The V-8 Engine Powering The 1996 Taurus SHO Was Based On The Ford Contour’s 2.5-Liter V-6 Yamaha had done a superb job developing the V-6 used in the first and second-generation Ford Taurus models.

The SHO used a Mazda-sourced 5-speed manual and was the most powerful front-wheel-drive sedan in the world. But the SHO didn’t have the success of its predecessor, with the original Taurus ...