2010 Ford Taurus SHO Wins First Major Award

2010 Ford Taurus SHO, photo by Rex Roy

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With a full six months left in 2009, Esquire magazine, a publication noted telling guys what's cool, has already awarded the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO their "Car of the Year" award. (Is the award for the 2010 or 2009 model year we're wondering ... because there is some good stuff still coming for 2010.)

The story presents a good overview of the car and why their editors picked the SHO over other unnamed competitors. By admitting that their awards criteria are not scientific, knowing their other choices and discussing the relative merits and the performance of each is best left to sites like the one you're reading now.

According to David Granger, Esquire's editor-in-chief, "We had three main criteria in selecting the Esquire Car of the Year. The vehicle needed to be a pleasure to drive and be capable of shortening your breath when you slam down the pedal. It needed to be gorgeous and aggressive, capable of eliciting stares and gawks. And it needed to be attainable – a vehicle that most men actually can buy and drive. The new Taurus SHO nailed all of these parameters."

Ford gave Esquire a test Taurus SHO to drive ahead of the official media event, and since drive impressions weren't a big a part of the article, Esquire was able to publish ahead of the embargo. Stay tuned for further details and some photos fresh from Tuesday's press-only event, later this week.

TheCarConnection.com's driving impressions will post on June 23.

[Esquire]