On the dyno, the SHO V6 achieved 220 horsepower and 200 ft-lbs of torque. That might not seem spectacular by modern standards, but in 1989, it was only 5 horsepower less than a V8-powered Mustang. In a Car and Driver test, the 1989 Taurus SHO accelerated from 0-60 mph in just 6.7 seconds, earning the accolade of “The fastest four-door sedan you can buy for less than $50,000.” Actually, it was a lot less than $50,000, with a base price of approximately $20,000.
The Taurus SHO’s tachometer had a redline of 7,300 rpm but journalists suspected that was more in the interest of protecting the engine-driven accessories like the alternator and a/c compressor. It’s been said that the true rpm potential is more like 8,500 rpm, owing to the engine’s forged steel internals.
Not only was the SHO powerful, but it was also extremely clean burning and fuel efficient. So efficient was the combustion process that the engine defied the need for certain emissions control devices that were commonplace at the time, like an EGR valve or air-injection pump. Fuel economy was rated at a decent 21 mpg around the city, but a remarkable 34 mpg on the highway.
For the 1992 model year, the SHO V6 grew from 3.0 to 3.2 liters displacement to better accommodate a new automatic transmission (the first-gen SHO was manual transmission only). Due to milder tuning, the bigger engine made the same amount of horsepower as its predecessor, but torque increased by 15 ft-lbs.
In 1996, the V6 was ditched in favor of an ill-fated unreliable V8 until the SHO package itself was axed in 1999. But while it lasted, the Taurus SHO was the ultimate sleeper — all due to an unlikely East-West alliance.
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