truth about domestics

Ford can celebrate another two awards for the 2010 Urban Autos of the Year.  The winners are the 2010 Taurus SHO and Fusion hybrid.  Both cars have been turning heads since their introductions this year and these awards just add to the already impressive list this due has racked up so far.  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

For the first few months, it appears that EcoBoost is a hit with consumers.  The take rate on vehicles with available EcoBoost has been higher than originally predicted.  This is great news, but there is more!  The transaction prices on the EcoBoost equipped cars is some $5,000 to $10,000 higher than their non-EcoBoost counterparts!  Not only that but the EcoBoost models are seeing a higher conquest rate than their similar non-EcoBoost models.  This sounds to me like nothing but good news for Ford, and the U.S., seeing as the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost is built in Ohio, along with the Ford Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost.  For more details (and quite a detailed write-up) head on over to The Detroit News.

(Image source: Ford)

The video above contains a clip from Conan O’Brien’s The Tonight Show where he compares his 1992 Ford Taurus SHO with the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO.  It’s pretty funny, however I don’t see it generating a ton of sales for Ford since Conan, being a comedian, wasn’t serious about the car for a minute and didn’t speak at all about its technology, price point, ride, handling, performance, etc.  See for yourself and let us know what you think in the comments!

The 2010 Ford Taurus and its performance sibling, the SHO, have been getting rave reviews ever since the car was unveiled a few months back.  Now that it’s hitting the road, the good news continues to pour in.  MSN Autos recently had the chance to drive a SHO and their reaction was positive all around.  They liked the power, performance, fuel efficency and technology that the car had to offer for such a reasonable price compared to the luxury crowd that you would have to look to to find a comparable package.  For the full story, please follow the link to MSN.

(Image source: Ford)

 Edmunds Inside Line has decided to pit the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO against the 2009 Infinity G37 sedan.  To get right down to it, the Infinity won the test based on 0-60, quarter mile, skid pad and braking performance.  Right where most people really decide a 5 passenger sedan purchase…riiight.  The SHO features more power, AWD, which was not on the Infinity in this test, heated AND cooled front seats (plus heated rear seats,) 20 inch wheels to the 17′s on the G37, plus many other features not even available on the Infinity.  Then they go on to say about the lack of the $995 Performance Package available on the SHO,

“It would’ve been nice had Ford included all these performance features on its “premium performance sedan,” especially one headed for a track test.”

Yea it would have been nice if Ford had given them a SHO with the Performance Package for this test, but it wasn’t available yet.  So Inside Line decides to knock Ford for not having a new optional package ready in time for their test?  Maybe they should have waited a few more weeks for the package to become available and then run their test.

They state that the two cars have a wheelbase that’s within 1 inch of each other, and then complain about how heavy the Taurus is compared to the Infinity.  Maybe it has something to do with the Taurus being almost 7 inches wider, 16 inches longer, having nearly 4 inches more rear seat leg room, 2 inches more shoulder room front and rear, and the extra 6.6 cubic feet of cargo volume, accessible not with a pass-through like on the Infinity, but seat backs that fold down nearly flat.  Yea, those are numbers no one cares about when they buy a 5 passenger sedan.  Customers who buy these cars still care about a fun ride, but they also want something that’s practical.  If you want a sports car, get a Mustang/370Z.  Alright, enough of this garbage, my hair is turning white fast enough as it is…

I have been lucky enough to drive the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO and I can tell you first hand that it is quite the impressive ride.  The car handles well, really flies off the line, and yet is loaded with the latest in technology.  So how does it stand up to, say, a 1991 example of the original Taurus SHO?  Well, to find out, Autoblog pitted the two against each other in an epic battle of…uhm…Super High Output proportions.  Read on for more details.

(Image source: Ford Motor Company)

The 2010 Ford Taurus and its performance oriented brother, the SHO, are really turning heads.  Now there’s proof that it’s not just because of the styling!  Check out the SHO above as it drag races a Fox body Mustang.  Not bad for a 4,300+ pound family sedan capable of 25 mpg on the highway.

(Source: Autoblog)

Ford seemed to have a hit on their hands with the 2010 Fusion ads that claimed, “We speak car.”  Well the Fusion is selling at record levels compared to last years numbers, so now the push begins to sell the brand new 2010 Taurus and its sporty, Ecoboost equipped sibling, the Taurus SHO.  The ads focus mostly on the technological goodies that are packed into the Taurus, as well as items not found anywhere else like SYNC.  For all of the details, as well as the comparison graphics, head on over to Jalopnik.

We’ve posted on the new 2010 Ford Taurus already, but I like the review that the author of The Dallas Morning News wrote up. Check it out here.

The folks over at Edmunds have had the opportunity to drive the new 2010 Ford Taurus and it’s SHO sibling and have returned with some fairly positive news.  My favorite line of the entire review is as follows:

“Still, what we’ve seen so far makes us certain that the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO is by far the best SHO to date, and it seems to be yet another sign that Ford has its act together.”

If you haven’t seen the car, I suggest you take the time to browse the gallery over at Inside Line and read the review.