Earning the title of best-selling car of the year for half a decade straight is no small feat, but the Ford Taurus proudly claimed that victory between 1992 and 1996. Though the sedan served as a great family-style automobile for the time, it didn’t typically offer anything particularly out of the ordinary once drivers got behind the wheel, unless buyers selected the SHO option. This 1994 Ford Taurus here on Craigslist is one such second-generation example featuring this fine package, and it’s an ex-trainer from the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Chandler, Arizona. This one is now located in the Point Loma area of San Diego, California, and is priced at $16,999. Jack M., thanks a lot for your excellent tip here!
The Super High Output package, or SHO for short, really helped wake up the Ford Taurus, featuring a high-tech Yamaha-manufactured V6 under the hood for the ’94 model. Those equipped with a manual transmission got a 3.0-liter engine, or a slightly larger 3.2 L unit if mated to an automatic, with this car having the latter configuration. Despite their displacement difference, both power plants were rated at 220 horsepower. As Bob’s school offered high-performance lessons in a small enclosure for police pursuit driving, bodyguards, and even auto stuntmen, I’m guessing the less than 20,000 miles on the odometer weren’t exactly all put on there easily. However, everything in the bay still appears to remain in good order.
For the most part, the SHO had a fairly tranquil appearance in factory form, with a few subtle clues added outside to help trained eyes know that it was no ordinary Taurus. This one is the opposite, with the bright orange finish and decals everywhere making it stand out in a highly conspicuous manner. The body seems to have survived nicely, even after the potentially harder-than-normal life this sedan may have lived, and keeping it intact as-is seems like a good choice for some interesting conversations at car shows. Another option would be to remove the stickers, do a bit of panel prep, then paint the exterior a less vibrant color.
Much of the interior is stock, but a few additions include window nets for all four doors, safety harnesses from Simpson Race Products, plus the owner says there’s even a roll bar inside. On the other hand, this one features power windows, seats, and cruise control, so it also has a few luxurious components to enjoy. The SHO was a smart move by Ford, especially for the period when it first appeared in the late eighties, and this one certainly seems worth preserving in some form. Would you cosmetically restore this Taurus back to its original appearance, or just let it be?
Well this is something different. I imagine it has led a hard life, I guess I am surprised it has survived at all. A bit of googling shows that Bondurant has been out of business since 2019, so I assume it has been in private hands for a while. Doesn’t look like the current owner has bothered to clean the brake dust off the front wheels in a long time.
For me, part of the allure of the SHO was its subtle look. Not the case here!
Thanks for the research. I didn’t realize they were out of business, especially for that long!
I recall that they had an auction after they went under. Maybe this was bought at that time.
Bondurant’s school is now called the Radford Racing School. They sold off all the Fords when they switched to GM cars in 2003 so this one has probably been in private hands for 25 years or more.
No thanks. Im sure it has had the life thrashed out of it. Better to buy an SHO that has been cared for by a private owner.
My Drivers Ed car was a 73 Olds Delta 88. With a lever on the passenger side that worked the brakes. My Drivers Ed teacher was paralyzed from the waist down from a car accident ( but he could put the fear of God in you), kept his hand on it all the time. This car would have scared the crap out of him.
For the right price it would be perfect for the person that wanted to take it to local car shows, it would draw a lot of attention, mileage and past “abuse” wouldn’t matter since it would sit in a garage most of the time and babied when it does come out.
Steve R
Good idea, it’s that price that is going to stop most people. Selling at that price might make it the most expensive 94 automatic SHO ever sold.
I had a 1994 SHO and a 1999 SHO with the 8 cylinder loved both of them. The asking price on this one could get you a low mile 1994 SHO in much better shape with a 5 speed for less money.
☝🏼☝🏼What Lakota sez. ☝🏼☝🏼 Methinks someone is well into the wacky backy on the asking price.
Like a teen drag racer selling a beat to shite beater – low miles! (1/4 mile @ a time) Maybe a $2000 buy -if that.
There’s only a few of these left around, and they hold value quite well, five figures wouldn’t be out of the question.
In years past, some folks bought them to be used as track cars, as they were already prepped. The engines are bulletproof, so you really won’t hurt anything there, and track use is mostly the consumable stuff. Same weak point as most cars with the transmission.
As a graduate of the Bob Bondurant school of high performance driving, this one caught my eye immediately. The SHO Taurus cars were used in their fleet as instructor cars, while students were assigned Mustang GT’s to train in.
When I attended the school around 2002, they were testing the prototype of what ultimately became the Mercury Marauder (Crown Vic with an SVT Cobra motor and Roush suspension). What I can tell you from being a passenger in the back of that machine for a few test laps is that the instructors were NOT easy on them. But I have to admit it was equal parts terrifying and delightful when our instructor jumped that big sedan from one track on the course to another getting at least a few feet or air in between. Mr. Bondurant was not amused.
Having owned an 89, 92 and 99 SHOs I agree with Mr. Porter. Bulletproof V6 !
5 speed better.
Great fun but a wee bit pricey with auto.
“…less than 20,000 miles…’ agreed, but how many were after the LAST service (I bet the guys kept them in good shape, esp ones an employee sat beside U).
1st Q: can I register it for the rd as is?
If bought “…Would you cosmetically restore…” yes, unfortunately not a respray (unless sold) but I would use one of those erasers in my pneumatic die grinder on all the wrds/ltrs or whatever was needed to remove (all the graphics). After a yr or so I’d think abt the paint too. A Fusion Sports comes in here a good deal, I like it (4dor, awd, hi HP, may B 2 turbos, etc) cept for the motor (hrd 2 service). This might B a better deal~
The Bondurant cars are all thrashed & destroyed! I tried to buy a thrashed SVT Cobra from Bondurant, the drivetrain was replaced several times and the seat mounts were welded and fixed several times. Think fat, Execs wanting to be race car drivers and amateurs at that. Save your money!
We are having a discussion about this car over in a SHO FB group. There are pictures of these orange cars being used for the skid pad training. And a few guys have already owned these for use as track cars.
First off over priced as mentioned a few times. And as an automatic, ugh. Still for the right person at the right price this sho would make a great daily driver, once you remove the race car stuff and paint it. Or use it as a track car. But use it, drive the wheels off it!
These were good solid cars. Though driven hard for those miles shown it’s probably got a lot of life left in it.
It shouldn’t be relegated to garage queen status in my opinion.
Nope, these will be kept with the full livery. A previous owner of this car, a friend of mine in St Louis, repainted it and replaced all of the decals. Others have purchased these to use as track cars. In the SHO word, these, along with the Turtle racecars, are kept, driven, and shown as they were “in the day”.
To each their own.
I would strip the decals & race hardware, then repaint it, SHO world or not. I’d want a driver, not a show-off. Too much money on the buy-in anyway so moot point either way in my opinion.