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"Ford&amp;#039;s Super High Output team invited us this week to a little lapping session at Grattan Raceway in Michigan to sample a more track-ready version of new 2013 Taurus SHO. Seems they&amp;#039;ve added an optional $1995 Performance Package added to what is already a pretty hot and well-developed $39,995 (base unadorned price) performance sedan.   Video window may take a few moments to load...          There are no package upgrades to the potent 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engine, which puts out an impressive 365 bhp, along with 350 lb.-ft. of torque from a low-down 1700 rpm on up. Likewise, the 6-speed automatic transmission, with its paddle shifters and aggressive Sport mode, remains unchanged. Both are mated to an awd system that drives the front wheels and progressively feeds torque to the rear wheels as needed. All nice stuff.        2013 Ford Taurus SHO with Performance Package    So What Needed Changing?   Well, Ford engineer Mark Lecrone told me they wanted to build a version for the hard-core enthusiast who likes to do track days. He explained all changes are geared to make the car more durable and cool-running so you can run on the track all day without heat worries and still drive home, pick up the kids at school and park in your garage. (No one will ever know.) To that end, they&amp;#039;ve modified the brakes, suspension and Power Take-Off unit.        2013 Ford Taurus SHO with Performance Package    The brakes get a larger master cylinder bore for a pedal ratio change that gives you less travel at the top of the pedal for a firmer feel, and the rear vented brake rotors are 30 percent larger. The already massive vented front rotors get dual piston 48-mm calipers with performance friction pads, and the pistons themselves have high-temp dust boots and seals that pull the pads more effectively away from the discs for less heat buildup.        2013 Ford Taurus SHO with Performance Package    Chassis upgrades include stiffer front springs to reduce understeer and a front anti-roll bar that&amp;#039;s actually a little smaller to get the car to roll and pitch in a more predictable and balanced fashion. The shock absorbers have been modified for better low-speed damping, and the electric-assist steering has been recalibrated for better feedback from the big 20-in Goodyear Eagle F1 245/45 tires mounted on distinctive SHO cookie-cutter style wheels.   Extra track-day heat is carried away by a pair of water-to-oil coolers plumed into a radiator core with extra capacity. One helps the PTO on the transmission to run 16 percent cooler, and the other cools the engine oil.        2013 Ford Taurus SHO with Performance Package    In our lapping session I found the car surprisingly civilized, supple and quiet, despite its ability to turn in nicely and then drift in controlled, balanced fashion. The engine is blazingly fast down the straights and comes off the corners with hard-hitting torque (and makes a lovely sound while doing it), and the easily modulated brakes have no trouble catching the line drive to shortstop. For a big car, it bleeds off speed easily and impressively.        2013 Ford Taurus SHO with Performance Package    Complaints? Well, the seat bolsters could be more supportive for this level of track grip, and the tach face is about the size of your wristwatch. Also, I found the automatic upshifts in the Sport mode to be a bit conservative while coming off corners\u2014though they got better the more you put your foot in it. Still, the paddle shifters are the way to go when true fun and instant gratification are called for.        2013 Ford Taurus SHO with Performance Package    In a strange way, the 2013 Ford Taurus SHO almost seems like a 21st century version of what the Jaguar Mk. II was in the Sixties\u2014a genuinely civilized and comfortable luxury car that just happens to be quite at home on the race track. Agreeable meets aggressive halfway, with little compromise on either side. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a18234/2013-ford-taurus-sho-with-performance-package/>