1993 Ford Taurus SHO review from North America

Transmission failure. Before Purchase Rebuilt $750.00.

An incredible "secret" pocket rocket.

I just started work at a dealership last month. I had never heard of the SHO other than a distant memory of a friend trying to convince me it was the fastest thing at our local drag strip. I laughed at him. I picked the SHO as my demo one night due to the ease of its position to get out of the lot with minimal effort. Needless to say I bought two (his and hers).

I have owned near 30 cars in my 34 years on this planet. I have fixed cars professionally, drove them professionally, and now sell them professionally. I know cars.

Well the story I am going tell you is still unbelievable to me a month later, but none the less 100% true.

I left the lot and within the first 2 miles I was looking around the dash, shaking my head and saying "What the hell is up with this Taurus" I like to say cars talk to me. Well this baby was begging to get my attention. I instantly knew she had some power. After a long day I did not give it much more attention. I did not explore her. I just drove home and went out for a cruise with the wife. She drove for 2 hours and the car insisted on trying to get my attention. I could not ignore her anymore. My wife liked the bells and whistles and I did to, but there was more than met the eye here and I was eager to see what it was "OK babe my turn" I said. She had seen enough and stated she was buying it. Now the fun starts. I explain to my wife that this car is now screaming at me to drive it. To really drive it. After 14 years with me my wife was already putting on her seat belt. She was ready and curious. I do not often really drive a car to the edge. That is why I married her. In truth, I do not know anyone else who could sit next to me on a performance test drive without screaming to get out. I get all nestled in and head for the ramp. Bang!!! I nail her. Whoa. Gone. Just gone. No fuss, No muss. A low primal growl that erupts into a confident roar as the intake runners open at 4000 rpm. 0-60 in about 6 seconds. OK then, we have the road now. Bang!!! I nail her again AT 70 mph. Gone. Just gone again!! OK then 110mph and arriving there really fast as the runners open the intakes and my eyes. She has really got my full attention now as she moves as though we were still at 60 mph. No shaking. No wind disturbance. I am impressed. Really tight legs.

What happened next was the most significant event in my driving life. Bang!!! I hit her again and this time I am taking her there. Gone. Just gone again!!! What!!! The runners howl 120, 130, 140,.Speedometer pinned only at 4800 rpm. Red line 3000 away!! What!!! 5200 rpm must be 150-160 mph still got room!! What!!! She is still smooth getting a little light and loose, but man 160!! She has room for more. Taurus??? That's it for me. Any faster and I want a NASCAR paycheck. I am laughing now. I thought I would hit her limit. She hit mine. For the first time in 14 years there is fear on my wife's face. She marvels at the crazed look in my eye and the uncontrolled laughter. For the first time a car has defeated me. I am fully intoxicated. High on the car. Now here come the turns. Swish 120mph. Swish 110mph. No noise. No screech. Lots room for more. The car handles like every other aspect of itself. Flawless. Effortless. A thing of true grace. I come off one highway and on to the one that completes a normal 45min nonstop circle of Philadelphia to bring us home. Its been 12 min. I am talking to myself and still laughing. I am at a nice slow 90mph. This seems normal for this car. "My god what is this thing. Does my boss know about it? I don't think he does. I can get it cheap. We have three on the lot. Wait, I can get two". I hear my wife distantly "Honey are you OK. Who are you talking to" I am playing checkers on the road now and I am kinged. I am not even thinking about it. The car makes hard, if not impossible things, a norm. Traffic appears to me in slow motion.

We arrive at the home station. I want to know what is under the hood. I look and yell to my wife "It's a modified engine". No way it came with this. The intakes are 1 inch pipes for each of the 6, yes 6 cylinders. Questions abound. I must know. What is this car. My neighbor approaches me. He has been waiting since we left. He knows the "Shogun". Like an answer to my prayers he explains the car in full. If I had not done the very things he now spoke of I would have called him a nut. Stock. It's full stock. Yamaha engine. Beats Vettes, Firebirds, Camaro. Bill warns me " I know you Mark. Be careful. She will kill you before you kill her." Yes she would indeed.

I have found the car of my dreams. I am lord of the roads. I have owned 6 police interceptors. They cannot compare. Some states actually use this car stock as police interceptors!! I am lord of the road in my Shogun. Some day I will try to beat her. I will rise to conquer this machine. Until then she owns me. Heart and soul. I honestly don't know if I will win.

She can be modified cheaply, but stock is good enough. If not than you need to have a few sessions on the couch. Minor mods give impressive horses on this fine tuned mechanics only machine. She will eat tranny's, but is she worth it? Yes. The engine has been noted to get 250000 miles easy. Valve lashes and timing belts need help at times. Nothing is cheap to fix on this car. Even the fluids demand knowledge. She is no cheap date. She is a driving machine that can impersonate a family car on demand. The all leather seats and many options make it a joy to sit in. Smooth ride for a sport tuned suspension. She is a little soft on the ride and some true sports handling is lost, but a strut bracer replacement and tire upgrade and look out Vette. Great JBL sound with woofer and booster standard. She does it all. At long last I am in love with a car. She was always there waiting for me. Fate has brought car and driver together. I am king of the road. She is my queen. We battle to this day for rule of the road and she is winning. Am I crazy? Drive A Shogun and see. I have a black 93 ATX and red 94 ATX.