Mercury Power Trim

But is it better than ever?

Our car was the top-flite SHO model, SHO standing for Super High Output. It’s a trim level that has been available since the dawn of the Taurus in ’89, and as such, has earned a bit of a cult following that I’m sure Ford hopes to cash in on with this new model.

And boy, does it ever look the part. Those chiselled haunches and door panels, big 20-inch wheels and high trunkline convey a sense of mass that darn well better be equipped with the power to torch the pavement as its looks suggest it should. And it is.

In fact “Super High Output” it most definitely is; 365 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque means that this is the most powerful EcoBoost engine in the lineup, as well as making this particular SHO the most powerful version yet, more so even than the last-gen model, which was equipped with a Yamaha-sourced V8.

Being such a big car, it hides it speed well so you had better keep your eyes locked to the deep-recessed gauge cluster and its flashy chrome needles. I swear, I would be doing 100 on the highway before I knew it (that speed comes in at just over five seconds from rest), and thanks to hefty noise reduction materials and a fairly slippery shape, I felt like I was doing 60.

Power delivery is about as instantaneous as it gets in a turbocharged car, especially in the 80-100 range, meaning it’s a car well equipped for highway cruising. I was a little surprised, however, with the acceleration off the line; it didn’t feel quite as quick as 350 pounds of twist should—but then, I don’t know how many Taurus drivers are going to be bragging about their 0-100 km/h times anyway.