Bring back the SHO, baby!

click above image for renderings of the 2009 Ford Taurus SHO Concept

Those that know me are well aware of my infatuation with the Ford Taurus SHO. Those not among the automotive literati scoff that I would waste my affections on a Taurus, but those in the know realize that in 1989 Ford introduced a pivotal sports sedan with a gem of a motor called the Taurus SHO, a.k.a. Super High Output. With the reemergence of the Taurus name in 2008, we've already had fun speculating what a SHO version of the new Taurus might look like. Some folks who are as serious about the SHO as I am have gone one step further, however, and created a website, the sole purpose of which is to convince Ford to once again produce a Taurus SHO.

Bringbackthesho.com (BBTS) went live on February 11th immediately following the announcement at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show that the Five-Hundred would henceforth be known as the Taurus. The BBTS site features concept renderings of what a 2009 Taurus SHO might look like (see gallery below courtesy of BBTS), all convincing and attractive IMHO. It also features a section discussing possible engine candidates that include the 4.4L V8 from Yamaha that's a distant cousin of the last SHO motor and currently used in the Volvo XC90, as well as the concept TwinForce motor introduced in the Lincoln MKR concept. You can brush up on your SHO history and even watch an original commercial for the Gen. 1 Taurus SHO!

[Source: Bringbacktheshow.com]
View 9 Photos


Realizing that the deck is stacked against them, the BBTS community is doing whatever it can to force Ford to consider a new SHO model. The forum is where actions are discussed, with one member even emailing the former head of SVT, Hau Thai-Tang, urging him to support the project. Ford, however, is not really in a financial position to spend money on niche projects. The point of BBTS, however, is to convince the Blue Oval brass that this niche project could have a profound positive effect on the company, and we agree completely.

If you want to throw your weight behind this effort, sign up with BBTS as a member for free and stand among the many that want to see this car return.

Thanks for the tip, Josh!

Share This Photo X