I will tell you right now... look for a 1st Gen Taurus SHO. I had a 1990 with 125k and rode it to 280k miles and it was STILL running strong. The 3.0L Yamaha V6 is
amazingly durable.
This video explains how the SHO engine works, which is pretty cool itself. It definitely doesn't look like any other engine I've seen before...
Yeah, good luck finding headers for that!
Seriously though, this car was by far the best $2,000 I've ever spent and you can get them for much cheaper. 220hp, 5 speed manual, spacious interior and trunk, sunroof, full leather interior, fully loaded and all automatic... all the electrical luxuries worked on my car without fail, nice considering its age. These Taurus SHOs are clean, classic looking American sleepers.
Well known to hit 140mph+ and 0-60s in the 6.5 second range. Plenty of get up and go and passing power. Beats the hell out of a Crown Vic or LS1 Impala even, except lots of AM mods for the Imp. The AM market for the SHO is non existent but you can still get the basics.
They remind me a lot of the LS1 Impalas, how just a few subtle changes to the exterior would make them look intimidating and just outright brooding.
Its FWD which is great for adverse weather, control, and from what I remember it handles and drives perfectly. Hardly any body roll or under steer. I used to take it through the foothills with the window down and just enjoyed the winding roads, scenery, and fresh air.
It was a fun and quirky car to have. First its a Taurus sedan with a 5 speed shifter and then you open the hood and have an alien looking engine. When you hit the gas, after 4k RPMs the secondaries kick in and the car really comes alive... very exhilarating. Miss this car
