Mobsteel took the SHO and added its trademark mobster style with custom front and rear fascias, black-out grille, restyled fender chrome (it's not a side vent, let's not pretend here) and rear bumper trim. Of course, the whole car gets a heavy coat of black. Running gear includes a set of huge 380mm cross-drilled and vented Brembos, Air Runner front and rear air system with custom Mobsteel bags in the back, 22 inch wheels on Pirelli tires turned by a 400 HP tuned 3.5-liter twin turbocharged Ecoboost V6 breathing through a Magnaflow cat-back exhaust.

It's hard to judge any bagged car when it's layin' frame, right now it looks a little goofy with those huge wheels tucked up under the fenders. Considering we've loved everything Mobsteel's ever made, we want to see this car out in the wilds before passing final judgment.

2010 Ford Taurus by Tommy Z Design
The Ford Taurus lends itself quite easily to the Superlux Youthful Styling and yet it remains sophisticated. Tommy Z embellished this great vehicle with his own classic VIP luxury style and components.

2010 Ford Taurus SHO by Mobsteel
The Ford Taurus SHO and Mobsteel are both committed to being anything but ordinary. So it's no surprise that the Taurus SHO by Mobsteel is one extraordinary vehicle. The trademark black-on-black Mobsteel paint job, custom fascias, and a host of trim touches and details give this 2010 Taurus SHO a tough menacing look, whether coming or going. And that's just the beginning, as this SHO has the goods both inside and out.

The bad boy rides on massive 22-inch Mobsteel forged two-piece wheels and super-low-profile Pirelli PZero Nero tires. A completely customized chassis with Air Runner front struts and Mobsteel adjustable rear air ride provide attitude to the max. The Magnaflow Performance cat-back exhaust and JL Audio equipment make this Taurus SHO sound as tough as it looks. (Ed. - We're actually really looking forward to this one and might try a visit to Mobsteel to take a spin.)

2010 Ford Taurus "Best of SHO" by MRT-Direct
MRT-Direct gives its signature classy touches to this Taurus SHO by adding subtle ground effect treatment, and a black cherry roof and custom vented hood. Increased performance is achieved through turbo system efficiencies, an exhaust upgrade, and wheel, tire and suspension modifications. The cabin is designed to be sporty and comfortable, while a Kicker sound system delivers the final beat.

2010 Ford Fusion Sport by Aaron Vaccar Signature Series
Young custom car designer Aaron Vaccar, most noted for his work with modern and sport compact vehicles, has taken his knowledge of next-generation styling and applied it to the new Ford Fusion Sport. Speed, style and sound – quite simply, this Fusion reveals that such a balance does exist in a sport-tuned street car. Upgraded with the thrills of a turbocharged motor, this Fusion now packs even more power to back up its stunning looks.

Noting that function needs to meet form, the entire audio and trunk enclosures have been designed to seamlessly integrate into the vehicle's styling and practicality. Tastefully mix the right combination of modifications, a bit of unique style combined with an already impressive platform, and what you get is this Aaron Vaccar Signature Series Fusion Sport.

2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid by M&J Enterprises
This Ford Fusion Hybrid by M&J Enterprises showcases a variety of eco-friendly accessories and aerodynamic parts. These range from air splitters to heat-reflective paint, window film and a vehicle data display. All items are either lighter in weight than the factory items, increase fuel economy or eliminate petroleum-based products. The data display helps increase the consumer's environmental awareness. The whole package delivers a desirable, eco-friendly Ford Fusion aimed at consumers who like to customize their vehicles and are concerned with environmental issues.

2010 Ford Fusion "T4" by MRT
This custom version of the fun, sporty, fuel-efficient Ford Fusion successfully combines the best of all worlds. MRT started with clever but subtle appearance changes to the exterior trim and paint. Next, they brought the same sport feel and style to the interior with revised seating and interior trim accents. The fun-to-drive factor is kicked up a notch with a single intercooled turbocharger and Street Performance coil-over suspension. To unleash the full potential of the awesome turbocharged powerplant, MRT skillfully exhaust-balanced the system with a high-performance stainless-steel Max-Flow™ h-pipe and back half exhaust system using the finest CNC Mandrel bend tube and high-flow components. The result is a system that delivers enhanced power and truly satisfying performance-car sound. Twenty-inch wheels and tires add a final touch to set off the look and give this Fusion an even smarter, sportier stance. On the inside, a kickin' audio system from Kicker provides the perfect balance of amped-up entertainment.

2010 Ford Transit Connect by Azentek and Grant Products
Azentek and Grant Products teamed up to build this unique "Travel Inn" Ford Transit Connect van. Designed for people who are always on the go, it comes complete with the Azentek in-vehicle computing and navigation radio, and a Concept DVD for watching movies. You can cook while tailgating with your mini pull-out kitchen and even sleep in complete comfort in the upper bunk bed. You also will drive in style with the Grant Products body kit, race-inspired steering wheel and GAC interior. The vehicle features 18-inch BBS wheels with a Winona PVD chrome finish and Bridgestone Firestone tires.

2010 Ford Transit Connect by Ford Vehicle Personalization
This 2010 Transit Connect was developed by the Ford Vehicle Personalization team and it features Genuine Ford Accessories, Ford Licensed Accessories and various personalization concepts. Inspired by West Coast beaches, the vehicle is presented in a soft anodized Metallic Gold exterior paint with a large energetic side graphic depicting young people playing sports and having fun on the beach. Various racks and carriers on the exterior secure your favorite outdoor gear.

The interior is the main focus of this custom Transit Connect, showcasing the flexibility of space in the cargo area and the ability to create a realm of personal use around this vehicle rather than strictly commercial/business usage. Shown with two seats, the cargo area will house an audio wall with a custom audio/video system, a skateboard rack displaying four skateboards and a rear-mounted LCD flip-out flat-screen monitor with video game console.

2010 Ford Edge "RallyE" by Santini Paint
Santini Paint, combined with the talent of Steve Stanford Design, has taken the Ford Edge crossover to a level of design utilizing influence from the old-school British racing era, tuner cars and a little rally car, so that this "soccer mom" grocery-getter becomes the "cool" car for the family. With a few inches out of the suspension, the big wheel and tire combination, 3dCarbon body kit, British Racing Green color and an asymmetrical competition stripe paint scheme with some interior accents added in, Santini's Ford Edge becomes a "Coolover."

2009 Ford Focus by FSWerks
In its constant search for more power, the FSWerks crew has taken a 2009 Ford Focus Coupe and pushed it to the edge. Utilizing many years of racing, fabricating and powertrain experience, this transformed Ford Focus is now pushing more than 500 horsepower, making it one serious track Focus.

2009 Ford Focus by Creations n' Chrome
Creations n' Chrome has taken green technology to the extreme with its 2009 Ford Focus. The exterior starts with an outrageous green chrome finish using Cosmichrome water-based spray-on plating technology, 3dCarbon Euro Series six-piece body kit and lightweight Work Emotion wheels. To increase engine efficiency and aerodynamics, an FSWerks turbo kit and H&R coil-over suspension are added. The interior was custom refinished from top to bottom with House of Color paint and custom Katzkin leather.

2010 Ford Flex by Falken Tire
Breaking the mold of cookie-cutter project vehicles on oversized chrome rims, Falken Tire has envisioned the perfect blend of traditional "lowrider" styling and a 2010 platform while utilizing today's finest full-size CUV, the Ford Flex. Rolling on 22-inch Falken S/TZ04 tires and wire- spoke Dayton wheels, this ride will surely earn the respect of everyone from old-school purists to new-age tuners. Break the mold and Flex Your Style.

I've also become quite familiar with the sound of exhausted SHO mechanics screaming as they flay all the skin off their knuckles during the inevitable all-night wrenchathons that take place whenever this engine hits the race track. It's totally worth it, though, because this Yamaha-built DOHC V6 was an engineering masterpiece of its time and still looks and sounds incredibly good. 220 naturally aspirated horses out of 3.0 liters may not sound terribly impressive these days, but it was flat-out amazing back in the late 1980s. Ford originally hired Yamaha to design and build this engine for a mid-engined sports car, but- apparently taking a lesson from their main rival's experience with the Fiero- Ford cancelled that car and started looking around for some other recipient for their new powerplant. The Taurus got the honor, but imagine how things might have been different with the SHO V6 in, say, the Merkur XR4Ti? Yamaha designed it for transverse or longitudinal mounting, so why not?

[Wikipedia]

Full Disclosure: Ford wanted me to drive the new Taurus SHO so badly they flew me all the way to Knoxville and put me up in a fancy hotel, but only after all the buff books had all chosen to go ahead and break the review embargo, which must mean they didn't want me to drive the SHO all that badly after all.

Ford is reviving the SHO name for the 2010 model year after an 11-year hiatus. Dropped in 1999 after a decade of increasingly diluted performance, the original 1989 car was a raw, sports-focused quasi-exotic with a manual-only Yamaha 3.0-liter, 220 HP V6. At the time, it was the third fastest sedan in the country. Over the next decade, all that made the SHO unique devolved into a top trim level for the seriously lackluster Taurus range.

And that's exactly what this new SHO is; a flagship trim for the all-new Taurus rather than a quasi-bespoke performance model. Luckily, the car it's based on is now seriously good. Unfortunately, due to the bizarre world of embargoes and manufacturers kissing the asses of the sleazy "D-Bag" buff books (see, when we use "quotes" it means we didn't actually say that and we're quoting someone else so the target of the epithet can't get mad at us), we can't tell you anything about how the 2010 Ford Taurus drives. So from this point on any time where we might accidentally break an embargo by talking about our drive of the regular model, we'll just talk about how it's different from a tasty piece of Mandel Bread. So when you see "Mandel Bread" — wink-wink, OK?

Over the standard Mandel Bread, the SHO is essentially an optioned-up model with micro suede seats, SHO badging, AWD (optional on the regular car), HID headlamps, 19" wheels and "sport-tuned" shocks, springs, stabilizer bars and strut mount bushings. All that actually adds up to very little as the SHO drives almost identically to Mandel Bread, but with a touch firmer ride and a little better body control.

Oh, and there's the 365 HP, 350 Lb-Ft twin-turbo, direct injection 3.5-Liter V6 Ecoboost engine. That max torque is available in a perfectly flat plateau all the way from 1,500 to 5,000 RPM, before tapering off as it nears the 6,250 RPM rev limiter. Ford likes to claim that the EcoBoost delivers V8 power with V6 fuel efficiency and it does, but the twin-turbo six and its incredibly flat torque curve lacks the character of V8 rivals even if it does out-torque them below 3,000 RPM. We'd like to tell you that we averaged the same 17 MPG fuel economy in the SHO as we did in Mandel Bread, unfortunately we can't.

That engine is run through the same 6F55 6-speed automatic transmission as the regular car but here with slightly beefed-up friction elements capable of handling all that torque. It's a huge departure from the slush-box Ford uses on the Flex, Edge and all the other 3.5-liter V6s, now shifting unobtrusively and confidently selecting gears rather than hunting through them endlessly as the previous version did. More importantly, the Mandel Bread (in both SEL walnut k'mish and Limited chocolate trim) and the SHO both get button-cum-paddles for manual override. In that mode, gears are held even as you bounce off the rev-limiter and only shift down if you labor the engine. We'd obviously prefer a manual in a performance car, but since this SHO is more fast luxury than just plain fast, the third pedal isn't really missed.

Put your right foot down and the SHO is fast, if unexciting. The ride is firm yet controlled in the European luxury mold and the interior is exceptionally isolated from wind, road and engine noise. There's absolutely no body roll. The electric power-assisted steering is direct and well weighted, but almost completely absent of feel. Combine that with the extremely large proportions — at 202.9", the Taurus is only 9" shorter than the Crown Victoria — and the limited vision created by the high belt line and you have a car that's pretty challenging to place accurately at speed on a winding road. In western North Carolina's mountains, we were always 10-20 MPH slower than we needed to be, simply for the need of paying close attention to the shoulder to keep two wheels out of the dirt.

Ford claims the AWD system is capable of sending 100% of its power to the rear wheels, but we never felt anything but FWD bias, even as we gave it the boot out of slow corners.

There's an optional $995 "Performance Package" that brings 20" wheels, summer tires, grippier brake pads, sharper steering, fully defeat-able traction and stability control and a 3.16:1 diff (over the standard 2.77:1), but driving models equipped with it back to back with standard SHOs didn't reveal a significant change in character or capability.

All this begs the question: why the SHO badging? This isn't a sports sedan; it's a Mandel Bread with an EcoBoost engine. Because of that badge, we came into this hoping for a blue oval equivalent to the Pontiac G8 GXP, but evaluating the SHO as a performance car does it a disservice, because it's actually a luxury car. A good one.

Ford has benchmarked the $60,950, 350 HP Audi A6 4.2 and the $37,995 SHO exceeds expectations by being better to drive, faster, larger inside and nicer looking. Even the interior is nearly on par with that of the Audi. That's seriously impressive for a car fitted with the previously humble "Mandel Bread" badge.

The SHO also comes with way more technology than any of its competitors, including that Audi. Available on the SHO are: radar cruise control with heads-up collision warning, radar sensors that detect cars in your blind spots and to your left and right when reversing out of a parking space, keyless entry keypad, SIRIUS radio with traffic info, SYNC 3.0 with navigation and 911-assist, massaging leather seats, a 12-speaker, 390-watt Sony stereo, rear view camera, push button start, rain-sensing wipers and something called MyKey that can limit performance, radio volume and other parameters for your teenage kids or senile parents. Expect to pay $39,285 for a fully equipped SHO.

Compared to the original SHO, this new model is 1,083 Lbs heavier (4,368 Lbs), makes 145 HP more, is 10mph slower (133mph top speed) and is much less fun to drive. Compared to contemporary full-size luxury sedans it's considerably cheaper, very good to drive and extremely fast. Like the 1999 SHO, this isn't a unique model; it's the flagship for the Mandel Bread range. It's just that now, that range is capable of competing with European luxury cars instead of mediocre domestic mid-sizes. Had the car been called the Mandel Bread Ecoboost we'd be pleasantly surprised by its competence and quality, but badged as a SHO, we were disappointed not to find a sports sedan.

The thing is that all of the positive attributes we can apply to the SHO can also be applied to the Mandel Bread walnut k'mish, which starts at just $27,995. That bread has an equally tasty interior and, everywhere except in a straight line, drives nearly as well as the SHO. Just like the SHO begs the question "Why pay more for an Audi A6?" the Mandel Bread walnut k'mish, available with the same toppings and baked with the same ingredients begs the question, "Why pay more for the SHO?" That'd be nuts.

Want to see the SHO engine's naughty bits up close? Click here. More press photos below.

Well, as "first drives" go, this one's pretty limited in details. What ol' Ezra says is

"Floor the gas on the SHO and you're smoothly squeezed back in the seat as the motor builds power, the turbos whistling faintly in the background. The all-wheel-drive system and six-speed automatic put the power down with no wheelspin. It's all very refined. This is deceptive speed, the kind where you look down at the speedometer and realize that ten seconds with your foot to the floor will amount to jail time if you ever get caught. The SHO is a sleeper - a vehicle you can live with every day that happens to have a secret under the hood."

You can read the rest over at Esquire, but frankly, there's not much else there in the way of a drive review — although that's usually enough of a driving impression to get the buff books who've already driven the new sleeper to let loose with their own first drive salvo. That is if there are any auto buff books left out there with no fear of losing advertising dollars. We guess we'll have to see. And you'll have to wait until next week to see our first drive impression right after we've had a chance to take the ecoboost-ed sedan out for a spin. Stay tuned. [via Esquire]

Art is music and music is art, and while both are subjective, there's no denying that either one or both combined can bring out the most creative juices you have to offer. Ford's lead designer of the 2010 Taurus explained to the Detroit News just how influential music can be during the design process, simultaneously inspiring and focusing the members of the design team.

By sharing music either via a studio installed radio or via iPod swapping, the designer's were able to get into a singular mindset of how the 2010 Taurus should appear. By doing so, the entire team was able to focus on the task at hand and also inspired them to use the musical rhythms to find new abstract shapes and forms that they would later massage into the final 2010 Taurus interior and exterior design.

According to the chief designer on the 2010 Ford Taurus team, Earl Lucas;

"When you've got good music, it's amazing how many shapes come out. You lose track of time. When we were working on this program, it was nothing to have our senior designer, Dean Carbus, sketching away with his music blaring; the next designer would say, 'Oh I don't have that track,' and he'd put it in his iPod. The studio has to be a creative environment like that, because we're sharing ideas all the time."

Lucas said that the playlist consisted of a set of tracks ranging from Paul Oakenfold's upbeat trance to the melancholy hip-hop vibe of Citizen Cope. The sophisticated diversity of the music they selected during the design development proved to be absolutely beneficial to the Taurus program, giving it a modern and technical, yet classic design proportion and completely distinguishing it from the previous two Taurus generations. [via Detroit News]

Hennessey, still hot from tuning the Corvette ZR1, will soon offer performance upgrades for the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO. The EcoBoost 365 HP, 350 lb-ft twin-turbocharged V6 may have been developed for performance with fuel economy in mind, but the two snails lurking under the hood can easily be turned into something that can beat the hare. The initial Hennessey upgrade package will include an exhaust system, air filter, boost controller, boost gauge, turbo upgrades, intercooler upgrades, suspension and more when it's released later this year.

With John Hennessey owning one of the original Taurus SHOs, we can only imagine the rest of the fun he has in store for this new MoTown hotrod.

[via Hennessey]

We have to thank TampaRon for snagging these photos of this pair of mostly uncovered SHO prototypes taking a breather at a Florida rest stop. According to Ron, the testy test engineers wouldn't let him close enough to snag some shots of the interior but he managed to get close enough to see the SHO badge (a la this shot) on this ecoboosted Taurus.

The undisguised exterior doesn't leave much to the imagination — especially since we've already seen the 2010 Ford Taurus live and in person. In fact, the only difference in design between the SHO and non-SHO Taurus appears to be the badge on the back and the separated double pipes.

We've already seen the Taurus SHO interior, so the only question is pricing, availability and what's under the hood. Oh wait, we know what's under the hood. Based on what we learned from the leaked Taurus ordering guide and other sources, the new SHO will likely get the EcoBoost V6 engine, which is good for 355 HP and 350 lb-ft of torque in its 2010 Lincoln MKS platform-mate.

Here's the report from BringBackTheSHO, who obtained the photos:

Today along I-75 in Michigan 2 black Tauruses were spotted at a gas station. Upon further investigation both cars had dual exhaust, a rear deck spoiler, and what looks to be 19" or bigger rims. The rear shot picture also shows a badge on the back trunk that is covered with camo. It seems the only thing that could fit under that area would be SHO! The bottom line is we will find for sure at the Chicago Auto Show Media days on Wednesday February 11. BringBacktheSHO will be there bringing you live news and pictures.

We can't be sure the new SHO, if it exists, will debut at the Chicago Auto Show or New York Auto Show. Either way, we assume the EcoBoost twin-turbo V6 will be under-the-hood, similar to the 2010 Lincoln MKS.

Seller Description

This is a one-off custom-built fully-loaded SHO station wagon equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission, full black leather interior, power sunroof, power windows, power seats, etc. Ford never built a station wagon, so the rear valance/bumper cover has been customized with the SHO logo. There are a few other "SHO station wagons," but as far as we know they are modified station wagons. This one started out life as an SHO that had the station wagon body welded at all of the factory joints in 1993. It was done for Audiophile Systems as an attention-getting demonstration vehicle. The cost of the stereo system alone cost more than $12,000 and includes: Eclipse 510 CD, AM FM Tuner, DSP/CD Changer Controler, Eclipse ESD 530 Twelve Disc Changer, Eclipse EQS-2000 DDL Sound Processor, Eclipse EQR-2140 DDL Tuner/DSP/CDC Controller (controller removed, and not included) Info on this equipment can be found at: (www.turboegt.com/Cars/Maxima/Audio/Version%201.0/DDL%20Details/DDL%20Details-f.htm) Two Adcom GFA-4404 300 Watt RMS Amps, Two Adcom GFI 4600 Balanced Line Drivers, Audiophile 3.6 Speaker System (Two 1" Tweeters, Two 4" Mid-range, Two 6.5" Woofers), Audiophile 2.5 Speaker System (Two 1" Tweeters, Two 5.25" Mid-Woofers), Four Audiophile 10.1 Subs (Four 10" Subwoofers)..... The vehicle is a very solid, rust-free example, but is no longer a "show vehicle." It is an excellent driving car with more than $4,000 of maintenance recently performed after sitting for 5 years. Including: Axle shaft assembly, inner tie rod ends, a/c O-rings, water pump, timing belt, custom-built cat back exhaust with turbo-tuned high-performance muffler, oil pressure sending unit, platinum spark plugs, and a set of Bridgestone Turanza LS-T 215/60R16 T-rated tires. I was told the clutch has also been replaced (there is no detectable clutch problem, but I do not have proof it was replaced)...... There is some hail damage and parking lot dings, mainly on the driver's side. Car needs to be repainted, but is usable as is. This is a very fast, very strong running vehicle, and very fun to drive. It has been very well cared for. It turns a lot of heads, as many people are aware that Ford never built an SHO wagon. I have an extremely low reserve, as I do not have the time or room to turn this car back into its "show-car" condition. What doesn't work:Interior tailgate release switch (have to use key). One fog light. EATC head (I am currently pursuing fixing this, but cannot guarantee).... Car is located in Dayton, Ohio. I can e-mail photos. Tell me what you'd like to see.

[eBay Motors via Motive]

Some of you may have caught wind of something going on in the Chicago area recently.

Well, it has happened, and here is a quick review:

Some weeks ago I was contacted by a representative at Ford about an upcoming Focus group in Chicagoland about the next generation Taurus.

They wanted specific input and information from SHO enthusiasts.

I was asked to give them about a dozen names of people from the LOCAL area (there are good reasons for this I will go into later) for this focus group.

I was asked to keep it quiet till after the event and asked those that I contacted to do the same, and for the most part, that was accomplished. The one thread that was on SHOforum about this, was not anything specific, and didn't really cause any problems, but it was deleted just to be sure. So if you saw that and wondered what it was about, that is what happened.

Last night (Monday, 5th of May) a dozen SHO enthusiasts met at a hotel in Schaumburg for a 2+ hour focus group session. Here is what we did NOT see: We saw NO prototypes. we saw NO drawings, we saw NO parts of any new car, the entire session was video taped.

Here is what we DID see: A Chrysler 300, A dodge Charger and an Chevy Impala, all in the same shade of silver with all identifying marks taped over.

Here is what we did:

We sat at a table across from a very friendly and skilled interviewer that led a fairly free flowing exchange of information. We were asked about our own history with the SHO, we were asked about what we liked about the SHO, and didn't like, what made a SHO, a SHO, and also what we might like to see in any future SHO or Ford sedan. After a while, several representatives of the new Taurus program came into the room and we gathered around the cars assembled. When asked which one appealed to us, almost all said the Charger. This seemed to surprise the interviewer since we claimed "stealth" as one of the main factors attracting us to the SHO. But I think we answered that by several of us stating that although we can appreciate the Charger in that group of three, it is maybe too up front for what we would like to see in the SHO. Also, great styling need not be so "in your face" as the Charger.

The Ford staff assembled were given a chance to ask us specific questions about their individual area of expertise, as in wheels, seats, paint colors etc.

Then we were let loose on the assembled Ford people to just talk and mingle. In talking with one rep, he was floored that virtually every one of us put ROAD/ TRACK performance over straight line/drag performance. He had somehow gotten the opinion that the original SHO was all about the drags. Glad we caught that one. Drags are fun, but track days and overall handling is much more important.

Of course engines and drivelines were discussed, and here the group was less of a single mind, with likes running from 400+ hp twin turbo revvers, to 5.4L torque monsters with and without blowers! I commented that with $4 a gallon gas soon to be reality, maybe something in the 280-300 hp range with GREAT handling, style and quality and decent MPG would be relevant. I think most of us agreed that gimmicks were less desired over things like great brakes, suspension, gauges, seats (gen 1 and II style seats with bolsters were a big request) and a unique engine to the SHO at least in the Taurus/Sable line were high points and things like "I-Drive" GPS and other tech things were down on the list. Trying to keep weight down was also a big point with most people. Oddly, we left out a big desire of the previous early focus groups, a hand emergency brake. Maybe it isn't important anymore?

Man I can sympathize with anyone trying to create a new car these days...."Hey, give us luxury ride, Lotus handling, Ford GT performance, and OH, 40+ mpg, room for five and luggage, make it stand out, and be something police won't see....and under $30 grand would be great!" LOL

Some suggested maybe a two tier car with the "nice" version for more average buyers, and a lighter, lower content "performance" version for the gung ho, like most of us!

Most everyone wanted a car with "three pedals" but if an auto was part of it, steering wheel buttons or paddles are less important than a good shifter and proper programming for quick up and downshifts when called for, and maybe even blipping the throttle on manual downshifts.

The FWD, AWD, RWD question came up, and I think most wanted RWD, with AWD as the second option, but a few would be just as happy with FWD as in the past for safety and also cost.

Defeatable Stability/traction control was another big request, as was a factory accessory, modification parts program with actual performance parts, suspension parts etc available at dealers or through Ford, and included in the factory warranty.

Even if you hate the cute lil' Neon (and its overcompensatingly uncute Caliber successor), it's tough to loathe the crazy-ass original SRT-4. But those things sell for well north of $12 grand, and where does that leave us cheapskates? Exactly, you get an early Neon, turbocharge the living piss out of it, and pretend that the stock first-gen suspension and running gear are up to the task! Sure, that's cutting some major corners, but you'll wipe that sour look off your face once you see how cheap this '95 Neon with Garrett turbocharger (go here if the ad disappears) is going for. That's right, 800 bucks, or- looked at another way- pretty much like getting an SRT-4 at almost 95% off! Now, don't go thinking this car is ready to knock off 13-second quarter-mile passes and/or turn heads on the street in its current condition- we readily admit the presence of one or two warts. Like, for example, the fact that the fuel-delivery system hasn't been upgraded to keep up with the air being jammed into the cylinders, and (since the car has probably been driven in its current state for quite a while) that means there might be some, er, issues resulting from the horrendous lean condition (but you can't test the engine to find out, because the oil pan is gone). But hey, new pistons and valves are cheap, right? The body needs some TLC, particularly around the homemade scoop planted somewhat off-kilter on the hood. And that's likely just the beginning of your nightmare project fun!

Ever since I spotted a Taurus SHO in the junkyard, I've been thinking what a perfect Project Car Hell entry a SHO would be. It's fast, with a wild Yamaha V6, yet there's Super Sleeper Potential to be had by simply dressing one up as a refrigerator-white government-issue Taurus. The Hell part comes in when you figure the Taurus was never really designed for the long haul, with cascading component failures, switches that break off under your fingers, the works... and all of the SHOs are getting a bit long in the tooth by now. But so what if they leave behind a trail of broken parts and the cheap plastic trim has faded to a mottled beige? They're cheap, over 200 horsepower, and provide plenty of crazed torque-steering, front-tire-roasting fun! That's why it's mighty hard to resist the appeal of this 1995 Taurus SHO (go here if the ad disappears), with an asking price of just $750. The ad's description is a bit confusing ("BELIEVE IT NEEDS A FUEL FILTER OR PUMP NOT SURE TURNS BUT DOESNT STAY"), but it would appear that the car does not run. Like so many PCH cars, there's a problem with the "TITTLE" (no mention of the JOT), but the friendly folks down at your local DMV are eager to find a way to help you get your new car registered.

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And the engine was more or less complete, too. You don't see a whole lot of these in the junkyard, and I admit that thoughts of a sleeper government-issue, refrigerator-white Taurus (or, better yet, Sable) had me tempted to grab that little 220-horse DOHC Yamaha beauty. Imagine the fun of torque-steering your way into trouble, back out of it, and then lurching back into trouble... and that's just getting out of your driveway! I ended up passing on this engine, since of course I need to save my pennies for my Econoline Dekotora project. But still, good to know it's possible to do a junkyard-swap sleeper Taurus.

"mills with both TwinForce and Yamaha are being tested...the only thing I'm worried about is that it may not reach production...more of a feasibility test, but we shall see."

"Not sure if this is Mulally news but Taurus will get the Twin Force engine. Not sure if it will be called SHO though."

Related:
SHO Me The Bold Moves! Enthusiasts Create Web Site Asking Ford To "Bring Back The SHO" Taurus; SHO on the Block: Conan Gets His Taurus Appraised [internal]

In 1989, Ford took their sales leading Taurus and took it from sedan for the mere mortal to a sports sedan for the gods. Turning a management mis-fire into a minor miracle, Ford execs took engines from a dead deal with Yamaha and inserted the 3.0-liter V6's into their pedestrian four-door and watched as the performance boosted up to 220 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque when coupled with the 5-speed MTX-IV manual tranny. They called this special sports sedan the Super-High Output, or SHO. Other than the SHO one-off wagon for Car und Driver the only real change to the SHO came in 1996, when we saw the death of the SHO's manual tranny but it also received an upgraded 3.4-liter V8 and saw its power output pop to 235 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque. Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking — this is all well and good, but why should I care right now? You should care because a small group of FoMoCo enthusiasts is all hard-up over the recent re-naming of the five hundred to the vaunted Taurus nameplate. They're so gung-ho over the decision, they've gone and created a web site urging FoMoCo to bring back the SHO — they've even put together some concept sketches of what a new SHO Taurus could look like in the gallery below. So if you're interested in seeing a high-po fo'-door in Ford's future, head on over and have your voice heard. – Ray Wert

[BringbacktheSHO]

Related:
SHO on the Block: Conan Gets His Taurus Appraised [internal]