Middle-aged parents who can't put aside the desire for some high-revving, pulse-pounding driving fun, get ready to party like it's 1999!  There's a new Ford Taurus SHO. 

In case you don't remember, the original Taurus SHO (Super High Output) was a high-performance edition of a boring family sedan, sold from 1989 through 1999.  It won a cult following among car enthusiasts for the stealth quality of hiding serious performance gear in the guise of a family hauler.  It was the automotive equivalent of a pudgy, middle-aged dad who could bench 320 and run a 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds.

Autoblog notes, "The original SHO survived three generations of Taurus models, was sold for 10 years straight and attracted over 100,000 buyers."

For 2010, Ford is bringing back the SHO badge and the blend of a powerful engine in a car that your mother would drive.  Jalopnik reports, "The new SHO boasts the highest level of tune so far announced for the Ecoboost V6 - 365 HP and 350 lb-ft of torque, going above and beyond the previously rated 355 HP in the 2010 Ford Flex and 2010 Lincoln MKS. The more important part of those power figures is where it comes in at, with peak torque starting from 1500 RPM and topping out at 3500 RPM. Shoot, that's almost in diesel territory."  That power is sent through a torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system, and an automatic transmission with a manual mode and a pair of paddle shifters, which rev matches downshifts and holds a gear even at redline if you wish. "Ford isn't being bashful about this new SHO either, boldly claiming the Taurus SHO will outperform the BMW 550i while returning 25 MPG on the highway and coming in at a reasonable $37,995 price. Those are certainly fightin' words."

Edmunds Inside Line adds, "Ford says it has tuned the SHO's suspension and steering for a sportier feel and better handling. An optional SHO Performance Package upgrades the brakes, shortens the final-drive ratio for better acceleration and offers a Sport Mode setting for the standard electronic stability control system. The Performance Package also offers 20-inch Goodyear Eagle F1 performance tires mounted on painted wheels."

Outside, the SHO looks subtly different from the standard Taurus.  Autoblog notes, "The grille features a dark grey finish that matches the wheels and new parking lamp bevels are SHO-only items. There's also a decklid spoiler out back along with a simple SHO/EcoBoost badge on the trunk lid. One of the exclusive colors available will also be Atlantis Green, which Ford says was inspired by the Deep Emerald Green seen on many second-generation (1992-1995) SHO models."  Inside, the seats feature suede inserts in contrasting colors, and aluminum trim.

Kicking Tires notes, "Standard features like keyless entry and ignition, MyKey, ambient lighting and Sync all help with the value argument. MyKey may be the biggest benefit, as it means a teenager can borrow dad's car without being able to test its upper limits."

Motor Trend comments, "We're eager to test the performance claims and see if this largest-of-all-SHOs can turn and stop as well as it scoots, but at first glance, this looks like a worthy heir to the SHO badge. Oh, and if the $37,995 base price sounds high, it's within $200 of the price of the last V-8 SHO sold in 1999, accounting for inflation. Clearly the power and performance have greatly outpaced inflation, as that 235-hp front-driver lumbered to 60 mph in a leisurely 7.5 seconds," while Ford claims the new SHO should meet 60 in under five seconds.

Research the best car deals with U.S. News' car rankings and reviews.