This question was rattling around in my head after I saw a guy in a Taurus SHO and another guy in an SRT8 Charger leave a traffic light “in anger” last week. They were heading the other way so I am not sure who “won” the matchup but it did get me to thinking about the fact that there are some bad fast four door sedans available from the Big Three these days. We can all remember back to the 1980s and 1990s when a fast four door was something that seemed like an incredibly impossibility out of companies making stuff like the Lumina, Tempo, and K-Car. Those days are thankfully long gone and the bruiser American toughs can stand in there with imported four door sport sedans as well as any cars can.
We’re not sure if this one will cut straight down brand loyalty lines or if more thought will go into than that. Having spent some time in an SHO Taurus and a very limited (couple hours) in an SRT8 Challenger last year we can say that those two cars are fine drivers with enough power to get a laugh and a giggle out of anyone who is into horsepower. Let’s face it, all three of the cars posed in this question are fast enough out of the box to wipe the floor clean with all but a select handful of 1960s factory “super cars”. None of them are cheap, all of them are laden with luxuries that most BangShifters would gladly option delete if possible, but they can turn and brake and accelerate like the dickens and that makes them fun to drive.
Would you like your sedan to be the new offering from Chevrolet with LS power, Aussie roots, and NASCAR fame? Would you like your chariot to be the AWD, twin turbo V6 SHO Taurus that is a prettier version of many police cars you see running around? Or would you prefer that the more door scorcher by packing late model hemi power and that big aggressive face on it that the SRT8 does? You tell us!
Would You Pick A 2014 Chevy SS, A 2014 Ford Taurus SHO, Or A 2014 Charger SRT8?
The SHO, if it drives anything like the Lincoln counterpart, is surprisingly fast, but feels more “family” than it does “sport” or “muscle”.
The SS, besides being priced in the stratosphere, had the option of a six-speed, but GM decided that rowing your own gears was too complex for Americans. FAIL. Besides, I think I’d rather have a Chevy Caprice PPV…no sound deadening, so I could hear the 6.0 do it’s thing.
The Charger also fails at not having a m/t, but the exhaust notes are usually more proper, they fit people well, and look like they want to fight. They can also be optioned for more sedate or more visually grabbing.
Charger wins here.
*GASP* Is this two things we agree on this week!? The Charger just looks more badass. I’m not a fan of the “ass in the air” SS now that I see it…it’s too damn hard to see out the back like that.
The 2010-’14 Charger SRT-8 had aggressive, sorta-retro styling, serious firepower and the name has lineage to it. I’d take that first
The 2014 SS is nice, looks great, is a lot of car for the money, but the name is a fail and it’s lifetime is limited, with Holden ceasing the Commodore soon.
The Taurus SHO, meh. I’ll take V8/RWD over twin-turbo V6/RWD anyday.
Be the odd one out here (I doubt there will be many other joining me) and say the SHO. I can’t stand the Charger… and the SS just makes me want GM to call it a Roadmaster or Wildcat and make it a Buick.
While you note that “the bruiser American toughs can stand in there with imported four door sport sedans as well as any cars can” All are foreign based…
SHO: Volvo P2 platform
Charger: W210 Mercedes
SS: Holden Commodore
Granted that the Big 3 have taken these platforms and made US fitting cars out of them, but they still started overseas. If I had to go with something in this class (not new however) I’d have to go for the 2006-2009 STS-V. Too bad they sold horribly and were discontinued.
Correction
SHO = Volvo P2 which in truth = Taurus
e,g, The Volvo was badge engineered out of the Taurus and not the other way around .
I’m pretty sure that’s not right since the Volvo P2 arrived with the S80 in 1998 before Ford bought Volvo. Ford then turned it into the Taurus (500 first).
I hate Fords, but comparing today’s Ford to the options from GM & Fiat, I’d go for the quality of a Ford.
Check JD Power latest quality survey. Chevy beats Ford.
As someone who works in a facility servicing all makes/models (not a quick lube joint either) I can say this is not true, at least for 2001-2013. Newer models? Can’t say, but Ford has GM by the nads as far as quality goes over the last few years. Just my observation. I will say GM has made improvements recently and I would not hesitate to buy a GM myself. At least it’s always the same stuff that fails and most of it is cheap and easy to replace.
None of the Above
The SS .. is a left over parts bin Holden [ with GM desperate to use up as many bits as possible before shuttering Holdens doors ] with a C7 price tag attached and all the styling of a Chinese Taxi Cab – Fail
The Taurus SHO is a dull as nails , over sized , over weight Taurus . Mildly tarted up with a bit of body cladding and a fragile at best more powerful motor crammed under an already too crammed hood . Though the AWD would be of use here in CO – Fail
The Charger … is now an over a decade old Mercedes E-Class platform that hasn’t been upgraded or updated since Chrysler first began using the things . The motor is the same [ and some of you wingnuts actually thought that was a Chrysler Hemi ? …. bahahahahahaha ! ] It handles like a pig in a mud bog . Has all the class of a Mullet haircut listening to BOC on an 8 track…
…. And ! Its a pathetic POS now FCA product guaranteed to fail in 5,000 miles or less … not to mention Welcome to the Wonderful World of FCA Customer Service . Which is to say there is none …. Double Fail
If push came to shove though and I was forced to take one ?
Seeing as how its the only one of the bunch I could drive here 24/7/365 .
The Taurus .
To be honest though ? I’d take a well loved used Nissan GT-R over all of the above in a heartbeat [ pun intended ] Embarrassing not only the likes of them … but C7’s Porsches Ferraris Audis BMW’s and AudiGhinis as well
But yes … as to CTX’s comment .
Isn’t it a bit ironic … more than a bit sad … not to mention a whole hell of a lot pathetic that all of the so called ” American ” Muscle cars of late underneath … are anything but !
( FYI – 2015 Ford Mustang = Jaguar S Type / XF )
I’d take the Chysler 300 versian much sharper with the 6.2 hemi and the salesman said Chysier will pay for 2 days at A driving school to handle the power.
Unless the car is free, I think you pay for school.
I’m totally with you, there. The 300 is a much better looking car.
But, if these were the only 3 vehicles available, I would have to choose the Charger. I have seen some, with the right paint, and wheels, that can almost make you forget you are looking at an (UGH!) 4 door.
This retro crap has to end . Charger 4 dr ? SS ? at least the sho isn’t calling itself a Fairlane cobra or Torino GT. just to say that I’m not biased I’ve owned a dart with a 383, a 67 Malibu and currently own a Ranchero GT.
I too think GM is trying to blow smoke up our ass with the SS.
My financial situation has recently changed for the better and if I wanted to, I could afford a $45K vehicle. Where’s the V-8 powered, full size, 2-door sedan with a 6 speed stick? Nowhere.
I’ll stick with my Astro and Road King, buy my wife a used $15K Impala LT with the 300 hp V-6 and 6 speed automatic, begin the build of the (somewhat) ultimate G-Bod wagon and call it even.
GuitarSlinger, go find your Prozac and down a couple, for Christ’s sake. Your assumptions of a company based on 30-year-old stereotypes is cringeworthy at best. It’s depressing. You have the offerings. If automotive globalization turns you off, there are millions of used car lots with something more your style to choose from.
I’m glad to see I’m not the only one whose skin he gets under.
Your letting him do what he wants. Ignore him and maybe he’ll go trolling somewhere else.
Ditto on GS
Charger. Aggressive looks, AWD, V8.
The Charger. If I couldn’t get one I’d take the Taurus. I’d walk before drove anything GM.
I’d take the Charger in a heartbeat out of these three, but my real first choice would be the “stealthier” Chrysler 300 SRT. A few of my buddies drive them and contrary to the political nonsense spewed above by “GuitarSlinger “, they have all been dead nuts reliable so far.
The lack of a Manual Trans in any of them means I would pick none.
Turbo is the future, well while combustion engines run.
Charger, its large, its comfortable, its got power and its the only one that doesnt look like something else. It has its own look not borrowed from this car or that car.
After seeing how good some look up close, Id have to say charger. Kinda disapointed in the boring styling of the other two but im sure all three can run like a spotted butt ape if you want them to.
The ford SHO is the only one I would drive as ford is the last American owned auto company. GM reamed the taxpayer and fiat, no thanks.
SHO, without a doubt
Charger hands down…
SHO, with a little meddling under the hood, electronic manipulation, front air dam, spoiler, side skirts, a functional rear wing, profile wheels
…maybe better.
I’ll be the lone Chevy guy. I hear nothing but good about them…well except from you guys : )
I have driven the charger and the SHO. Nice cars. This is a tough choice, the LS in the SS is mod friendly, the SHO is a tune away from 400 hp and the charger looks like it would eat slower cars. I like turbos so it would be the SHO for me. The quality of new cars is light years better than 20 yrs ago. I currently have a Focus ST enrolled in my daily torture test. 20k since last july- not one problem.
Ford Taurus SHO isn’t a competitor, that’s the Shelby CV525.
Since 2010 I have purchased a new Challenger SRT8, Mustang GT & Camaro SS. After 18 months we got rid of the SRT8 & GT due to quality/reliability issues. No issues with the Camaro SS even after 2+ years of owning.
In the last few weeks while looking for a 4dr performance sedan we drove a new Charger SRT8, Lexus IS250 F-Sport, Caddy ATS V6 and the Chevy SS Sedan. All were about the same price. We looked at the Taurus SHO but didn’t like the looks so didn’t even drive it. Didn’t even look at the European cars due to their low reliability/high cost of ownership.
The SS handled the best & drove lighter than its weight. The SRT8 was a little quicker going straight but was the worst handling of the group & drove heavier than its weight. We bought an SS Sedan last week & already have over 1,000 miles on it. You have to drive one to understand how well balance this car is.
For those who think the SS is just a rebadged G8 do a little Google research to see all the changes made going from the VE to VF platform.