Let’s be brutally honest: Driving a 1994 Ford Taurus is the automotive equivalent of watching paint dry. The company designed the vehicle to be a competent daily driver, not one to set pulses racing. However, by joining forces with Yamaha, it developed the SHO. Those three seemingly insignificant letters make a world of difference to performance, although by not festooning the car with outrageous badges, decals, and enormous spoilers, Ford created a sleeper. I must say a big thank you to Barn Finder Rocco B. for spotting this 1994 example listed here at Hemmings in Rochester, Illinois. It isn’t perfect, but with an asking price of $7,000, it is definitely affordable.

Ford introduced its Second Generation Taurus range for the 1992 model year, with the final cars rolling off the line in 1995. The first owner ordered this one in 1994, selecting Deep Emerald Green Metallic to cloak its exterior. The seller states that apart from the rear bumper cover, the paint is original. It sports a wide selection of chips and marks, confirming that it isn’t a trailer queen. Interestingly, the seller doesn’t mention panel rust, making this area near the fuel filler worth mentioning. It is the only evidence of genuine rust, and would probably prompt me to perform an in-person inspection. However, the panels are straight, and the underside shots reveal nothing beyond the occasional spot of surface corrosion. Treating these to prevent further deterioration would be a wise and affordable move. Otherwise, the plastic and glass are in good order, and there are no major issues with the original 16″ alloy wheels.

Ford had BMW and Mercedes-Benz firmly in its crosshairs when it released the SHO, choosing to deploy virtually everything in its toy cupboard to create a luxurious interior. Buyers received dual front airbags, supple leather trim, climate-controlled air conditioning, power operation for the windows, locks, mirrors, and front seats, cruise control, a leather-wrapped tilt wheel, and a premium AM/FM radio/CD player. This car’s interior looks remarkably good considering the light trim shade. The seats sport the typical wrinkles of elegantly aging leather, and there is slight wear on the wheel rim. Otherwise, there are no marks, stains, signs of abuse, or other problems that would cost money to fix.

Ford has a long history of collaborating with third-party organizations to develop potent engines. It turned to Cosworth to produce the DFV V8, the most successful engine in Formula One history. The same company developed a new cylinder head and other components for the European Sierra. In its ultimate road-going guise, the Sierra RS500 developed around 240hp, but in racing form, engine builders reliably squeezed 650hp from the 2.0-liter four. Yamaha was the company of choice when the idea emerged to produce a high-performance version of the Taurus. The preferred configuration was a V6 with a narrow-angle to improve packaging efficiency. Initially produced in 3.0-liter form, the capacity grew to 3.2-liters in 1993 as Ford introduced a four-speed automatic transmission to the options sheet. That is what hides below this car’s skin. The engine produces 220hp and 215 ft/lbs of torque, with neither figure looking particularly spectacular by 2025 standards. However, it is worth noting that a “regular” Taurus delivered 139hp and 165 ft/lbs, confirming that the SHO was a major leap forward. It could cover the ¼-mile in 15.9 seconds, which was only a tenth of a second slower than the five-speed manual version. Give this car a long enough stretch of straight road and the needle should nudge 140mph. The seller indicates that this survivor is in excellent mechanical health, showing a genuine 121,000 miles on its odometer. It has been maintained since Day One by the selling dealer and recently received a significant list of work that ensures it is a turnkey classic that runs and drives well.

I’m not about to sit here and try to convince you that this 1994 Ford Taurus SHO will give a muscle car a run for its money, because the performance figures don’t go close to proving that. However, its acceleration and top speed were considered impressive in 1994, especially in a package that was loaded with luxury features. These cars have never found favor in the classic market, although values are climbing slowly. Will there be a sudden moment of illumination where enthusiasts find these cars irresistible? That’s hard to say, although stranger things have happened in the unpredictable classic world. If that happens, getting in on the ground floor by parking this one in your garage could be a wise move.