styling, a terrible interior both looks and feel. FWIW...I drive a Ford at the moment so it's not that I hate them!
MUSASHI66 @ May 8th 2008 11:34AM
Mine just about fell apart at 95K miles... but I still have good memories of that car.... when it worked :) Unfortunately, that car and 1996 escort are the two cars that made me dislike American made cars because of horrible reliability.
That One Person @ May 8th 2008 5:39PM
Heck, I still see quite a few SHOs running around in great condition (most 92-95s and 96-99s).
I came close to buying a 95 with 60k miles on it. No rust. Interior was in perfect condition. Ran like a dream. A neighbor has a sister with a 94 that I would LOVE to get my hands on. The SHOs I didn't like were the V-8 versions. I rarely see one that is in good shape and the whole reliability issue turns me off....but they are fun to drive.
Oh and MUSHA, I dunno about your Escort but mine (94 wagon) was a beast.
Wally @ May 8th 2008 10:53AM
Looks like a big Scion Tc
ugg.tryptophan @ May 8th 2008 2:45PM
yes
dewfish @ May 8th 2008 10:54AM
I think I agree with nick on this one. There is no real reason to bring this car back except for a few nostalgia fanatics. Considering gas prices and the economy, the taurus will likely come back as a competitor for a camry or an accord. Why would ford spend money trying to turn a taurus into a sportscar when they already have a well-established sports car?
Paul @ May 8th 2008 11:00AM
good point but with DI and turbo you can bring back a sporty sedan that puts power to the ground efficiently... not saying they will but they could...
MUSASHI66 @ May 8th 2008 11:31AM
Mazda had MazdaSPEED6. Chevy has Impala SS. With Pontiac, you can get their top of the line G6 and soon you'll be able to get G8 with more potent engines. To stop here, many manufacturers do a top of the line car that is sportier and more powerful then the rest of the lineup. If Ford comes out with the new Taurus that has AWD, whats the harm in recalibrating the system to have sportier feel, adding some go fast parts and making a SHO out of it? It will get more press than Taurus, if they make it right, it will get the right kind of coverage, it might be just what Ford needs.
dewfish @ May 8th 2008 11:41AM
they alrerady have a car thats sportier and more powerful than the rest of the lineup. Its called a Mustang. They don't even have to promote it much. From what I hear, its a fairly popular car.
MUSASHI66 @ May 8th 2008 12:20PM
Try squeezing 2 kids in car seats and their strollers in the trunk, plus your wife in a Mustang, and you will see why an idea of a sport sedan makes sense. There are plenty of people that like some sport in their cars, and they can't use a coupe.
dewfish @ May 8th 2008 1:45PM
even if taurus went the "sport sedan" route, it would be more sedan than sport. In other words, a competitor for camrys and accords. If you want speed, buy speed; if you want family, buy family. stop expecting everything out of one car. buy a good, reliable car for the family, and then get a used, cheap sportscar for when you want to speed.
pmalik @ May 8th 2008 10:58AM
I talked to a lady that runs the promotional division of ford and she said the new-new Taurus is awesome. They've had focus groups and dealers come take a look at it and they all loved it.
porterror @ May 8th 2008 11:17AM
Wait...a ford promotional person saying something from ford is awesome? never heard of that! maybe cause it's her job to say that?
Bart @ May 8th 2008 10:58AM
That's an extremely bad photoshop mash up between an A4 and a Mondeo. The grainy cell phone pic has a more pronounced front facia with narrower headlamps. Ignoring that, I dont think the chrome and mesh grille from the Mondeo would blow over to the US. If this design were accurate, you'd be better off just bringing over the Euro Mondeo with ST version.