In SHO form, those uncommon sedan dimensions embody what is in my view, the single best-looking 4-door family car in the domestic marketplace today, leading to doubletakes from folks as diverse as car nuts to bifocal-wearing accountants.

The “I can’t believe this is a Taurus,” musings persist as one takes a seat inside the spacious cabin and begins to admire an architecture.

The “I can’t believe this is a Taurus,” musings persist as one takes a seat inside the spacious cabin and begins to admire an architecture that would befit any of the notable marques from across the Atlantic.

With the electronic key in proximity, a ‘push button’ brings the EcoBoost quietly to life while exotic, ice blue ambient lighting highlights the cabin. A rather chunky T-bar shifter places the SHO into gear. Bumping the shifter a further notch down the slot activates the SelectShift paddles to enable fingertip manual shifting.

Unfortunately the styling that I have so feverishly lauded results in less than ideal rearward visibility. Despite the awkward rear sight lines, an impressive degree of operational refinement is quickly absorbed by the senses as the SHO takes to the road.

The EcoBoost mill is quiet and always obliging. There is no hint of turbo lag or auditory intrusion from the pair of exhaust-driven turbines.

Whether gear changes occur at the behest of the driver or at the will of the autobox, they are always conducted expeditiously yet with butter smoothness.

365 horsepower, 4 wheels and wet roads
As a general rule, slick roads and 365 horsepower don’t get along too well; one is always trying to upstage the other. That is of course when no more than two wheels are contracted to supply propulsion.

The SHO’s AWD system gives the EcoBoost’s 365 horses the traction needed to defeat water-covered roads every time. Once rolling, acceleration comes on hard and fast while the tenacious grip at all four compass points keeps the big ride straight and controlled.

I shudder to think what the case would be with only the front wheels attempting to referee the struggle between horsepower and road conditions.

The SHO’s AWD system gives the EcoBoost’s 365 horses the traction needed to defeat water-covered roads every time.