Carroll Shelby, the automotive icon whose innovation and influence spanned more than a half-century, died on Thursday May 11, 2012.

Shelby’s early career as a successful racer, driving for Cadillac, Maserati and Aston Martin, concluded in 1959, the year he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He then turned his vision and drive to building cars.

An unprecedented combination of horsepower, technology and fuel economy takes this sporting sedan to a whole new level.

“The Taurus SHO has always followed the original formula of stealthy sleeper and the new model is no exception,” said Gordon Platto, chief designer. “We wanted to keep the subtle, understated, yet sporty elegance, but at the same time we knew it was time to even more fully differentiate the Super High Output model from other Taurus series models.”

Direct feedback from the car enthusiast community was part of the resources used to reinvent this Taurus.

“The SHO enthusiast clubs and dedicated online forums were supportive resources for us,” said Amy Marentic, group marketing manager. “In the interim, our relationship with the enthusiast community has continued to evolve, inspiring us to deliver an ever better SHO with the next generation.”

Signature technology

Subtle differentiation from the other members of the Taurus family starts up front, with a performance-inspired grille in black mesh—unique to the SHO—flanked by series-specific, high-intensity discharge headlamps.

Behind the front wheel openings, a fender-mounted scallop contains a subtle SHO badge.

SHO-specific sideview mirrors—also in contrasting black—are heated, have memory functionality and contain downward-facing puddle lamps. Those on the driver’s side feature auto-diming.

In the rear, Taurus SHO features a unique decklid-mounted spoiler.

Inside, sporty characteristics are demonstrated with a perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather-trimmed sport seats with embroidered SHO graphics, woven aluminum trim and adjustable aluminum pedals with memory.

Signature Ford technology is included with the standard MyFord Touch powered by SYNC driver connect technology and the replacement of several traditional knobs and controls with clear, colourful LCD screens and five-way buttons. These screens can be personalized to display information relevant to each individual driver using voice command, a simple button click or touch-screen tap.

Enhanced powertrain

The 2013 Taurus SHO drivetrain continues to use a fuel-efficient 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 engine, delivering 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a six-speed, high-capacity SelectShift Automatic transmission.

Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters allow the vehicle to match revs for smooth, quick, manually selected downshifts. Paddle shifters have been reconfigured for more intuitive operation, with one paddle for upshift and the other for making smooth, matched-rev downshifts.

SHO dynamics have been enhanced with larger brakes, sport-tuned suspension and torque vectoring control—using slight braking to provide the effect of a limited-slip differential.

Specially calibrated electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) has been further optimized for road feel and direct communicative response. EPAS allows the car to park itself with active park assist.

Taurus SHO brake system upgrades include a larger master cylinder, revised booster tuning for improved pedal feel, larger front rotors with 19 per cent more thermal mass and 67 per cent more swept area to help brakes run cooler.

Now vented, the rear disc brakes offer 53 per cent more thermal mass.

As with the previous edition, all Taurus SHO models come standard with an advanced torque-sensing all-wheel-drive (AWD) system to help deliver optimum traction in all weather conditions and to allow the vehicle to efficiently deliver ample torque through all four driven wheels when driving in a sporty, enthusiastic manner.

Base price for the 2013 Taurus AWD SHO is $49,199. Add the performance package, voice active NAV system and multi-contoured seats for a MSRP of $52,099.

Truth in 24 II: Every Second Counts

Narrated by Jason Statham, the film highlights Audi’s win and documents what unfolded over the next 24 Hours at Le Mans as it became one of the most competitive and gripping races the world had ever seen.

Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpMF8fVbc2Y for a preview of the documentary, which is also available in high-definition as a free download on iTunes.

VRCBC at the 2011 ABFM

The Vintage Racing Club of British Columbia (VRCBC) will again have its booth at the 2012 ABFM. Their display will include some of the Club members’ racing versions of the ABFM’s featured marques for this year; MGB and Lotus.

The Greatest Show on British Wheels began in 1985. Since those early days 27 years ago, the show has grown to become the largest all British classic car show in western Canada, overflowing the Garden with some 600-plus classic cars and motorcycles and more than 6,000 people in attendance.

The 2012 event is shaping up to be a very special celebration of classic British-built and designed motorcars and motorcycles, with some fresh new features to rev up the interests of both enthusiasts and participants.

Complete information for entrants, spectators and media is available under the 2012 Vancouver ABFM Details menu above – or just click here

2012 All British Run – Vancouver / Whistler, May 20th

As part of the Vancouver All British Field Meet during the May Victoria Day weekend, this fun day gives participants the opportunity to drive one of the world’s most scenic roads, the Sea–to-Sky Highway from Vancouver to the Olympic Village of Whistler, where the cars will be displayed in the magnificent, new $13-million Olympic Plaza located in the central Village area.

For full information, go to the All British Run menu or click here.

ABFM 2012 - Vancouver, May 19th

The Greatest Show on British Wheels began in 1985. Since those early days 27 years ago, the show has grown to become the largest all British classic car show in western Canada, overflowing the Garden with some 600-plus classic cars and motorcycles and more than 6,000 people in attendance.

The 2012 event is shaping up to be a very special celebration of classic British-built and designed motorcars and motorcycles, with some fresh new features to rev up the interests of both enthusiasts and participants.

Complete information for entrants, spectators and media is available under the 2012 Vancouver ABFM Details menu – just click here.

ABFM 2012 – Vancouver, May 19th

The Greatest Show on British Wheels began in 1985. Since those early days 27 years ago, the show has grown to become the largest all British classic car show in western Canada, overflowing the Garden with some 600-plus classic cars and motorcycles and more than 6,000 people in attendance.

The 2012 event is shaping up to be a very special celebration of classic British-built and designed motorcars and motorcycles, with some fresh new features to rev up the interests of both enthusiasts and participants.

Complete information for entrants, spectators and media is available under the 2012 Vancouver ABFM Details menu – just click here.

ABFM 2012 - Saturday, May 19th

The Greatest Show on British Wheels began in 1985. Since those early days 27 years ago, the show has grown to become the largest all British classic car show in western Canada, overflowing the Garden with some 600-plus classic cars and motorcycles and more than 6,000 people in attendance.

The 2012 event is shaping up to be a very special celebration of classic British-built and designed motorcars and motorcycles, with some fresh new features to rev up the interests of both enthusiasts and participants.

Complete information for entrants, spectators and media is available under the 2012 Vancouver ABFM Details menu – just click here.

Lights! Camera! and soon, Action!

With the New York City skyline in the background, the Porsche, approaches the top of the steep Palisades as the 3.2-mile track climbs more than 165 feet above the Hudson River.

Construction on garages and pits has begun, agreements have been finalized with the cities of Weehawken and West New York and track engineering including pavement and course testing has been conducted.

In just 14 months, 24 Formula One cars will race on this street circuit at speeds approaching 220 MPH.

The newest Cayenne model joins the Cayenne, Cayenne S, Cayenne S Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo.

Originally introduced to the diesel-dominated European market in 2009, clean diesel technology and its many consumer benefits will now available to Porsche customers in Canada for the first time.

The new-for-2013 Porsche Cayenne Diesel’s powerful, yet fuel-efficient, 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel engine delivers 240-hp and 406 lb.-ft. of torque, available from as low as 1,750 rpm. The result is 0-100 km/h acceleration in just 7.6 seconds and a top track speed of 218 km/h. That performance is expected to be complemented by a 30 per cent increase in fuel efficiency over the equivalent gasoline engine.

The Cayenne Diesel is built to meet strict emission standards, and includes selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology. The SCR system is comprised of an AdBlue tank located in the car’s spare-wheel well, a heating system for this tank and the lines which carry the AdBlue, an injection valve for AdBlue fluid and a selective catalytic reduction converter, all of which aid in the reduction of NOx (oxides of nitrogen) emissions.

Highlights of the 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine in the Cayenne Diesel include high pressure common rail fuel injection and a variable vane geometry turbocharger, which give the engine improved response to driver inputs and enhanced fuel economy when compared to more conventional diesel engine technologies. In addition, the engine block is constructed from compacted graphite iron (CGI), which has many of the strength properties of an iron block but with a significant reduction in mass.

The Cayenne Diesel is equipped with an 8-speed Tiptronic S transmission, without the auto start stop function available on other Cayenne variants. As with the Cayenne S Hybrid, the Cayenne Diesel includes Porsche Traction Management (PTM), which features permanent all-wheel drive and a mechanically-locking rear differential. To further differentiate this model, Diesel badges are present on the left and right front fenders.

The Cayenne Diesel also comes standard with a system to protect the driver from fueling the vehicle with the incorrect fuel. A mechanical safeguard in the fuel tank filler neck ensures that the locking mechanism can only be opened by the larger diameter diesel fuel pump nozzle and that refueling will only begin at that point.

All Cayenne models benefits from a number of changes for 2013. These include the addition of door locking and unlocking buttons near the front door handles as well as a new analog clock mounted on the top centre of the instrument panel. Also new is the introduction of a new European delivery program in which Cayenne models may now be ordered for delivery at their birthplace in Leipzig or at the Porsche factory in Zuffenhausen.

The Cayenne Diesel arrives in Porsche dealerships in September and will be priced starting from $64,500.