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2013 Ford Taurus SHO by Hennessey 
The 2013 Ford Taurus SHO is a sneaky-powerful car. It doesn’t carry much publicity as one because it’s overshadowed the Mustang. But as far as power, the Taurus SHO packs quite a punch. Recently, U.S. tuner Hennessey took possession of a Ford Taurus SHO and at the behest of its owner, proceeded to give it a performance program that’s worthy of applause. Thanks to the installation of a stainless-steel cat-back exhaust system and a dual cold-air induction system to go with an ECU remap, Hennessey was able to increase the high-powered sedan’s output to a stout 445 horsepower. With that improvement, the Taurus SHO is now capable of hitting 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds, and sprint the quarter-mile in only 12.8 seconds at 109 mph. No details were given on the top speed but we won’t be surprised the least bit if this Taurus SHO can peak at around 160 mph. Oh, and in case you’re wondering if the modifications ended there, they don’t. That’s because Hennessey also gifted the Taurus SHO with a serialized dash, engine plaques, "445 Boost" and "Hennessey" badges, and embroidered headrests. Hennessey didn’t say how much the program cost, but it did say that the kit comes with a one-year/12,000-mile limited warranty. Click past the jump to read more about the Ford Taurus SHO Full story
2013 Ford Taurus SHO by CGS Motorsports
It looks as though the new Ford Taurus SHO will also be part of Ford’s line-up for the upcoming 2012 SEMA Show. The first tuning package that has been announced is by CGS Motorsports and shows off a wrapped Taurus SHO, leaving it dressed to impress for a black-tie affair. The SHO is geared with CGS Performance Products and all the finest aftermarket components making it worthy to roll out on the red carpet. While no official details have been provided just yet, the first image reveals a carbon fiber engine bonnet, hood, and rear spoiler. The concept is painted in a very cool white combined with different black elements and sits on a new set of wheels combined with new brake calipers. Under the hood, CGS opted for the 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6 engine combined with a six-speed selectShift automatic transmission, but at this point, we can not tell for sure if we will see any power upgrades. Rumormill: Robocop Will Whip Around the Same Model He Did 25 Years Ago
For those old enough to have witnessed the glory that was "Robocop" in theaters, you not only got to see an ultra-modern, crime-fighting machine, but you also got to see one of the most modern American cars of the era. That’s right, back in 1986, the Ford Taurus with its rounded body and fuel-injected V-6 was actually one of the most modern-looking and driving cars manufactured in the U.S. Sure, it fell by the wayside as the years went on, but nearly everyone that was around and not busy watching "Alf" or "Back to The Future" I through III still recalls the fanfare that the first-gen Taurus received. There was so much fanfare that it managed to weasel its way into a supporting role as Alex J. Murphy’s car of choice. Well, the Taurus is once again one of the more modern American cars of its time, particularly the SHO model, and there is now a remake of "Robocop" in production. So we now have the perfect setup for a reunion of the two, and that looks to be what is going on, thanks to the savvy camera work of one person. Above we have a late-model Taurus or what looks to be the SHO variety caught out in the open wearing obvious Robocop-esque duds. Could it possibly be that the "Robocop" of 2013 or 2014 will whip the same model its predecessor did in 1987? It looks mighty possible to us. We’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available about this new "Robocop" car.
2012 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor
Ford has announced today the addition of a third engine to its Interceptor line-up. The company’s famous Taurus-based interceptor can now be ordered with a new 3.7 liter V6 engine, next to the standard 3.5-liter V6 and the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost. The new 3.7 liter V6 engine delivers a total of 305 HP and 279 lb.-ft. of torque, but also delivers increased fuel economy: 25 mpg on the highway, 18 mpg in the city and 21 mpg combined. Next to the new engine the Police Interceptor also received new brakes increased in both size and performance. Plus, the standard 18-inch steel wheels are vented, designed to work in concert with the enhanced brake system. On the interior, the front seats have been specially designed, with a lower bolster removed to better accommodate officers’ utility belts "This combination of great performance and top-notch fuel economy means law enforcement agencies won’t have to compromise power or fuel efficiency while getting the job done," said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for Police Interceptor.
Ford’s Killing it with the EcoBoost Engine There are very few things in this world that include the word “Eco” in its name and still remain fun. Ford somehow managed to find a way to have its cake and eat it too – what a weird saying – with the EcoBoost engines. Not only are they more economical than the engines they replaced, but they, for the most part, are drastically more powerful. For example, let’s look at the F-150. In 2011, Ford dropped the 5.4-liter V-8 and 4.6-liter V-8 from the F-150’s options list and replaced them with the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 EcoBoost engine. The 2011 EcoBoost engine pumped out 55 more horsepower than the 2010 5.4-liter and 73 to 117 horsepower more than the 4.6-liter V-8. Add in the fact that the 6-pot boosted engine also got 2 mpg city and 2 mpg highway better than the 5.4-liter, and 1 mpg and 2 mpg better than the 4.6-liter V-8, and you have a winner. Well, this all added up to some impressive sales, even more impressive that Ford could have imagined. According to the Detroit Free Press, Ford anticipates selling about 1.6 million EcoBoost engines in 2013, according to its current pace, which is 100,000 more units that its initial target was. Ford is seemingly always adding a new EcoBoost engine, with the 2.0-liter and 1.0-liter variant coming out this year and a 2.3-liter variant looking like a sure thing for 2015, so we see this number going nowhere but up in the coming years. Ford definitely bet the farm on the EcoBoost engine in the F-150 to start with and much like it did in 1996 when it drastically restyled the F-150, it won back the farm and took the neighbor’s farm along with it. Our hats have to go off to Ford and its ability to think outside of the box and constantly give the customer what he wants. It’s no wonder Ford was one of the few Detroit automakers to survive without a government bailout.
2013 Taurus SHO: Engineers Riding With NASCAR Driver Carl Edwards
Just because they designed it doesn’t necessarily mean they can handle it. This is what engineers found out during Ford’s “Rocket Science” series of short videos, which Ford began releasing on April 2nd. Ford tortured nine of its top engineers by strapping them into a 2013 Taurus SHO with NASCAR driver Carl Edwards for what they thought would be a typical test drive. Unfortunately for these engineers, it was anything but typical, as Edwards decided to push this high-performance sedan about as far as it would go. You can definitely see the fear in some of the engineers’ eyes, as they attempt to talk about the features of this new Taurus while drifting sideways and eclipsing 100 mph. Some of them manage to remain calm, but others you can just see wondering if they’re going to make it back to the office. By far the best two videos so far are the first and the third ones, as both of those engineers get legitimately scared. The other two are well worth watching too, as those two engineers just keep on talking like they were on a leisurely Sunday drive with grandma, for the majority of the ride. We have to admit, the Taurus has definitely come a long way since its debut and is now a legitimate performance machine. Now, if only we could get our hands on one and a little track time, we think we could scare the engineers a little more than Carl did. So far we only have four of the nine episodes to show, but we will continue adding more episodes as Ford posts them. Certainly Ford is planning to save the best ones for last. Hit the jump to view the rest of the videos. Full story
2013 Ford TaurusLong relegated as a mid-tier, mid-size sedan, the Ford Taurus was one of those cars that needed a refreshed styling, especially considering the growing number of competitors coming out on the market these days. Fortunately, the people at Ford seem to have taken the challenge to task by introducing a refreshed and much-improved 2013 Taurus at the New York Auto Show. Suffice to say, it was a tough task for Ford to shed some of the negative stereotypes given to the Taurus. A lot of people said it was chubby while some had pointed words on the car’s overall design. For the 2013 model, Ford seems to have addressed a lot of these connotations, giving the car a more appealing look to quiet down its naysayers. While the styling refresh certainly gave the Taurus a more palatable appearance, its the addition of a new engine - a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo engine - that seems to have given the Taurus the right kind of buzz. Details on the Ford Taurus after the jump. Full story 2013 Ford Taurus SHOOnce upon a time, the Ford Taurus was one of the Blue Oval’s most popular models. But over the years, the line has been trumped by a lot of other makes, both from Ford and from competitors that have unfairly relegated the Taurus in the shadows. Ford, of course, is looking to change that. In bringing back some luster to the name, the American automaker is getting ready to introduce the newest version of the Taurus SHO at the New York Auto Show. Coming with a refreshed facelift that speaks well of the car’s new looks, the 2013 Taurus SHO is primed to get back into the meat of the competition and return to its old prominence. While it would’ve been better if the car actually had an engine upgrade - the engine remains the same, much to our dismay - we’re certainly not complaining about the facelift done. It looks a lot more up-to-the-times with the sporty and aggressive look, which for a mid-size sedan is a very important element. And even if the engine remains the same, it’s still powerful enough to deliver well over 300 horsepower. UPDATE 05/15/12: Ford has released a new driving video of the all-new Taurus SHO. The video is narrated by Ford Vehicle Integration Engineer, Robert Kay. It’s as good a watch as you’ll have to get you up-to-speed on the Taurus SHO. Details on the Ford Taurus SHO after the jump. Full story Video: Ford test drives its new police interceptorsJust in case you have any doubts about the capabilities of Ford’s new line-up of Police Interceptors, the Blue Oval has gone ahead and released a series of six videos that should turn even the most hardened of skeptics into believers. In the videos, both the Taurus and Explorer-based Interceptors were subjected underwent various test demonstrations on performance, handling, and durability while being test-driven by real police officers and compared against rival manufacturers and their own police interceptors. According to Ford, these officers were not paid for their participation and whose comments and opinions were their own and not necessarily representing the opinions of their respective police agencies. It’s a fascinating look at how these cars fit into the standards set about by a lot of law-enforcement agencies, all of which hold these cars as critical in assisting their cause of maintaining law and order in their respective areas. As a refresher on the two distinct Ford Interceptor models, the Explorer Interceptor has a 3.7-liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox and delivers 300 horsepower and E85 compatibility, while the Taurus is offered with a choice of two engine choices - a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 that’s also E85 compatible or a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 twin-turbocharged engine with direct-injection that produces 365 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Check out Parts 2-6 after the jump Full story 2012 Ford Taurus SHO To Have 400 Horsepower? The world of automotive snooping is a unique one. There are unnamed sources giving out secrets and pictures taken of cars wrapped in interesting material. This latest photo is no different. It’s clearly a Ford Taurus, but Brenda Priddy says that this is not your everyday Ford. The SHO wheels and the dual chrome exhaust tips tell us a different story. For 2012, designers wanted to give the high-performance Taurus a unique look. Priddy’s sources are saying that this new SHO will pack 400 horsepower from the 3.5-liter EcoBoost motor. From the photos we have, you can see an updated grille, but the rest is mostly the same. Priddy says that a completely updated car isn’t expected until 2015. We’re not sold on all of this new information. There is no clear evidence that there is a new motor under the hood. Ford appears to be hot weather testing, which could mean there is a new motor or it could mean they are testing the new grilles airflow in hot weather. We’ll have to wait until we get some serious proof. | Ford Taurus latest reviews:
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