1997 Ford Taurus SHO: the biggest V8 SHO year

This record's own dek describes 1997 as the largest V8 SHO year in V8SHO.COM's production table, 10,133 built, all 3.4-liter V8 automatics, at a base price of $26,460. This record's own overview states the engine continued at 235 hp at 6,100 rpm and 230 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm, driving the front wheels through a four-speed electronically controlled automatic, with The Auto Channel's buyer's-guide data and Carey Russ's period review both giving the $26,460 base price and the review adding a $550 destination charge.^1,2

This record's own overview states that V8SHO.COM gives 10,133 SHOs for the model year, credited to BlueOvalNews and the Atlanta Assembly Plant: 10,132 left-hand-drive cars and one right-hand-drive car, and its own overview text describes that total as about twice the 1996 figure on the same production table. This record's own production notes state that the two drive-side rows partition the 10,133 total in the source's own table, and that no color, trim, or option counts were found for 1997.³

This record's own prices section documents a base price of $26,460, a dealer invoice of $23,990, a $550 destination charge, and an as-tested total of $30,145 for the review car, a spread of $2,470 between base MSRP and dealer invoice. That review car's own options are documented individually: Preferred Equipment Package 211A at $1,740, leather sport seats at $1,190, a six-disc CD changer at $595, and a California emissions system at $100, none of the four options carrying an installation count in this record.^1,2

This record's own performance section, from the same 1997 review, documents 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds, a quarter-mile in 15.7 seconds, and an observed fuel economy of 21 mpg as the reviewer's own recorded average, all with the same 211A package, leather sport seats, CD changer, and California emissions fitted to the test car. This record's own performance section documents no top-speed or braking measurement for the year, a gap in this record's own data rather than a claim that no such figure exists.¹

Five exterior colors are documented for the year without production counts: Toreador Red, Pacific Green, Silver Frost, Black Satin, and Vibrant White, all clearcoat finishes. Two interior colors, Medium Graphite and Saddle, are documented for the same span without counts, this record's own production notes stating plainly that no color, trim, or option counts were found for 1997. Neither section carries a source-cited count for any single color or trim, leaving the two lists as identification-only entries for the year rather than a production breakdown.⁴

This record's own specifications section documents a 108.5-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 198.4 inches against 198.3 inches as printed in the review, a curb weight of 3,327 lb, P225/55VR16 Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires, a drag coefficient of 0.30, and EPA ratings of 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. This record's own identification section documents the example VIN 1FALP54N3VA100001, decoding series 54, engine code N for the 3.4 V8 in the eighth position, and model-year letter V for 1997 in the tenth position.^1,5