Driven: 2013 Ford Taurus SHO… It’s SHO-time!

Aug. 19, 2012 - PRLog -- When talk turns to fun cars to drive, seldom does a 4-door sedan enter into the mix.  The Ford Taurus SHO might, and it should.  With a 365-hp / 350-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve “EcoBoost” V6 engine under the hood, the 2013 Taurus SHO pulls like a V8.  A 6-speed automatic is in charge of switching gears, and AWD keeps the car pointed in the direction you want it.  0 to 60 MPH happens in 5.1 seconds, the Quarter Mile in 13.5 seconds, and the car will keep accelerating if you are working towards an epic speeding ticket.  This car moves.  The most amazing thing is that not only are we talking about a roomy 5-passenger, 4-door sedan, but one that weighs almost 4,400 pounds.

Our 2013 Ford Taurus SHO test car was not equipped with the Performance Package, which adds some go-faster goodies, but it did have the gigantic 20-inch wheel option.  It is these wheels which lets everyone know there is something special about this car.  They may not know what a SHO is, but they cannot ignore these in-your-face wheels.  Besides looking great, the wheels (wrapped in low-profile tires) also help to keep this big boy stuck to the road like glue.  Stand on the brakes while doing 60 MPH, and you will be standing still in 106 feet.  That’s saying something in a car which weighs over 2 tons.

Driving the car is a lot of fun.  The cabin is whisper-quiet (with the sound system turned off), but you can hear the burble of the dual exhaust even during routine driving.  Spirited driving will reward your ears with wonderful growling exhaust sounds which typically only come from smaller sporty coupes.  Shifts are crisp, whether you let the car shift for you, or you click through the gears yourself via the paddle shifters.

While the performance is impressive, this is a large vehicle!  It looks big from the outside, offers plenty of room inside for 5 passengers, and will gobble up luggage/groceries in its massive trunk without any effort.

The other “big” thing about this car is the price tag.  Ours stickered at $46K.

Unsolicited feedback from random parking lot admirers included “sharp looking car”, “brawny”, and “nice looking wheels”.

The original SHO, dating back to 1989, was more of a sleeper.  Everyone but the enthusiast driver dismissed it as just another Taurus, until the light turned green, that is.  The new SHO gets looks everywhere it goes.  It’s too big to discreetly blend into the scenery.

Everyone (young and old) wanted a ride.  It wasn’t long before SHO-time turned into SHO-fer (as in, “chauffer”).  That’s OK though, you find yourself inventing reasons to go for a ride in this car.

We’ll miss our shiny red SHO… But we do understand that the SHO must go on :)

Click here to see more pics: http://www.stangbangers.com/2013_TaurusSHO_TestDrive.htm