2010 Ford Taurus SHO Possibly In The Works, Ford SHOpping Idea To Focus Groups
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2010 Ford Taurus SHO Possibly In The Works, Ford SHOpping Idea To Focus Groups
http://jalopnik.com/388069/2010-ford...o-focus-groups
I have issue with the Ford people using the 300, Charger and Impala. How about a new Accord, G8, and Maxima?!?!
The Ford staff assembled were given a chance to ask us specific questions about their individual area of expertise, as in wheels, seats, paint colors etc.
Then we were let loose on the assembled Ford people to just talk and mingle. In talking with one rep, he was floored that virtually every one of us put ROAD/ TRACK performance over straight line/drag performance. He had somehow gotten the opinion that the original SHO was all about the drags. Glad we caught that one. Drags are fun, but track days and overall handling is much more important.
Of course engines and drivelines were discussed, and here the group was less of a single mind, with likes running from 400+ hp twin turbo revvers, to 5.4L torque monsters with and without blowers! I commented that with $4 a gallon gas soon to be reality, maybe something in the 280-300 hp range with GREAT handling, style and quality and decent MPG would be relevant. I think most of us agreed that gimmicks were less desired over things like great brakes, suspension, gauges, seats (gen 1 and II style seats with bolsters were a big request) and a unique engine to the SHO at least in the Taurus/Sable line were high points and things like "I-Drive" GPS and other tech things were down on the list. Trying to keep weight down was also a big point with most people. Oddly, we left out a big desire of the previous early focus groups, a hand emergency brake. Maybe it isn't important anymore?
Then we were let loose on the assembled Ford people to just talk and mingle. In talking with one rep, he was floored that virtually every one of us put ROAD/ TRACK performance over straight line/drag performance. He had somehow gotten the opinion that the original SHO was all about the drags. Glad we caught that one. Drags are fun, but track days and overall handling is much more important.
Of course engines and drivelines were discussed, and here the group was less of a single mind, with likes running from 400+ hp twin turbo revvers, to 5.4L torque monsters with and without blowers! I commented that with $4 a gallon gas soon to be reality, maybe something in the 280-300 hp range with GREAT handling, style and quality and decent MPG would be relevant. I think most of us agreed that gimmicks were less desired over things like great brakes, suspension, gauges, seats (gen 1 and II style seats with bolsters were a big request) and a unique engine to the SHO at least in the Taurus/Sable line were high points and things like "I-Drive" GPS and other tech things were down on the list. Trying to keep weight down was also a big point with most people. Oddly, we left out a big desire of the previous early focus groups, a hand emergency brake. Maybe it isn't important anymore?
Last edited by Evil_Capri; May 7, 2008 at 11:48 AM.
Or maybe more like the Audi S4. In fact, with AWD and an uprated Ecoboost 3.5, they could be very similar cars for '10 (Audi is going back to a blown V6 for the S4). Add a stick, decent suspension and brakes and some sport'n seats and Ford could have a working man's S4.
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I was thinking S4, but couldn't make my fingers type it. I was trying to keep relative the cost of the competition, but I agree with you 100%. The S4 would be a perfect bench . . . . if a new SHO were to have AWD.
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Blue II dropped a hint over on BON that the SHO (and the MKR) will be GRWD based with an Ecoboost engine. He has some inside connections at Ford but it sounds too good to be true to me.
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I'd love to see a new SHO. I had a 95 SHO 5 speed and loved that car...and hated it when it broke, but overall a great car. The sketch above looks like a reskinned MAzda 6, which I would bet would be the Ford SHO if they come out with one.
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Nope. It's based on the leaked photo of the next Taurus.
I certainly hope so!!!!!!!
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Possible, but SVT SHO is a bit of a kludge and losing SHO from the name defeats the purpose of the car. IMO, they should do like the GT-500 and have a couple understated SVT badges but no SVT in the name.
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Large sedan performance cars don't quite seem to cut it, kind of hard to make such a large vehicle feel truely sporty.
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Good point, especially at the intended price point. Seems a new SHO (if based on current chassis) could be relative (no FMC family pun intended) to the now extinct S60R, albeit with more HP (allegedly.)
Well, perhaps Audi S6, size-wise, but maybe a touch more S4 in spirit. As for large performance sedans not cutting it, maybe I show you to the Pontiac G8, the Dodge Charger R/T and SRT8, the BMW M5 or the aforementioned Audi S4 and S6. While these perhaps lack a bit of the sporty feel of a Lotus Exige, I do think they retain more than enough to cut it, as it were.
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Well, perhaps Audi S6, size-wise, but maybe a touch more S4 in spirit. As for large performance sedans not cutting it, maybe I show you to the Pontiac G8, the Dodge Charger R/T and SRT8, the BMW M5 or the aforementioned Audi S4 and S6. While these perhaps lack a bit of the sporty feel of a Lotus Exige, I do think they retain more than enough to cut it, as it were.
The Taurus is almost 2 feet longer than a S4
The Taurus is bigger than an A8.
car - length - width - height
A4 - 180.6" - 68.9" - 56.2"
A6 - 193.5" - 71.2" - 57.4"
A8 - 199.3" - 74.6" - 56.9"
Taur -201.8" -74.5" - 61.5"
In regards to performance & true sports car type feel, the Charger R/T and G8 are not in the same league as an S4. It is flat out impossible to make a large car respond like a smaller car.
While I agree that Ford should sell a performance version of the Taurus, anybody who thinks that the 202" long Taurus could ever have the same spirit and feel of the foot shorter, 1/4 tom lighter original SHO is dreaming.
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