Saw a new Taurus SHO today.

[MinisterofDOOM]

First time I've seen one in person, and I was struck by how much less attractive it is in person than on paper.Primarily, it is WAY too tall. Even by modern car standards. In person, however, its little flaws gain emphasis. Things like the black rollpan and rockers, which make the already-tall car look like it is riding 3 feet off the ground.

When I was driving next to it, the lip of the trunk lid was mere inches lower than the ROOF of my Q. The lip spoiler was above my eye level. That's retarded. The trunk is significantly higher than the nose (you can kind of see that in the image below). With nothing to compare it to, it looks nice. But next to normal cars it ends up looking cartoonish.

The little dimple in the quarter panel (you can see the shadow from it in the picture below) looks TERRIBLE in person. I know it's supposed to continue the line from the doors...but that line ENDS at the doors. It doesn't need to continue. It doesn't work at all. That quarter panel would look better left smooth...even if it emphasized the cars tallness more, it'd still look better than the dimple.

Also, I can't stand it when cars have those bulging abscesses around the license plate. My friends and I hatefully refer to them as "a** cancer." The license plate area should be cleanly blended to make it minimally intrusive, not augmented by giant rubber blobs.

Perhaps most sadly, I didn't HEAR the car at all. The guy accelerated to pass me because his lane was ending. Not so much as a hum accompanied this. Who the crap wants a silent 350hp turbo car?

Ford fails. They had the opportunity to make something really interesting and instead were content to stick turbos on a blandmobile.

[duffman1278]

I support Ford, mostly because I own shares in the company but regardless. Who doesn't want a silent 350HP car is the real question.

The roman's once raced with horses, might I add no dynamat in those, and not so much power.

[Jesda]

So gorgeous. Closest thing stylistically to the G50 Q45 other than the Audi A8.

[PEZi]

Who the crap wants a silent 350hp turbo car?

old people

[MinisterofDOOM]

So gorgeous. Closest thing stylistically to the G50 Q45 other than the Audi A8.

Except that the G50's belt line isn't 4 feet off the ground. It has none of the G50s sleekness. The overall design is excellent, but the styling has a cartoonishly supersize scale to it. It needs to trim down before it'll be genuinely sexy.

[nissangirl74]

The car is huge. We saw one on display at SEMA, walked around it, looked inside. It looks like it weighs more than the ~4,000 pounds it claims. Just for s***s and giggles, I would like to drive one. See if it really is 'all that.' it sucks that there isn't a manual transmission option though.

[leesredgt]

Ive seen one at the local stealarship.I actually really like it but i still think ide rather have a fusion as far as looks go.Now performance wise,gimme the sho!
Modified by leesredgt at 2:18 AM 11/20/2009

[Razi]

It really is gigantic.I saw one a few weeks ago, it didn't live up to the hype from all the pictures I saw before.

[Jesda]

Except that the G50's belt line isn't 4 feet off the ground. It has none of the G50s sleekness. The overall design is excellent, but the styling has a cartoonishly supersize scale to it. It needs to trim down before it'll be genuinely sexy.

I think once people get done transitioning out of SUVs, we'll be back to long and low in 5-10 years.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Except that the G50's belt line isn't 4 feet off the ground. It has none of the G50s sleekness. The overall design is excellent, but the styling has a cartoonishly supersize scale to it. It needs to trim down before it'll be genuinely sexy.

Agreed 100%

We had a visitor from Ford the other day that brought a regular Taurus. He was telling me about it so I said "lets go out and take a look at it". He was talking like it was all that and a bag of chips. I shot the f***er down so quickly... and ended by saying "let me know when you make a 7/8th or smaller model that comes in a manual. Until then, I don't care".I also noticed how inadequate the brakes looked for a behemoth sized car. Motor Trend agreed with me and said that after just a few panic stops, the pedal went straight to the floor.

The Fusion, in my opinion, is a much more attractive vehicle. It also won car of the year, and features the transmission components my plant builds.

[RCA]

I think the Taurus SHO looks sharp but the no manual option and iffy brakes situation, I just lost my interest.

[Infinitiguy19]

So gorgeous. Closest thing stylistically to the G50 Q45 other than the Audi A8.

This is where I have to disagree with you to put it nicely.

The not so nice me would say that even referencing Furd and Infiniti in the same sentence is a DISGRACE to Nissan and Infiniti.

MoD you have mail!

[Jesda]

This is where I have to disagree with you to put it nicely.

The not so nice me would say that even referencing Furd and Infiniti in the same sentence is a DISGRACE to Nissan and Infiniti.

MoD you have mail!

Nissan builds a lot of trash these days with a few exceptions. You're putting the pus$y on a pedestal.

[Loki]

old people

Old people are utterly unable to handle the ~150HP most of them already drive around with. That's all we need is some senile old lady gunning the gas thinking it's the brake pedal with 350HP.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Old people are utterly unable to handle the ~150HP most of them already drive around with. That's all we need is some senile old lady gunning the gas thinking it's the brake pedal with 350HP.

ROFL. Old people don't drive 150hp cars. You have to try hard to buy a car that makes that little power anymore. Even Jesda's Mustang makes more than 150hp.

Old people drive 300hp Cadillacs and Buicks and 250hp Lincolns and Camrys. Some of them drive 200hp Buicks but none of them drive Versas, so none of them have 150hp.

[Bubba1]

I agree with Mod and Papasmurf. I've seen a couple around here and I was somewhat put off by how tall they were, though from certain angles the car looks okay. I also think Ford missed the mark but not by all that much. I just think they chose the wrong model to offer the SHO option. IMO if they had chosen to base the SHO on a Fusion instead of the new bigger, bloated Taurus, they'd have a bigger sales winner.

Old people are utterly unable to handle the ~150HP most of them already drive around with. That's all we need is some senile old lady gunning the gas thinking it's the brake pedal with 350HP.

Wow, nice stereotyping. You realize the muscle car era began when the old folks you're stereotyping as unable to handle big power were your age when they bought and drove them? fYI Bad drivers cross all demographics.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I just think they chose the wrong model to offer the SHO option. IMO if they had chosen to base the SHO on a Fusion instead of the new bigger, bloated Taurus, they'd have a bigger sales winner.

Yes. A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE, not AWD Fusion SHO would be really successful, I think. Who knows...maybe that's still to come.

[Jesda]

Even Jesda's Mustang makes more than 150hp.

I think half of them might have escaped! Probably got caught and turned into glue.

[ScrapMetal]

I've driven a new Ford Taurus at work. Yes they are huge, but they are no bigger than the outgoing Ford 500 based Taurus. One place were the Taurus does shine is in interior space. It is very comfortable, looks like a great car for a family to go on long trips with and the interior on this thing is gorgeous. The exterior design is either hit or miss for some people. Most people I work with say it looks great, others don't. I personally like how it looks. Would I own one? Maybe, If I had a wife and two kids and wanted a really comfortable car that wasn't an SUV or a Crossover.

[breadbox]

Tall car is Tall.

[LAKE ERIE Z32]

i was behind one at a stop light and the license plate was at my eye level in the 350.

[hannibal]

Why is Ford calling it the Taurus SHO (show) instead of S-H-O?? That really disturbs me.

And a pic from C/D. This sucker is big!

[LEMHEAD16]

I saw one a few weeks ago. I agree that it is big, but why is that a problem for a sport sedan? It's not like people who buy a SHO are going to be racing it.

Looks comfy and better than anything Ford has put out in a long time.

[Loki]

ROFL. Old people don't drive 150hp cars. You have to try hard to buy a car that makes that little power anymore. Even Jesda's Mustang makes more than 150hp.

Old people drive 300hp Cadillacs and Buicks and 250hp Lincolns and Camrys. Some of them drive 200hp Buicks but none of them drive Versas, so none of them have 150hp.

Well, I'm just figuring 200 year old Buicks with power loss due to the old age.

[Jesda]

Well, I'm just figuring 200 year old Buicks with power loss due to the old age.

200 year old Buick has 1hp:

[numbnuts240]

definitely 2 horsies there...

[breadbox]

could be 1/2hp if they are quarter horses.

[HashiriyaS14]

I want to see a Fusion SHO, something very similar to a Mazdaspeed 6. 350hp, 6-speed, AWD, maybe with an "add lightness" option box you can check.

The current Fusion is a good chassis.

[lino]

Most likely the best Taurus they ever built. Ugly as sin. Ford ugly. Ford will never get it right.

[PEZi]

just make sure you park it next to one of these f***ers.... it'll look perfect sized