Of course, with both twin turbochargers and All Wheel Drive (AWD), things look pretty darn good for the SHO on paper, too. It’s no STI, but if one machine must satisfy all your motoring enjoyment needs, the SHO starts making more sense.
So, how’d it pan out?
Not too shabby indeed.
A comfortable learning experience
First off, generous headroom and power adjustable memory seats make it easy to devise and store a proper, upright driving position for the track-- even with a helmet on.
Once lined up and signalled by the marshal to enter the course, there's no traction-related drama when the hammer drops. The SHO’s front tires slip slightly as more power is transferred to the rear axle, and the car sails heartily off the line on a wave of quiet, direct-injected momentum. Even while building confidence towards braking and handling limits, drivers can always exploit piles of power to devour the straights in between.
Confident power delivery, predictable handling
Taurus SHO's AWD system helps boost driver confidence in bad weather on real-world roads, and it works to the same effect on the track, too. Despite a heavily front-wheel drive biased feel, the system helps the car power nicely out of corners at full throttle with minimal tire-scrubbing and torque-steer.
Steering is light and fairly disconnected in both feel and effort, though the suspension takes a set quickly when tossed and keeps the car predictably composed, even when drivers push into some corners.
Get a little carried away, and the SHO protests with a safe and very predictable understeer that's easily corrected by staying out of the throttle. Traction control can be disengaged, fully, too.
And no, it won’t tip over if you reef it through a bend. In fact, body roll is kept in check nicely given the machine’s size.
 |
| The generous headroom and power adjustable memory seats make it easy to devise and store a proper, upright driving position for the track. (Photo: Ford) |
So, how’d it pan out?
Not too shabby indeed.
A comfortable learning experience
First off, generous headroom and power adjustable memory seats make it easy to devise and store a proper, upright driving position for the track-- even with a helmet on.
Once lined up and signalled by the marshal to enter the course, there's no traction-related drama when the hammer drops. The SHO’s front tires slip slightly as more power is transferred to the rear axle, and the car sails heartily off the line on a wave of quiet, direct-injected momentum. Even while building confidence towards braking and handling limits, drivers can always exploit piles of power to devour the straights in between.
Confident power delivery, predictable handling
Taurus SHO's AWD system helps boost driver confidence in bad weather on real-world roads, and it works to the same effect on the track, too. Despite a heavily front-wheel drive biased feel, the system helps the car power nicely out of corners at full throttle with minimal tire-scrubbing and torque-steer.
Steering is light and fairly disconnected in both feel and effort, though the suspension takes a set quickly when tossed and keeps the car predictably composed, even when drivers push into some corners.
Get a little carried away, and the SHO protests with a safe and very predictable understeer that's easily corrected by staying out of the throttle. Traction control can be disengaged, fully, too.
And no, it won’t tip over if you reef it through a bend. In fact, body roll is kept in check nicely given the machine’s size.
 |
| Get a little carried away, and the SHO protests with a safe and very predictable understeer that's easily corrected by staying out of the throttle. (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com) |