I can't believe these cars are that slow. I tracked my stock 1992 Ford Taurus SHO earlier this year and got a 14.96 @ 95mph with a 60 foot of 2.48. It was 100 degrees on the track that day. It was my first time at the track ever and I had 3/4 tank of gas.

Are these cars that slow??

 

No, but when one puts on 20's, buys an intake, and doesn't know what to do at the track, they can be slow.

I have an exhaust and a spacer on my auto 03 5AT, and my best is a 14.400@99.04 (14.28 corrected). With a higher launch, 14.3 is within sight, and there is no reason that similarly modded cars, or 05/06 rev-ups, cannot make those times. I know that the magazines have gone 14.3@97/98 in stock 05/06 6mt's, and they have done 14.5's with 5AT from the same year(s).

In terms of 03/04's 5AT's, they should still be able to run 14.6-14.7 stock with an average driver. I'm sure the 6mt's have more in them.

To answer your question, these cars can be slow if you drive them and mod them that way.

 

Na, it's mostly the drivers and/or conditions that are to blame. With a Z-tube (doesn't add any power), my 03 G35 sedan auto ran low 14.3s at around 98mph with mid 2.1 60 foots in sea level conditions (lower 50s, high baro pressure, 1,000' above msl). With a plenum spacer, the car was doing high 14.3s at 100mph in 1,700' air. I'm certain if I could run at some of the northeastern tracks like E-town, Cecil, Maryland, etc. in the fall when the air density is well below sea level, my G would be in the 14.0-14.1@101mph range.

I've watched a handful of stock and modded SHOs ran at my track (Kansas City International) over the past 10 years and they're usually in the 14.7-15.2@95mph range. The quickest SHO I've seen was a super clean white SHO that had the typical bolt-ons (y-pipe, intake, catback, pullies, some sort of ECU flash or tuner) plus DRs. He was running 14.5s@96mph with 2.1 60 foots. I'm certain I could have gotten it into the low 14.3s The biggest problem with the performance of the SHO is the 5MT's horrendous gearing. The gearing is simply too long for that high winding Yamaha. If the SHO was geared like my old 96 Maxima 5MT, it would probably be .2 to .3 quicker.

 

The gearing isn't too bad. What's worse is the weak differentials they have. Without a quaife they can't really support the power if seriously modded. For a 17 year old car I will say it is a lot of fun to drive.

I can't wait to track my 04 6mt sedan and see how they compare.

 

I think you'll be shocked at how much quicker and faster the G is. The power is so linear and broad that the car doesn't feel that fast. I swore my G was a 14.8@95mph car because it felt much slower than my modded Maxima that did low 14.3s in cool air. My G did the same feat with no power mods. It's first pass in 75 degree air was a 14.6@97mph with a high 2.3 60'. It's second pass was a 14.4@98mph with a low 2.2.