Im sure we have all bee trolling around the 'Net and have found many many reviews on the Taurus over the years. I decided to denounce these reviews as LIES in an experiment. I spent a few days reading every review I could find as to the performance on the 2003 with the Duratec motor, focusing on 0-60 times. The fastest I saw was 8.4 seconds. Armed with my trusty stopwatch (an extrodinarily accurate piece of equipment left over from my semi-professional athelete and coaching days, and i trust it) and set out. I made many runs, and the results are posted below:
Note: All runs are with the following data:
Car with me, 2/3 of a tank of Mobil 89 octane, a box of 3 christmas lighted reindeer in the trunk (they were on sale....), sound rig ON, heater on its lowest fan setting, highest temp setting, and a few extra assorted pieces of clothing. Vehicle weight can therefore be calculated at:
3316 (listed curb weight for an SES Deluxe)
145 (me)
75 (gas, which weighs 6.17 pounds per gallon at 60*, times 12 gallons)
50 (combined weight of assorted crap that resides in my car.
3585 total weight
Engine at standard indicated operating temperature
54* ambient air temp
6 miles of driving with a few squeelies to get the rubber warm.
Run 1: TC ON-8.31 seconds
Run 2: TC ON-8.30 seconds
Run 3: TC ON, 1500 brake torque-8.43 seconds (damn bogging...)
Run 4: TC OFF-8.25
Run 5: TC OFF, 1500 Brake Torque-8.20
Run 6: " " 2000 " " -8.12
Run 7: " " 2500 " " -8.08
Run 8: " " 3000 " " -7.95
Run 9: " " FLOORED -7.85
Tires issuing all kinds of hate and discontent on the last 3 runs, I think a little bit of the extra knock off can be partly attributed to the tires getting a little bit of extra grabby on them. I did one more run, but it cant really count, as It was going down hill, but it was a 3K BT and it came out to 7.55!
Short version folks, either car reviewers cant really drive for shyt, they dont want to, or they are regurgitating FoMoCo nubmers (with, ironically, are 8.4), and Ford is up to its usual derating. Ford seems to derate EVERYTHING after the 00-01 cobra debacle. For example, the new GT is listed by Ford at 3.75 0-60, but Road and Track did it in 3.3! I would speculate that under "race" conditions, i.e. less then a quarter tank, all extra crap out, all accessories off, 93 octane, a Dura should clock in under 8 seconds every time without overt engine/transmission abuse. With a chip, shave another tenth or 2 off. Full intake and exhaust job, probably another tenth.
I guess what Im saying is that with about a grand to 2 in work, our cars should be seeing low 15, high 14 second quarters. Thats a FULL intake job (CAI, MAF, TB, Custom chip, Extrude honed intake manis (swap the composite for an older metal one if needed)), a Full exhaust job (extrude hone manis, hiflow primary cats, punched out secondary cat, removed resonator, split rear with hi flow mufflers), good rubber on all 4 corners (Continental ContiExreameTrac 225/50R16's for me please...) and a 1-2 inch suspension drop (optional).
Anyone have REAL dynocharts and timeslips to back any of my rantings up?
Note: All runs are with the following data:
Car with me, 2/3 of a tank of Mobil 89 octane, a box of 3 christmas lighted reindeer in the trunk (they were on sale....), sound rig ON, heater on its lowest fan setting, highest temp setting, and a few extra assorted pieces of clothing. Vehicle weight can therefore be calculated at:
3316 (listed curb weight for an SES Deluxe)
145 (me)
75 (gas, which weighs 6.17 pounds per gallon at 60*, times 12 gallons)
50 (combined weight of assorted crap that resides in my car.
3585 total weight
Engine at standard indicated operating temperature
54* ambient air temp
6 miles of driving with a few squeelies to get the rubber warm.
Run 1: TC ON-8.31 seconds
Run 2: TC ON-8.30 seconds
Run 3: TC ON, 1500 brake torque-8.43 seconds (damn bogging...)
Run 4: TC OFF-8.25
Run 5: TC OFF, 1500 Brake Torque-8.20
Run 6: " " 2000 " " -8.12
Run 7: " " 2500 " " -8.08
Run 8: " " 3000 " " -7.95
Run 9: " " FLOORED -7.85
Tires issuing all kinds of hate and discontent on the last 3 runs, I think a little bit of the extra knock off can be partly attributed to the tires getting a little bit of extra grabby on them. I did one more run, but it cant really count, as It was going down hill, but it was a 3K BT and it came out to 7.55!
Short version folks, either car reviewers cant really drive for shyt, they dont want to, or they are regurgitating FoMoCo nubmers (with, ironically, are 8.4), and Ford is up to its usual derating. Ford seems to derate EVERYTHING after the 00-01 cobra debacle. For example, the new GT is listed by Ford at 3.75 0-60, but Road and Track did it in 3.3! I would speculate that under "race" conditions, i.e. less then a quarter tank, all extra crap out, all accessories off, 93 octane, a Dura should clock in under 8 seconds every time without overt engine/transmission abuse. With a chip, shave another tenth or 2 off. Full intake and exhaust job, probably another tenth.
I guess what Im saying is that with about a grand to 2 in work, our cars should be seeing low 15, high 14 second quarters. Thats a FULL intake job (CAI, MAF, TB, Custom chip, Extrude honed intake manis (swap the composite for an older metal one if needed)), a Full exhaust job (extrude hone manis, hiflow primary cats, punched out secondary cat, removed resonator, split rear with hi flow mufflers), good rubber on all 4 corners (Continental ContiExreameTrac 225/50R16's for me please...) and a 1-2 inch suspension drop (optional).
Anyone have REAL dynocharts and timeslips to back any of my rantings up?