1989 Ford Taurus SHO Review (Car and Driver)
The fastest four-door sedan you can buy for less than $50,000.
(From the December 1988 Issue of Car and Driver)
Breakthrough cars — cars that completely rewrite the rules by which other automobiles are judged — appear but a few times a decade. The 1964 Ford Mustang was a breakthrough car, providing a combination of sexy styling and low price that no competitor could match. The 1970 Datsun 240Z was another breakthrough car, bringing a six-cylinder engine, a fully independent suspension, and exotic lines to a class previously dominated by dated British roadsters. Honda's 1976 Accord represented yet another breakthrough, forever altering compact-car standards by proving that a readily affordable, small sedan could have just as much refinement and attention to detail as a large, expensive model.
Welcome the latest automotive breakthrough: the 1989 Ford Taurus SHO. The Taurus SHO earns its spot in the breakthrough brigade for one reason: it turns the high-performance four-door-sedan class on its head. If that sounds like an overstatement, consider the SHO's qualifications. It has a 24-valve V-6 engine that produces 220 hp. From a standing start, it can reach 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. Its top speed is a hair-straightening 143 mph. It has room for five adults and a healthy allotment of luggage. And it can be purchased for less than $20,000.
