Conan O’Brien Defending His Ford Taurus SHO Relates to Us All

After owning a series of unreliable and dubiously acquired cars, Conan O’Brien finally treated himself to a brand-new vehicle after earning some money. His choice? A Ford Taurus. More than three decades later, he continues to try convincing his friend and former flame Lisa Kudrow that it’s a “fantastic” car. The reason? O’Brien’s new acquisition was not just any Taurus; it was a Ford Taurus SHO—a genuinely impressive ride.

On this week’s episode of “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” O’Brien and Kudrow reminisced about his enthusiasm and her skepticism when he first introduced the performance sedan to her. “You were so excited about the Ford Taurus, and I didn’t understand that,” Kudrow shared. O’Brien, ever the enthusiast, exclaimed, “It’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing!”

As expected, O’Brien’s passion for his Taurus SHO was met with laughter from a roundtable of non-car enthusiasts. Kudrow, along with co-hosts Sona Movsesian (O’Brien’s assistant) and Matt Gourley (O’Brien’s producer), couldn’t help but laugh at O’Brien’s insistence that his car wasn’t mediocre.

O’Brien explained, “It’s a Ford Taurus on the outside, but it’s got an incredible engine and a stick shift.” He recounted his attempts at convincing Kudrow back then and his co-hosts now. His new Taurus, SHOO or not, was leaps and bounds ahead of his previous vehicles—a ’70s Plymouth Valiant and a ’80s-era Buick Opel by Isuzu. One notable memory was the dubious state of the backseat in the Buick, possibly covered in blood. The Valiant, on the other hand, was simply basic.

O’Brien’s new ride, a dark green 1992 Taurus SHO, had been with him at least until 2020. This particular model year was notable for its redesign while retaining the gen-one powertrain. It featured a Yamaha-built V6 engine boasting 220 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque, paired with a Mazda-derived 5-speed manual transmission.

During the podcast, Kudrow misidentified the car’s trim level as GTO, prompting O’Brien to clarify, “Not a GTO. S-H-O. Super High Output.” Kudrow, clearly not convinced, playfully glossed over with an “Oh, okay,” channeling her inner Phoebe from “Friends.”

Despite the joviality, there were moments of genuine support for O’Brien’s car choice from listeners. Even so, O’Brien himself admitted that the car’s stick shift initially posed a challenge. “When I bought it, I didn’t know how to drive stick,” he confessed.

When Kudrow inquired why he had chosen a manual transmission, O’Brien answered that they were simply cheaper. Kudrow, however, had a theory, “Because that’s what men did. If you had a fast car, you didn’t get some wimpy automatic transmission.” Agreeing, O’Brien noted, “I needed to have full control over every inch of my Taurus.”

Many can relate to O’Brien’s experience. Sharing stories of learning how to drive a stick after purchasing the vehicle is not uncommon. Often, this choice was driven by a desire to impress someone, who, in most cases, didn’t care. Stick shifts were also more economical and fuel-efficient, a selling point that is less relevant today.

In the end, what remains a timeless truth is the ongoing effort by car enthusiasts to convince non-car people that their seemingly average commuter car is a sleeper, with performance features that may not be immediately evident. This sentiment is often met with a polite, if indifferent, “Oh, okay.”

Source: The Drive