IntroductionFord is currently in the process of stuffing its new 3.5L EcoBoost V6 into any that fits. The Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and upcoming Lincoln MKT are all getting it. Being based on the same platform as the MKS, it was a no-brainer that the redesigned 2010 Taurus would also get the twin-turbo, direct-inject engine that Ford promises will deliver V8 power with V6 fuel economy. Rather than simply affix the EcoBoost badge to the Taurus' trunk and call it a day, Ford product planners decided that this model would be the perfect vehicle to once again wear the letters S-H-O.
Design
That model designation originally meant Super High Output, which definitely applies to the modern version. Whereas the original SHO used a high-revving 220-hp 3.0L V6 (later a 235-hp 3.4L V8) developed and built by Yamaha, the new SHO's advanced engine turns a relatively small 3.5 liters of displacement displacement and a lot of pressure into 365 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 350 ft.-lb of torque at 3,500 rpm. That makes this version of Ford's 3.5L EcoBoost V6 the most powerful one available with 10 more horsepower than its other applications.Unlike the original SHO, however, this new one is about much more than just the engine. Backing up the potent powerplant is a torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system mated to Ford's 6F55 six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission. The tranny is augmented by a manual mode that can be controlled either by the console shifter or paddle shifters, and will also rev match downshifts and hold gears even when the tach is bouncing off the engine's redline.
Style
While the exterior styling adheres to the same sleeper philosophy as the original, the new SHO interior is a bit more outgoing. The seats are leather-trimmed and two-tone with Mike Suede inserts, which Ford proudly points out are produced from post-consumer yarns made of plastic soda bottles. The dash and door panels also feature acres of aluminum trim, and SHO branding appears on the floor mats and passenger-side dash panel.
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