Warning, big post ahead in which I don't attack anyone *gasp*
Well, except Kikkinasphalt
Launch control? :laugh_ti: This isn't some 600 horsepower Lamborghini... brake boost and go. You don't NEED launch control, but then again, anyone who's driven the car can tell you that
I know it can be tough, but try to keep this car in context (speaking to everyone now.) The 2010 SHO is a large, luxury/performance sedan that may or may not be a bona-fide sport sedan, depending on individual definitions. Folks shouldn't expect it to weigh as much as a Corvette, stop like a Ferrari, corner like a Lotus Elise, or out-accelerate a CTS-V. That is, unless you want to pay 100,000 grand for a car. Context people....
That said, I'm impressed with the car overall, though as Clarkson would say, "there's a bit more to it... than that." I don't think I've ever given a comprehensive breakdown like this, so bear with me because it's LONG but distinguished. Kind of like my... well never mind.
Things I'm impressed with:
I'm ENORMOUSLY impressed with the quality, layout, and feel of the interior. The way the dash slopes and integrates with the center console just makes this car feel very different than most other sedans of this caliber. The quality is very impressive as well, on par (YES, on par) with high end German sedans from Audi and BMW. The technology that this car comes with is even more impressive IMO, considering Ford still listed an OPTIONAL cassette deck as recently as 2007 for the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis... Ford's former luxury car flagships. Sync is a very user friendly voice system that actually works, and having items like adaptive cruise control, side radar, heated/cooled/massaging seats is NICE. And for the folks who don't care about options...I never gave a crap about heated/cooled/massaging seats until I spent 100 miles with them, now I dream about them at night. Sure, you can do without them, but having them available on this car makes it even sweeter.
I'm ENORMOUSLY impressed with the overall fit, finish, and refinement of this car. The original SHO had a harder edge, which many people now find appealing (myself included) but back in the day, not so much. I still cannot believe how quiet it is; even at 80 mph there's barely any wind noise. I've never been in a Ford vehicle that felt this solid. Once again, it compares with Germany's finest.
I'm ENORMOUSLY impressed with the balance Ford was able to strike in the suspension tuning. Traditionally, Ford's efforts in this department have either been too soft or too hard, but the fact that the SHO is so comfortable over rough terrain while still offering a taut suspension that inspires confidence when pushed, well hate to sound like a broken record, but once again, on par with German sport sedans.
I'm quite impressed with the torque of this car. I have no problem believing Ford's figures on this, and the folks who are used to the high-end pull of the V-6 will salivate at having so much thrust available at the twitch of your foot. No joke, this car has low-end meat that pushrod V-8 guys would envy, and it keeps pulling until you hit the rev limiter (which you'll do until you get used to shifting earlier, or leave it in full auto.) IMO, having this kind of torque is one of the reasons why the car feels smaller and lighter than it is. You'd think it would be a bit sluggish, but when you want to go, there is NO waiting, tonnage be dammed.
I'm impressed (no, not enormously) with the six-speed gearbox. For an automatic with manual control, it does go a step beyond most mamby-pamby "manumatics" by holding gears without upshifting no matter what, and the shift speed--especially on the downshifts--is quite impressive. Whether or not it will hold up over time remains to be seen, and that's something nobody will be qualified to report on until a few years have gone by.
Though I don't generally like to talk about styling (it's a totally subjective attribute that IMO has no place in a car review), I will say I'm impressed with the way the car looks. Not overly so; there's still a bulkiness to the car that I think could look a bit smoother, and I'd prefer less chrome, but overall, thumbs up.
Things I'm ambivalent about:
The weight. Everybody loves to talk about the weight, apparently not realizing that, over the last 20 years since the original SHO was built, all cars have gotten heavier. Nor does anyone seem to realize that all the new SHO's competitors are nearly equal or heavier. Beyond that, the driving characteristics of the car completely mask this tonnage. Would I like a lighter car? Sure... less weight per hp = a faster car. But does this car NEED to lose weight to be a fun, exciting, well-handling performance sedan? **** no, and just about everyone who's driven the car--from journalists to enthusiasts--agree.
The paddle shifters. At least Ford saw fit to give the car paddles instead of a notched section for the shifter to be flipped up or down, though I don't understand why Ford didn't go with the traditional upshift-right, downshift-left progrramming. I'd prefer that to the push-pull setup they have now, but it neither burns my bottom or turns me tingly. Just ambivalent.
The performance. Yes, I'm very impressed with the torque which is certainly a part of the performance, but I was still hoping for more horsepower. When I first heard 365, my first thought was "at least they upped it a little bit from the rest of the line", though I've always thought this car should be an even 400 horsepower right from the get go. This is supposed to be the
SHO, and while it moves along just fine with 365, 400 would've really emphasized the performance aspect of this car so--like the original SHO--it could compete with cars outside its direct competition. Make no mistake, this car MOVES and 13 second quarter mile times for a sedan of this caliber is awesome. More power would be nice, but 365 is plenty fun. And being able to instantly go without waiting for turbo boost or secondaries to open is awesome. At least Ford didn't repeat the mistake they made with the Marauder, and that was a BIG worry of mine.
Things I'm not impressed with.
The brakes. Now, I need to clarify here that I've not had the chance to really, repeatedly work the brakes on this car. The few hard stops I did damn near put me through the windshield, and I experienced no fade during those events. However, logic dictates that you go with a larger brake size when you up the horsepower, and Ford decided to skirt that issue. Also VERY telling to me was that, at Ford's big 2010 media drive at the proving grounds a few weeks ago, Ford kept the SHO to their big, high-speed oval and didn't offer journalists a drive on their tighter, twistier, handling course. MY spider sense tells me they're realizing the brakes aren't up for hard use. Combine that with the nearly-universal negative press on the brakes and I'm left unimpressed. I personally don't think these brakes are anywhere near as poor as the original gen I/II stock brakes, and I also think many journalists have flogged the SHO much harder than most owners will, but regardless, for a flagship luxury/PERFORMANCE sedan, you should've done better Ford, and switching brake pads is just a flimsy excuse.
The LED cornering lights. Other than ornamental, I see no purpose for these and I think the car would be better without them. Instead, give us some bona-fide driving lamps.
The 3-bar grille. This was a huge marketing mistake and a legacy from the Bill Ford era. Ok, the SHO's 3-bar grille is different, and while it still looks better than the Gillette razor the rest of the lineup receives, it still needs to go.
The wheels. Like styling, this is subjective. I hate big wheels. Hate hate hate big wheels. In the old SVT days we fought against big wheels because they sap performance in exchange for good looks (that is, if you like driving a car that looks like something from the Hot Wheels collection). NO car needs anything bigger than 18 inch wheels unless you're sporting a massive braking system (which we all know the new SHO isn't.) At least offer something smaller for the folks who don't want to pay $1200 for a freakin' set of tires in a few years.
The styling. Yup, I was impressed with this too, so how can I also be unimpressed? Simple. I'm impressed with the new Taurus styling, but I'm unimpressed that there's not more to distinguish the SHO from the standard Taurus. A unique front or rear fasica, some minor cladding, something more than a wing and a badge (and no, I don't count the different finish on the grille because AFAIC there IS no difference in the way it looks). I benchmark the SVT Contour when it comes to making an ordinary-looking sedan look sexy without going too far. Yes, we like sleepers, but if I'm paying 40g's for a Taurus, I want people to know it's not the average Taurus.
The quietness. Once again, something I'm impressed with that also leaves me unimpressed. The quietness shows just how far Ford went in the engineering and quality department, and while I think car is plenty engaging to drive, it needs a bit more of the
proper noise to really be exciting. Let's hear those turbos a bit more. Let's hear some of that engine growl. I'm fine with the steering and the handling; I think the driver gets good feedback in the context of a large performance sedan. But it's like watching the epic lightsaber duel at the end of Star Wars III without any sound. I drove a 2010 SHO at the proving grounds, followed immediately by a 300C, and I could've listened to that hemi winding out all day long.
Fuel economy. This one is very close to ambivalent. I like that it gets decent fuel economy for the performance that is has, but I'm not on-board with Ford's big "Ecoboost" marketing plan. Realistically speaking, this car is getting only 1-2 MPG better than most of its competition, and that can be made up with a careful right foot. So then, I guess I should say I'm ambivalent about the actual fuel economy, but unimpressed by Ford's attempt to make it sound better than it is.
Ok, that's long enough
