Someone Kept This V8 Ford Taurus SHO in Showroom Condition For 30 Years

This Ford Taurus SHO with just 2,924 miles is a rare, low-mileage gem from the ’90s

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There’s no shortage of affordable new sedans in the US, with more than a dozen available under $25,000. Models like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Mazda3, and VW Jetta dominate that space. But if you’re looking for something with more character and a much better story to tell, this 1996 Ford Taurus SHO might be the unexpected standout.

Yes, the car is 30 years old (being a 1996MY means it was likely built in 1995), but it has only been driven 2,924 miles (4,704 km). That’s barely enough to warm up the engine, let alone count as use. Nobody seems to know why it’s been driven so sparingly, but the car is now listed for $22,900 by Unique Classic Cars, a dealership in Mankato, Minnesota. It’s a legitimate time capsule and quite possibly the lowest-mileage example of its kind in the country.

Read: This Ford Taurus SHO Went Full Pickup With A Ranger’s Bed

The classic sedan wears Toreador Red Metallic paint, and considering how red finishes tend to fade under sun exposure, the pristine condition here suggests this Taurus spent most of its life indoors. It still rides on its original chrome-finished wheels, which appear just as untouched.

This third-generation Taurus has always had a slightly odd look, with its oval-heavy design that was all the rage in the mid-1990s, and the quirky styling hasn’t exactly aged gracefully. Still, there’s no denying that the 3.4-liter naturally aspirated V8 is just as cool now as it was back then.

Unique Classic Cars

This engine was developed by Ford in collaboration with Yamaha and produces 235 horsepower and 230 lb-ft (312 Nm) of torque. While impressive on paper, these engines are known for cam sprocket issues that can lead to catastrophic failure if left unchecked. So if the next owner plans to actually drive the car, a full engine service would be a smart move. Power is sent to the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission.

The interior is just as intriguing as the outside, featuring a load of circular shapes, including on the door panels and the dashboard housing the cassette player and HVAC controls. Saddle leather adorns the seats and door panels, showing virtually no signs of wear.

For a car that could’ve easily been forgotten in a sea of bland mid-’90s sedans, this Taurus SHO stands out simply by surviving. And with mileage this low, it’s less of a used car and more of a preserved artifact from a very specific moment in American automotive design. Plus, it has a V8 – hello.

If this sounds like your kind of trip back in time, the full listing can be found through Unique Classic Cars over here.

Unique Classic Cars