Tale of the tape: Chevrolet SS vs. Chrysler 300 SRT8 vs Ford Taurus SHO

The arrival of the Chevrolet SS late this year means Detroit will have a brace of high-output sports sedans aiming for the same pool of customers. Here's how the newcomer from Down Under matches up on paper to the Chrysler 300 SRT8 and the Ford Taurus SHO — best we can tell so far.

As is common with a new model, Chevy officials didn't reveal full specs on Friday night, such as whether the SS can beat the SRT8's 0-60 time of 4.7 seconds. The SRT remains the horsepower king, and comes with the largest tires standard, but also weighs more. The Taurus is the only one with all-wheel-drive, but looks a step off the pace with its 365-hp EcoBoost V-6. Maybe a little fresh competition will improve the new breed of four-door Motown sports cars.

SS vs. SRT vs. SHO

Model

2014 Chevrolet SS

2013 Chrysler 300 SRT8

2013 Ford Taurus SHO

Drivetrain

RWD

RWD

AWD

Transmission

6-speed auto

5-speed auto

6-speed auto

Engine

6.2 liter V-8

6.4 liter V-8

3.5 liter V-6 twin turbo

Horsepower

415

470

365

Torque (lb-ft)

415

470

350

Standard wheels

19-inch

20-inch

19-inch

Standard tires

Bridgestone Potenza S001

Goodyear Eagle RS-A

Goodyear Eagle

0-60 mph time

>5 seconds

4.7

5.3

Premium fuel

Recommended

Recommended

Suggested

Fuel economy

N/A

14/23

17/25

Steering

Electric

Hydraulic

Electric

Weight (lbs.)

N/A

4,365

4,343

Wheelbase (inches)

114.8

120.2

112.9

Length

195.6

200.3

202.9

Width

74.8

74.2

76.2

Height

58.7

58.2

60.7

Front legroom

42.3

41.8

41.9

Rear legroom

39.7

40.1

38.1

Base price

N/A

$47,995

$39,300