When Ford And Yamaha Came Together To Create A V-8 Sedan

When Ford And Yamaha Came Together To Create A V-8 Sedan

• The Ford Taurus SHO’s third generation introduced a transversely-mounted 3.4-liter V-8 engine, a departure from previous models developed by Yamaha.
• The third-gen SHO was more refined and sophisticated, with a refined exterior and a more upscale image.
• While the V-8 engine had some issues with camshaft sprocket failure, it can still be found at a relatively affordable price, making it a good sleeper car option.

The Ford Taurus SHO revolutionized the sports sedan segment when it debuted for the 1989 model year: It combined performance and utility in a package that cost less than $20,000. The SHO, short for Super High Output, was originally supposed to be a limited-production model. However, it was so popular that Ford decided to keep the model in its lineup.

The first-gen SHO’s crown jewel was a high-revving V-6 engine developed by Yamaha that flung the sports sedan to 60 MPH from zero in 6.7 seconds. The second-gen model featured the same engine or a 3.2-liter V-6 that paired with a slushbox. Ford has something special in store for the third-generation SHO: a transversely-mounted 3.4-liter V-8. Here’s everything about the third-generation Ford Taurus SHO, a V-8 four-door sedan created by Ford and Yamaha.

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In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including MotorTrend, Car And Driver, Autoweek, and Hagerty.

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. Rather than conceal Yamaha’s role in building the 3.0-liter V-6, Ford used it as a marketing tool. With the V-8, however, Ford wanted to play a bigger part in the engine’s production.

The Ford Taurus SHO V-8 Produced Peak Torque At 4800 RPM And Peak Power At 6000 RPM

The starting point of the Yamaha-Ford V-8 was the Duratec 2.5-liter V-6 powering the Ford Contour. The Duratec and the V-8 shared several characteristics, including the bore, stroke, compression ratio, and cam and valve arrangement. Yamaha installed a balance shaft between the cylinder banks to cancel the vibrations of the 60-degree V-8’s offset crankpins. The V-8 was one of a kind: it was the only Ford mill at the time with aluminum bucket tappets, direct ignition, and reverse-flow cooling.

Ford formulated a rather complicated engine manufacturing process for the V-8. The automaker cast the cylinder heads, aluminum engine blocks, and connecting rods at its Ontario plant before shipping them to Japan for final assembly. The finished mills returned stateside for installation inside the Taurus SHO’s engine bay. The 3.4-liter V-8, with its exposed cast-aluminum intake runners, generated 225 horsepower at 6000 RPM and 225 pound-feet at 4800 RPM. Having proven it could build a transversely-mounted V-8 for a sports sedan, Yamaha later helped develop a 4.4-liter V-8 for the Volvo XC-90 SUV.

Performance Specifications

Engine

Naturally aspirated 3.4-liter V-8

Horsepower

225 horsepower

Torque

225 pound-feet

Transmission

Four-speed automatic

Driveline

FWD

0-60 MPH

8.0 seconds

Top Speed

136 MPH

(Specs: Ford)

The V-8 Paired With A Four-Speed Automatic Transmission

Unlike the first two SHO generations, which had a manual gearbox, the third generation Ford Taurus SHO only came with a four-speed automatic transmission. The slushbox routed power to the front wheels. Despite having a slight power advantage over the outgoing SHO, the V-8-powered model was slower than the V-6-powered SHO. That’s probably because the third-gen model was about 500 pounds heavier than the second-gen sports sedan.

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The Third-Gen SHO Was More Sophisticated And More Radical Than The Model It Replaced

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The SHO drew in buyers because it was a fun and affordable sports sedan. Ford changed the SHO’s image with the third-generation model, introducing an expensive, grown-up, and curiously-styled sedan.

The Third-Gen Ford Taurus Was Refined And Civilized

The Taurus SHO lost its fun image when Ford released the 1996 model. It was refined and civilized – and the sticker price indicated it was a car for upmarket buyers. The engine produced a mild snarl when you smashed the loud pedal down; the steering remained steady during acceleration; the transmission shifted gears without drama. It was a far cry from the raucous second-gen SHO, which suffered from torque steer. Furthermore, the vehicle handled well on smooth asphalt and kept road noise away from the cabin.

The 1996 Taurus SHO Had A Unique Exterior

One of the many reasons why the Taurus SHO was such a big hit was its looks. It attracted the attention of celebrities like Conan O’Brien, who still owns a 1992 Taurus SHO. Borrowing styling cues from the Audi 5000, the Taurus looked sleek and aerodynamic. The Taurus’s good looks were accentuated by competitors like the Toyota Camry and the Chevrolet Celebrity, which looked woefully bland. Ford wanted the third-gen SHO to make as big an impact as the first-gen car.

Drawing design inspiration from the 1991 Ford Contour Concept, Ford designed an ovoid-heavy shell for the 1996 Taurus SHO. The SHO looked unlike any other sports sedan on the market, but not in a good way. The vehicle’s catfish face and overtly oval exterior looked odd. Thanks partly to its peculiar styling, the Taurus SHO’s image suffered stateside, leading to its eventual discontinuation after the 1999 model year.

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The Ford Taurus SHO’s V-8 Suffered From Catastrophic Engine Failure

By most accounts, the Ford Taurus SHO’s V-8 was a brilliant mill. However, some engines suffered from catastrophic and expensive engine failure caused by camshaft sprocket failure.

The V-8’s Cam Sprocket Broke Loose In Some Engines

In some engines, the cam sprocket broke loose from the camshaft due to a design oversight by Yamaha. Consequently, the camshaft stopped and failed to activate the valves. The pistons would then collide with the valves, causing engine failure. Ford Taurus SHO owners reported repair bills as high as $21,000. Ford said via a press release that it was aware of the fault but believed it only affected a small percentage of V-8 engines. The automaker said ‘many’ repairs were covered by warranty, and it had covered part of the repair costs for owners with expired warranties.

Welding The Sprockets To The Camshafts Solved The Problem

To prevent camshaft slippage in the V-8 mill, owners welded the camshaft to the sprocket. This fix saved engines that hadn’t suffered the failure. Taurus SHO owners who failed to implement the fix were either lucky that their V-8 mills didn’t suffer the failure, or they had to pay dearly to fix their damaged engines. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the SHO V-8 doesn’t appear in this catalog of the most reliable Ford engines.

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You Can Get A Good Taurus SHO For Around $5,100

The third-gen Taurus SHO was significantly pricier than the previous models. However, prices for the 1996 to 1999 Ford Taurus models have dropped steeply: you can get a good one for around $5,100, per Hagerty’s trusty valuation tool.

The Third-Gen Taurus SHO Is A Very Good Sleeper

The Ford Taurus SHO is one of the best American sleeper cars you can buy. Though it looks weird, there’s no getting around the fact that it hides a transversely-mounted V-8 under its hood. That alone should convince you to spend money on the third-gen bull. Besides the failing cam sprocket issue, the SHO suffers no major reliability issues. Therefore, before you purchase one, confirm whether the previous owners addressed the sprocket fault.

The third-gen SHO was the most civilized model made before Ford temporarily discontinued the Taurus. You get a lavish interior (by mid-90s standards), a smooth engine and transmission, and a plush ride for around $5,100. Early third-gen models were more luxurious than later models – as Ford tried to attract more customers by reducing the sticker price, it replaced premium materials inside the car with cheap plastics and hard polymers. The 1996 and 1997 models are, therefore, the most luxurious.