2010 Taurus SHO

hmmmm.. think we can get a SHO wagon? call it a "touring"?

DILYSI Dave wrote:

alfadriver wrote:

ignorant wrote:

alfadriver wrote: No manual- just paddle shifting auto.

sad did,'t the original row your own...

As sad as it is, I doubt it's a real hinderence in that market. Heck, Mercedes doesn't offer any manual on any US product.... But I just don't see that much appeal to a very large sedan and a real manual. Small cars, yes. I'd like to know how many many 5 series are autos v manual. E-

But Mercedes completely gave away the enthusiast market with that decision. Right now, if someone wants a high performance mid size sedan with a manual, their only choice is BMW. My 540i with the 6 speed was spectacular. I wouldn't own it's automatic counterpart though. Regardless - it looks like you've got a winner on your hands. Perhaps after the first year or two a manual option will be added, like Lexus has done in the past.

You are wrong....

See Cadillac..........

DirtyBird222 wrote: You are wrong.... See Cadillac..........

Just because they make them doesn't mean they make any money on them. Or sell very many.

Besides, nobody around here is pretending that any of the owners are going to the 'Ring to wring out the last ounce of performance. Perhaps a handful will head out to the track with the track pack version, but it ain't cheap to put a manual in place of that auto.

For sure, it would be nice to have the option, but give us a small break in that we are not exactly flush with cash....

Having driven them, they are really nice crusing cars, able to eat up miles pretty darned quickly. And they are not very much out of their element on mountain roads (having done plenty of testing out in Colorado). Actually, that's one area where the turbos REALLY shine. Man, driving in the mountains is REALLY nice, relative to a NA car.

alfadriver, is the modular 60 degree V8 engine dead? I know Volvo has a 4.4L flavor of it in the XC90 and S80 and I know the trend is toward turbo engines but do you see Ford using it again in anything?

365 hp and peak torque at 1500 rpm? Out of a V6? That's freaking awesome.

My 5.7 liter Z28, in 1995, made only 285 hp and it's torque came on later than this smaller displacement V6.

I'm glad to see Ford step-up.

Are you guys gearheads or fashionistas?

alfadriver wrote: Just because they make them doesn't mean they make any money on them. Or sell very many. Besides, nobody around here is pretending that any of the owners are going to the 'Ring to wring out the last ounce of performance. Perhaps a handful will head out to the track with the track pack version, but it ain't cheap to put a manual in place of that auto. For sure, it would be nice to have the option, but give us a small break in that we are not exactly flush with cash....

Question, probably more suited to the marketing guys, but they don't cruise the forum.

Generally, when both transmissions are offered, the manual is quite a bit cheaper. Automatics are the upgrade, that costs more. This does make some since since a manual is a simple gearbox and an automatic is a magical land of valvebodies, ecu's and pixie dust. OTOH, I would say that most folks who choose a manual don't do it for the $500 savings, but because that is what they want. So, make the standard price for the automatic, but a manual was either a no-cost option, or even an added cost option. That way, while there wouldn't be a lot of takers, it would be a very high margin option.

Thoughts?

Dilysi Dave: My guess to what he meant was it takes twice as much money to develope two different transmission as compared to one. And since the automatic is the dominate transmission in the USA, it won. I know that if my 2000 Audi A6 Quattro with the twin turbo V6 didnt have the 6 speed manual I wouldn't have bought it. But add a hundred plus more horses like the output of the SHO and you now have my attention even with a slushbox.

I like it except for the fake fender vents. I'd like to wring the neck of the person who started the stick on vent craze. Unless he's alot bigger than me.

I've been thinking about replacing the Cavalier when I finally get my raise next year and was thinking the Flex or G8, but this looks very interesting. I'd second an SHO Wagon. Or this drivetrain in a Flex

Wally wrote: I like it except for the fake fender vents. I'd like to wring the neck of the person who started the stick on vent craze. Unless he's alot bigger than me.

I'm not sure how much bigger I am than you, but this is what I was designing at the last job, 3-4 years ago. I don't know if I was the first, but I was on the leading edge for sure...

Not that I am a marketing guy, but IMHO, this drivetrain in a Flex would be a good alternative to a SHO Wagon.

DILYSI Dave wrote:

Wally wrote: I love the fender vents, they make the car. I'd like to by a beer for the man who started the stick on vent craze. He appears to be over 5'5'

I'm not sure how much bigger I am than you, but this is what I was designing at the last job, 3-4 years ago. I don't know if I was the first, but I was on the leading edge for sure...

How about they just stuff this drivetrain in the Fusion?

Or create a modern day Shogun now? Actually.... scratch that... i'm not sure i'd have the balls to drive that.

RandyS wrote: alfadriver, is the modular 60 degree V8 engine dead? I know Volvo has a 4.4L flavor of it in the XC90 and S80 and I know the trend is toward turbo engines but do you see Ford using it again in anything?

We will see.

But with the push toward greater fuel economy, I would not place many bets having that particular V8 survive. I'm not entirely sure which architecture it's based off of- the 3.5L V6 or the other v8's (head, combustion chamber, etc).

RossD wrote: Dilysi Dave: My guess to what he meant was it takes twice as much money to develope two different transmission as compared to one. And since the automatic is the dominate transmission in the USA, it won. I know that if my 2000 Audi A6 Quattro with the twin turbo V6 didnt have the 6 speed manual I wouldn't have bought it. But add a hundred plus more horses like the output of the SHO and you now have my attention even with a slushbox.

Pretty much what I meant. Bear in mind, there ISN'T currently a manual that will bolt to the same space as this tranmission. So it would be pretty expensive to make one (and they may be doing it, I just don't know).

What's in the Focus and I4 Fusion is a different trans family.

(and that being said, I'm pretty darned impressed with this trans- it's light years better than the old FWD we've had in the past. SO much better...)

JFX001 wrote: Not that I am a marketing guy, but IMHO, this drivetrain in a Flex would be a good alternative to a SHO Wagon.

Your paitence should pay off.

(especially since the Lincoln version of the Flex does have it...)

E-

I don't know if I'll be getting Lincoln money, though a black, long roof Lincoln is appealing

alfadriver wrote: We will see. But with the push toward greater fuel economy, I would not place many bets having that particular V8 survive. I'm not entirely sure which architecture it's based off of- the 3.5L V6 or the other v8's (head, combustion chamber, etc).

The 3.4L V8 is based on the 2.5 Duratec modular V6 (82.4 mm bore, 79.5 mm stroke) . Besides adding two more cylinders, a balance shaft was added in the valley so the water pump was relocated to externally belt driven. The 4.4 Volvo unit is baslcally the same engine but it got revised heads and a huge overbore (same crank).

I agree if the trend is towards better fuel effeciency using turbos to keep the power levels high then there is probably no hope for this engine. It is a physically long engine too with a big 102mm bore spacing (that is how Volvo got such a big overbore in it) so the engine doesn't fit very well in many cars.