as a former owner of a taurus with vulcan (and mom has 2k taurus with vulcan) i can say this....taurus is larger contour is more everything else
im debating the same switch for myself more or less ...i love my contour and dont want to get rid of it but i miss the roominess of the taurus...the tour is just a little too cramped sometimes
i know that i wont make the change unless i can get a duratec taurus or a sho
taurus car club check this site out...i think there's even a group buy for aftermarket intake manifold for the vulcan engine
and i think with good tires and suspension and intake and exhaust work u can have a pretty peppy vulcan taurus....not sure if u want to go the the sho clone look though...a stealth taurus could be a fun weapon