Aurelia Butler

• The Ford Taurus SHO turned America’s most popular sedan into a legitimate sporting machine.• A high-strung Yamaha V-6 is paired with a five-speed manual.• This first-year SHO has seen just two owners and 37,000 miles.Up for auction on Bring A Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of the Hearst Autos Group—is an example of a groundbreaking performance sedan that brought power to the people. “Ford Taurus SHO Shocks the World,” we said, with only minor hyperbole, after testing the new sports sedan upon its debut. Okay, so the Taurus SHO wasn’t quite a BMW M5, but by the standards of the day it filled the same brief—and for less than half the price. When this 1989 example hit the streets, we called it a “breakthrough car,” one that could nip at the heels of Camaros and Corvettes, while retaining its family-friendly brief with four doors and a commodious trunk.Bring a TrailerRelated StoriesPop the hood and take a good look at one of the best-looking engines ever made, a Yamaha V-6 with its basket-of-snakes cylinder head. Displacing the same 3.0 liters as the optional Vulcan V-6 of the regular Taurus, the SHO had 80 more horses under its belt, for a total of 220.Bring a TrailerYamaha had been tasked with developing the V-6 for a potential mid-engined sports car called the GN34 (think Ford’s never-happened NSX). When that project fizzled out, Ford’s Special Vehicle Operations team pleaded for the V-6 to find a new home in a stiffened-up Taurus. Since the Taurus was a mainstream hit already, why not? Lucky us, because it was a heck of a motor. In a 1988 review of the car, Csaba Csere wrote: “The Shogun engine is rev-limited to 7300 rpm—not to protect the internal components, but to keep the accessory drive system from flying apart. (The engine itself is safely able to turn more than 8500 rpm.) The engine’s durability comes from its forged-steel crankshaft and connecting rods; a high-strength cast-iron cylinder block with reinforced main-bearing supports and deck faces; and a cooling system that offers full, 360-degree water jackets around the cylinders, extra-large cooling passages, and an oil-water heat exchanger. Yamaha didn’t skimp when it designed this engine.”Bring a TrailerThe exotic engine also sent 200 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, dispatched exclusively via a Mazda-sourced five-speed manual transaxle. (An automatic wouldn’t be offered until the next-gen, ’93 SHO.) The SHO didn’t look much different from the hundreds of thousands of garden-variety Taurus sedans already plying America’s streets (370,000 of which were sold in 1989). And yet, it was quicker than any sedan at twice the price. It also could keep pace with a V-8 Mustang. Not just keep pace, but actually outrun it.From that same period road test: “Compared with the potent Ford Mus­tang V-8, the SHO is a mere 0.3 second slower in the quarter-mile. And all of that lost time occurs at the start; once rolling, the SHO keeps pace with the Mustang and finishes the run at the same 95-mph trap speed. Above 100 mph, the aerodynami­cally superior SHO steadily pulls away from the Mustang. The Taurus SHO is one fast five-passenger family sedan.”Bring a TrailerThis example has relatively low miles at 37K and has had just two owners. It has some wear that’s typical of the interior quality of a late-1980s Ford product, and a few other blemishes. Though the silver paint hides these well.Even today, most might not know the SHO from any other Taurus. But pop the hood at your local Radwood show or cars and coffee event, and show off Yamaha’s fine work. It will be clear this is no Hertz-spec Taurus.The auction runs through May 22. Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

This custom-built 2022 Lexus LX600 will make its debut at Overland Expo West.A 2.5-inch lift is one of many modifications that improve the SUV’s off-road readiness.An Off Grid Trailers Pando 2.0 camper that’s capable of tackling rugged terrain is also in tow.Toyota may no longer import the Land Cruiser to our shores, but its Lexus luxury arm still sends us the mechanically similar LX600. Despite its shared mechanical pieces, the LX600 lacks a dedicated off-road variant. Fortunately, the folks at Overland Expo are taking things into their own hands with a custom 2022 LX600 that serves as this year’s Ultimate Overland Vehicle. Following in the tread marks of last year’s Ultimate Overland Vehicle—a custom 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X—this off-grid-ready LX600 incorporates a multitude of aftermarket components to improve its off-road capabilities. Credit Mule Expedition Outfitters for turning this once-ordinary LX600 into a bonafide trail-conquering machine.The boxy Lexus SUV isn’t the only piece in this overlanding puzzle, as an Off Grid Trailers Pando 2.0 camper is also in tow. This is no run-of-the-mill camper, either. With a claimed 8.0 inches of wheel travel and 24.0 inches of ground clearance, the Pando 2.0 is ready to tackle tough terrain. A 360-degree articulating hitch ensures its presence has little effect on the Lexus it’s attached to.Overland ExpoThis camper has all the luxuries of home too, including a sleeping area capable of holding a queen-size mattress, an air-conditioning system, a shower enclosure, a hot water system, and a rear galley kitchen. The latter bit holds up to 33 gallons of fresh water for the sink. A dual-burner cooktop and a pizza oven that’s hidden within the camper’s slide-out storage space mean going off-grid doesn’t require sacrificing hot meals.Yet the Pando 2.0’s capabilities are only as good as those of the vehicle it’s attached to. The accompanying LX600 features a number of enhancements that improve upon the stock body-on-frame SUV’s shortcomings. Overland ExpoOverland ExpoNotably, an ARB Summit MKII front bumper replaces the stock setup. Along with seriously improving the LX600’s approach angle, the aftermarket bumper houses the likes of Comeup’s SOLO Series 12.5 winch, ARB’s Intensity IQ off-road lights, and Midland Radio’s Bull Bar Antenna, which works to improve the reception of the interior-mounted Midland MXT-575 GMRS radio. A 2.5-inch suspension lift by way of Total Chaos-sourced suspension pieces, Radflo’s 2.5 Diameter Remote Reservoir shock absorbers and coil springs, and a set of 17-inch wheels from Icon Dynamics wrapped in knobby Kenda Klever R/T tires further contribute to the Lexus’s off-road prowess.Those in need of additional sleeping spaces will be glad to know this LX includes a Prinsu roof rack with a rooftop tent and an associated awning. Complementing the new front bumper is a CBI Offroad dual swing-out rear bumper that carries a full-size spare tire, a 5.0-gallon jerrycan, and traction boards. Opening the rear hatch reveals a Dometic CFX3 45 refrigerator and other goodies, including an auxiliary power management system. Overland ExpoAll this kit is sure to take a hit on the 409-hp LX600’s performance, as the only upgrade to the twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6 comes courtesy of a MagnaFlow Overland Series cat-back exhaust. Consider the last LX600 we tested clocked in at just shy of 6000 pounds and needed 6.1 seconds to make its way to 60 mph. With thousands of pounds of accessories in tow and attached to it, this custom LX600 will likely need a couple of extra ticks of the second hand to hit the mile-a-minute mark.Then again, this LX600 is the Ultimate Overland Vehicle, not the Ultimate Accelerating Vehicle, so quick acceleration isn’t really a necessity. The sure hit this kit will have to the LX600’s fuel economy is likely more troublesome, as keeping this rig fueled up will mean less time spent off the grid and more time spent back in urban society pumping gas. Related StoriesThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorDespite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend. More

The Ram 1500 Rebel Havoc Edition joins the Ram 1500 lineup for 2023.The Rebel Havoc Edition features Baja Yellow paint and Rebel graphics on the hood and bed.The 1500 Rebel Havoc Edition starts at $72,205. The Havoc trim was previously exclusive to the bigger and badder 1500 TRX and priced at $106,445. What do you do when you’re committed to selling limited-edition trucks and you’ve got a bunch of excess Baja Yellow paint laying around? That’s easy, you build an extremely limited run of Ram 1500 Rebel Havoc edition trucks to join your other recently created limited-run trucks. For customers, choosing the Havoc Edition awards mostly visual changes, the most prominent of which is the most visually obvious— and clearly involves a lot of yellow paint. The package also adds “Rebel” graphics to the hood and rear fenders; black badging, bumper and grille; and 18-inch gloss black wheels.The beating heart of the Rebel Havoc is the Hemi 5.7-liter V-8, which connects to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Power from the unchanged engine stays at 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque. RamThe 2023 Ram 1500 Rebel 4×4 with the Hemi V-8 powertrain starts at $59,085 sans Havoc edition, adding the Rebel Havoc package brings the starting price to a brisk $72,205, exactly the same as the Lunar Edition shown last week. Both come equipped with the Level 2 equipment package that includes niceties such as a 12.0-inch touchscreen, a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon sound system, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, and power-adjustable seats.Just like the TRX version, Ram says, the Rebel Havoc will be made in extremely limited numbers when it goes on sale this spring, though no specific figure was given. More Ram 1500This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Porsche has added integrated Apple Maps EV charger routing for U.S. Taycan models.Taycan owners using Apple Maps and Apple CarPlay can now see chargers directly in the mapping software.The system takes vehicle state of charge, charger locations, and estimated charging times into account, and can automatically suggest stations along a route. Porsche has added integration for Apple Maps to include charger locations for U.S. Taycan models, giving CarPlay users yet another reason to stick with the software. The car was already equipped with Porsche’s native charging planner, which can suggest stops based on information like the vehicle’s state of charge (SOC), expected traffic conditions, and average speed. But the reality is that most owners seem to prefer third-party software like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As for Android, a Porsche spokesperson told Car and Driver that the Taycan does come with Android Auto capability as standard, but it doesn’t have the EV state of charge integration or charge stop suggestions that the new CarPlay system does.PorscheThe new integration means that Taycan owners won’t need to leave CarPlay, or settle for using the native navigation system when trying to map out charging stops. On top of doing a lot of the same quality-of-life things the native system does (like analyze state of charge and expected traffic), the Apple system can also analyze elevation changes along a given route to get a more accurate estimation of battery usage. According to Porsche, if you allow the vehicle’s SOC to deplete to a low enough margin, the new software will automatically offer a route to the nearest compatible charging station.The system relies on both CarPlay and the information fed to it from the vehicle. That means the normal Apple Maps app on your phone won’t give the same charging recommendations. The system should work with any Taycan, but according to Porsche any models from 2021 or earlier will need to go to a service center for a free software update. Porsche also provided a link for setup and FAQs for the software, which can be found here. Related StoriesThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More