Sports Mode in hybrid is just...wow....

[Art Vandelay]

Kind of off-topic for MTC, but...

I purchased a brand new 1990 Taurus SHO (white with black leather interior) and that car was a BEAST. When I picked it up, I had to accelerate up a fairly steep on-ramp to an elevated freeway section. I wasn't trying to max out the acceleration, but it was so smooth and so powerful that I was surprised to find myself at 90 mph well before getting to the merge lane, and had to back off a LOT to merge into traffic. Wow, what a feeling!

Being all white, with minimal badging, it was a real sleeper. To the cops it was just another "family sedan"... And I just loved it when some hot-shot BMW driver would pull up to me at a stop light and blip his throttle impatiently, then try to smoke me off the line. I tried real hard not to exceed the speed limit in those situations, but from zero to posted speed limit, I was rarely beaten by anything that didn't cost at least 5X the SHO's price.

After I'd had it a few months, I learned that a new section of freeway was about to open. I kept watch to see when all the barricades would be removed (other than the very first on-ramp "partial" barricade with the "closed" sign). The evening before the "grand opening" I paralleled the full length of the "to-be-opened" section along the service road to make sure it was all clear and that no cops were present. Then I went back to the staring point, drove around the barricade and opened up the SHO.

Sidebar: I had a friend whose brother worked in the Ford performance division. He had told us that Ford put a governor on the SHO at 143 mph for two reasons: 1) they didn't want to have to put even more expensive tires on it, and 2) they really didn't want to face the anger from all the Mustang GT 5.0 fanboys when a lowly Taurus would run faster than their "hot rod" pony car...

Well, that evening, on that closed section of freeway, I was able to confirm that the governor kicked in at 143 mph, and that the car felt rock-solid at that speed. The engine was still pulling pretty hard when the limiter kicked in, too. I've often wondered just how fast that car might have been without the limiter.

Now back to your regular MTC thread topic... (Sorry for the diversion.)

These whippersnappers don't know about the SHO!! Imagine a boring family sedan and one day Ford says "F it, let's spice things up", adds more power and a 5 speed manual transmission (ask your parents what a manual transmission is), a few body mods, and sporty wheels. It was...revolutionary and unexpected. Today it'd be like if Ford swapped the 2.0 for the 2.7, twin turboed it, added a 6 speed manual, lowered it on mag ride style suspension, dual exhaust with exits before the rear tires, 20 inch wheels on Cup tires, added Brembos on 15 inch rotors, and Sparco seats with alcantara inserts....

Oh man this brings back memories. I was in high school when the SHO debuted for the 1989 model year. For so many years a 2nd Gen SHO in Moonlight blue was my dream car and unfortunately it just never happened. I also really liked the first gen 1991 models in all white including the white wheels. I came close to owning a first gen a couple of times back in the 90's but both times the deal fell through. I still dream of owning one some day but finding one now in great condition is nearly impossible.

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[Joe Kelly]

I read these post yesterday so I decided I would hit the passing gear and see what I think. I agree it is responsive but the throttle sound is not as impressive. Pick up was good. I came home picked up my wife’s Pacifica. Well the Pacifica was much more impressive as was my 2009 Accord. None of these cars are muscle cars but when it comes to Muscle these three cars are not muscle cars. All three have the power to get you off the on ramp. I was not as impressed with my EB as the rest of you. I have owned and been a passenger in cars that would snap your head back off the line and do it again in second, third and fourth. When the Maverick can do this you will have a performance gas gulling truck If that is what you are looking for. I was not so the power is ok.

 

[Mav101]

Experimented with sport mode today and holy cow. This thing is beast!!!! So much fun. You could hear and feel the throttle open up.

Maverick is a lot of things, but “beast “ should never be used to describe acceleration.

 

[Maverick2023]

Maverick is a lot of things, but “beast “ should never be used to describe acceleration.

I know but this is subjective so you ain’t got nothing to worry about.

 

[Powerstroke46]

I had the same reaction, and then I felt extreme shame because I knew it was "simulated" shifting. I've only done it twice in 6K miles...because I choose to have a sense of personal integrity.

Come on MAN

 

[GPSMan]

It would be fun to have a stock EB and a stock BB (I coined Battery Boost for the Hybrid) side by side.

I think the BB will be fastest off the line.
I think the EB will over take before long.
But I think that take-over point is unknown until we have a side-by-side drag race video. And best 2 out of 3.

 

[Darnon]

It would be fun to have a stock EB and a stock BB (I coined Battery Boost for the Hybrid) side by side.

I think the BB will be fastest off the line.
I think the EB will over take before long.
But I think that take-over point is unknown until we have a side-by-side drag race video. And best 2 out of 3.

It's the opposite according to Motortrend's testing. EB is faster of the line but the Hybrid starts to gain back time while the EB's AT is shifting until the EB gets to 90+ and starts to quicken up again.

 

[GPSMan]

It's the opposite according to Motortrend's testing. EB is faster of the line but the Hybrid starts to gain back time while the EB's AT is shifting until the EB gets to 90+ and starts to quicken up again.

It depends.

Which is why I say It would be fun to have a stock EB and a stock BB (I coined Battery Boost for the Hybrid) side by side.

 

[Blkraven66]

I had the same reaction, and then I felt extreme shame because I knew it was "simulated" shifting. I've only done it twice in 6K miles...because I choose to have a sense of personal integrity.

I've got a XL Ecoboost AWD and that 2.0 moves in sport mode !!!! I've only used it once and ....holy crap !!!! I've got to stay out of that mode or I'll get into trouble ....

 

[1929]

I've got a XL Ecoboost AWD and that 2.0 moves in sport mode !!!! I've only used it once and ....holy crap !!!! I've got to stay out of that mode or I'll get into trouble ....

Ecoboost only has sport mode, Hybrid has sportZ mode. Much more power.

 

[Blkraven66]

Ecoboost only has sport mode, Hybrid has sportZ mode. Much more power.

.... The Ecoboost has 250hp naturally. Don't think the sportz mode boosts the 190 hp hybrid more than that ?

 

[garnermike]

Is that 190 hp only based on the gas engine?

As far as I know, yes.

 

[garnermike]

The few times I've put it in Sport mode, it impressed me. I have a Vette in the garage now, and have been the owner of a Pontiac Firehawk and Formula WS6. The Mav in Sport mode isn't quite as thrilling and responsive as those cars, but it's close.

 

[2020 GT500]

For perspective…ecoboost XLT FX4 was tested by Car and Driver and here are the results:
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 5.9 sec
1/4-Mile: 14.5 sec @ 95 mph
100 mph: 16.4 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 6.7 sec
Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 110 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 172 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.82 g

the fact that the AWD version broke into the 5 second and 14 second range ought to be enough to please performance folks. This is very fast for a truck. Back in the 80’s mustang and camaro were barely this fast!

 

[r100gs91]

It's not underrated and it's not as punchy as you think. A 0-60 time in the high 7's and a 1/4 mile in the high 15's says it all.

Have timed my Hybrid twice for 0-60, me driving and a friend running the stop watch. 7.46 and 7.21 seconds. The second time was with 91 octane premium fuel. Two people in the cab.

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