Ford Taurus

When Ford launched the Taurus for the 1986 model year, its aerodynamic styling was a radical departure from the boxy sedans of the era. It was an immediate sales sensation, becoming America's best-selling car and influencing automotive design for years to come. The car's long production run means most of the 174 sales we've tracked are for simple, used transportation.

The collector interest in the Taurus centers almost exclusively on the high-performance SHO (Super High Output) models. The first generation (1989-1991) is the most revered, pairing a 220 hp Yamaha-built V6 with a mandatory 5-speed manual transmission. It was a true factory sleeper. Later generations offered larger V6 engines, a short-lived V8, and eventually, a twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 in the final version.

The current market is split. The average sale price of just $8,493 is weighed down by thousands of non-SHO sedans and wagons trading as used cars. The real collector action is in low-mileage, well-preserved SHO models. These rare examples, especially from the first generation, are responsible for the market's high water mark of $51,000 and represent the future of Taurus collectibility.

Prices range from as little as $1 for project cars to $51,000 for pristine, low-mileage SHO models.