In answer
to Fords Mustang and Chevy's Camaro, on January 27, 1967
Pontiac's General Manager John Z. DeLorean, a General
Motors vice president and general manager of Pontiac Motor
Division introduced the Firebird.
Built to sports car proportions with a new approach to
"long hood, short deck" styling, the Firebird
will go on sale February 23. It will be available in two
styles, a hardtop coupe and convertible. Adding a new
dimension to the personal sports car field, the Firebird
will offer a choice of five engines, including a Pontiac
overhead camshaft six-cylinder engine as standard and
up to the optional 400 cubic-inch V-8. Standard equipment
are bucket seats, three-speed manual transmission (with
four-speed manual and two-speed and three-speed automatic
optional), all-vinyl interior trims and the safety items
previously announced on the 1967 Pontiac.
"The personal sports car field is probably
the most rapidly growing in the industry. With the introduction
of the Firebird we hope to attract new car buyers who
want to step up to something extra in styling as well
as performance in this segment of the market" DeLorean
said.
Built on a 108.1-inch wheel base, the Firebird
has an overall length of 188.8inches, is 72.6 inches wide
and 51.5 inches high. The Firebird is named after a legendary
Indian symbol which promised action, power, beauty and
youth. It was first used in 1954 on GM's dramatic gas-turbine-powered
car, the Firebird I.
EXTERIOR STYLING
Exclusive styling features set the Firebird
apart into a class of its own, earning new status for
Pontiac's trend-setting stylists. The distinctive Pontiac
identity is maintained with a wide peripheral front bumper
and strong vertical center accent framing two deep grille
openings. Horizontally mounted duel headlamps are set
in the outboard ends of the grille openings and chrome
framed parking lamps are on the lower valance panel. Pontiac
block lettering appears on the left grille face.
The side appearance includes a full width
rocker molding and six vertical louvers on the front of
the rear quarters, rear of the door opening. All models
have an identification name and Firebird crest on the
front fender in front of the wheel opening. An engine
designation emblem is on each side of the hood plateau.
Firebird rear end treatment features a protective
wrap-around bumper, wide louver style tail lamps with
integral back-up lamps consisting of two long chrome edged
slits on either side set in the painted rear end panel.
Individual Pontiac letters appear on the deck lid. A distinctive
Firebird emblem appears on the fuel filler door located
at the center of the rear end panel and models with the
400 option will have the 400 designation numerals on the
right side of the deck lid. The custom trim option will
add front and rear wheel opening molding and will replace
the hub caps with deluxe wheel discs.
ENGINES
A total of 17 engine-transmission combinations
make it possible for each buyer to custom-tailor the Firebird
to his own performance requirements. In addition to the
standard 230 cubic-inch overhead cam engine rated at 165
horsepower, the Firebird is available with the sprint
OHC 6 engine rated at 215 horsepower with four-barrel
carburetor. The 326 cubic-inch V-8 engine is offered with
two-barrel carburetor with 250 horsepower and a four-barrel
carburetor H.O. version with 285 horsepower. Special body
side striping including H.O. designation is included with
this option.
An optional "400" performance
package offers the 400 cubic-inch V-8 with 325 horsepower
and includes wide oval red line tires, and twin air scoops
on special hood as standard equipment.
CHASSIS
The Firebird features the time proven, extensively
tested structural elements of a separate frame and integrated
body-frame combination. This offers the advantage of isolating
the passenger compartment from the power plant and providing
excellent handling and roadability characteristics. The
front chassis is a unitized sub-assembly consisting of
the engine-transmission combination, front suspension,
brakes, and steering gear with linkage all mounted on
separate forward portion "ladder" frame design.
This is bolted to the body through four rubber-isolated
mounts.
A heavy ribbed reinforced underbody forms
a sturdy foundation platform for the all steel body. At
the rear. framing elements are integrated into the underbody
to provide firm mounting for the rear suspension and axle.
Single leaf springs and solid Salisbury rear axle contribute
to the quality characteristics of the Firebird. The Firebird
rear axle has separate axle shaft tubes pressed and welded
into a central cast differential carrier housing. A single
tubular propeller shaft connects the transmission to the
rear axle through yoke and trunion universal joints. Standard
gear ratios are designed for general use with optional
economy, performance and special purpose ratios also offered.
Wide oval tires are standard as well as Pontiac's exclusive
Space Saver Spare, a specially-constructed spare tire
that is deflated until needed.
Other standard equipment includes a duel
circuit hydraulic brake system with a malfunction warning
system, an energy-absorbing steering column, a traffic
warning flasher and provision in the turn signal to indicate
freeway lane changes.
INTERIORS
The Firebird assures comfort and luxury
for both front and rear passengers with curved side glass
contributing increased shoulder room. In addition to the
"thin-line" front bucket seats there is a bench-type
front seat option on hardtop coupes with folding center
armrest and individual back-rest to suit individual preference.
Also there is an optional folding rear seat back, carpet
trimmed on the back, to provide added luggage space. A
center floor console with rear seat courtesy lights, ashtray,
stowage compartment and floor shift controls is available
for all transmissions. Interiors are all expanded Morrokide
and are color-keyed to the exterior paint colors.
The floors are covered in quality nylon
blend deep loop pile carpeting. The Firebird sports a
styled padded instrument panel conveniently recesses all
instruments and tell-tale lights in two round bezels.
Control knobs, located high on the instrument cluster,
feature easy grip styling. Among the standard equipment
items are duel, front and rear seat belts with pushbutton
release, front seat shoulder harness attaching provisions,
front seat backrest latches, freewheeling door locks and
two-speed electric windshield wipers and washers. For
the luxury-minded, the custom trim option provides an
instrument panel assist grip, deluxe steering wheel, custom
seats and side trim, bright roof rail and windshield moldings.
ACCESSORIES
A full selection of options and accessories
are offered including power steering, power brakes and
manual or power front disc with drum rear brakes. AM-FM
radio, rear window defogger, air conditioning, stereo
tape player and Pontiac's cruise control system.
FIRST GENERATION
It all became official on February 23, 1967,
about five months after the Camaro's debut. Like its Chevrolet
counterpart, the 1967 Firebird was offered in both hardtop
and convertible versions, but Pontiac put a slightly different
twist on its launch by developing a quintet of models
known as the “Magnificent Five,” each targeted
at a different market segment. The entry-level $2666 Firebird
was propelled by the sohc inline-6. Representing one of
the few such engines built by an American automaker, the
230 cu-in. powerplant produced a credible 165 bhp-or 215
in high-output “Sprint” form that brought with
it a tougher clutch, floor-shift for the 3-speed manual
transmission and heavy-duty suspension. Next up was the
250-bhp Firebird 326 V-8, with a more appealing HO version
just above it that pumped out a generous 285 bhp and announced
its performance mission with racing stripes and twin exhausts.
But the car that real enthusiasts found most interesting
was the Firebird 400. Predating the “Super Duty”
Firebirds, the 400 was rated at a conservative 325 bhp
to stay within GM's existing 10-lb- per-bhp limits although
enthusiasts knew its real output was considerably higher.
Setting it off from other Firebirds were such fillips
as a unique hood with twin (non-functioning) hood scoops,
redline tires and dual exhausts. For about $200 more,
the truly serious Firebird buyer could add the Ram Air
option, which made the hood scoops functional and added
more horsepower (though still rated at 325 bhp) with a
hotter cam and larger, low-restriction exhaust manifolds.
Just 63 Ram Air coupes and two convertibles were built
for 1967, making these, today, among the most sought-after
early Firebirds. Back then, buyers could have ordered
cars built to order, customizing them with a myriad of
options. Pontiac saw its F-car as slightly more sophisticated
than its Chevrolet counterpart, and included such useful
features as a rear-window defogger, fold-down rear seat
and shoulder belts. But performance was always the car's
core mission, and Pontiac catered to the speed-hungry
public with its now-famous hood-mounted tachometer, hood
retaining pins and adjustable Koni shocks.
Firebird production topped 50,000 units
within three months of its introduction and finished off
the partial model year with sales of 83,000 units against
300,000 Camaros. The Firebird mystique had begun to grow.
Road & Track, not always known for its praise of domestic
cars in this era, spoke highly of the Firebird. “Fortunately,
for variety's sake and for Pontiac's sake, the Firebird
is different from the Camaro in more respects than its
appearance would indicate. In fact, it may be the first
step toward a true four-passenger GT car in the best European
sense.”
That little touch of class seemed to catch
on with groups both inside and outside Pontiac. Outside
the corporation was former Mercedes-Benz and Corvette
team driver John Fitch, who had previously devoted himself
to modifying Corvairs. The "Fitchbird," as his
new Pontiac-based creation was called, meshed Lotus Euro
like vertical fins sprouting above the rear fenders with
a series of suspension modifications of Fitch’s own
design. At the same time, enthusiasts within Pontiac were
wasting no time enhancing the Firebird's already solid
credentials. Working as a Skunkworks Special Projects
group on both production and competition vehicles, they
would create some Firebirds that were special indeed,
including one named for the racing circuit in which it
competed, the Trans Am.
Back when form had as much to do with sales
as it did with function, automakers could afford quick
restyling, and the Firebird was no exception. Even as
the first Firebird was hitting the streets, work began
on a facelift for 1969. The goal was to create more of
a family look with a smaller but more pronounced grille
flanked by body-color surrounds for the headlights. The
rear fender was shared with Chevrolet (and looked it),
but the front fenders were now Pontiac's to shape, and
the stylists added sets of horizontal gills above and
below the beltline just ahead of the rear wheel housing.
More important, though, was the birth of a Firebird that
would quickly become legend: The Trans Am. A product of
Pontiac’s Skunkworks under the aegis of engineer
Herb Adams, the Trans Am’s character was defined
with its own twin-nostril hood that channeled oxygen to
a 400 cu-in. V-8 rated at 335 horsepower. The optional
Ram Air engine, in its fourth iteration, was rated just
slightly higher, but everyone knew that a small "adjustment"
to the throttle linkage could make it go further still.
Introduced late in February 1969, just 697 Ram Air IV
models were produced for the model year, of which eight
were convertibles, placing both among the most sought-after
Trans Am’s today.
SECOND GENERATION
Just as cars like the Trans Am, Z/28 and
Boss 302 were redefining the way enthusiasts thought about
pony cars, Chevrolet and Pontiac were already working
on an entirely new pair of F-cars for 1970. This time,
they would start with a clean sheet of paper, offering
Pontiac the opportunity to enhance the Firebird's identity
without having to depend on a predominance of Chevrolet
sheet metal. In terms of what that identity should be,
there were really two camps. One wanted an Italian character;
outgoing manager John DeLorean (who was replaced by F.
James McDonald) was quoted by one Pontiac designer as
wanting the Firebird to be a “63000 (Maserati) Ghibli.”
The other faction, perhaps influenced by the Trans Am,
sought a muscular look that spoke performance. The result
put feet squarely in both camps. “Thus was the second-generation
Firebird's design philosophy formulated,” concluded
Firebird historian Gary Witzenburg, “at once voluptuous
and muscular-one-half Italian exotic, and the other California
hot-rod.”
The visual refinements the Italian camp
sought was represented by a clean and spare body shape,
whose tubular body sides were broken only by large wheel
wells and surrounded by subtle flares. Like the Camaro,
the Firebird placed single headlights far outboard, separating
them with the now familiar Pontiac split-grille theme
that was surrounded entirely by shock-absorbing, body-color
Endura plastic. The trailing edge of the long, peaked
hood was swept up to cover the windshield wipers, a simple
styling trick that only added to the Firebird's refined
appearance. The rear deck profile was perhaps the most
defining aspect of the car's character, sweeping backward
at an ever-increasing rate to meet a horizontal rear fascia.
Looking back from a 20-year perspective, the cars remain
notable for their spare but elegant refinement, reflecting
a strong influence from Italian designs of the previous
decade.
Good design takes time, which is why the
Firebirds that bowed at the February 1970 Chicago Auto
Show are often called incorrectly “1970-1/2”
models. The product plan was trimmed slightly to encompass
four distinct models. Just above the $2875 base Firebird
was the Esprit, often seen with a vinyl roof that all
but gave its stylists indigestion. Next up was the budget-minded
enthusiast's choice, the body-cloaked with front fender
“air extractors,” front and rear fender spats,
a rear-facing “shaker” hood, a large rear decklid
spoilers and a white-and-blue Paint scheme-that, like
the previous generation’s, left little doubt about
the Trans Am’s mission in life.. The Trans Am's performance
roster was impressive encompassing the 345-bhp, 400-cu-in.
Ram Air V-8 as standard equipment, in addition to a Hurst-controlled
4-speed gearbox and a limited-slip rear axle. While Road
& Track chided Pontiac for “setting a new record
in number of unnecessary add-on put-ons” on the Trans
Am, there much to praise. “GM stylists seem to have
a way with detailing that is unmatched in the U.S. car
industry,” said Road & Track of the new design
in March 1970, 'and almost without exception they take
the steps that advance American styling before the rest
of the industry does.
The design themes set by the 1970 Firebird
would enjoy a long life span; from 1970 to 1976 only minor
changes were made. But under the hood-and on top of the
hood-there were changes aplenty. A looming auto insurance
crisis threatened to kill performance cars in the early
years of the decade, but Pontiac forged ahead with a plan
to enlarge the Firebird V-8's displacement to 455 cu in.
Two 455s were planned for the Formula and Trans Am, and
both were rated in gross and net horsepower as the SAE
net output formula gradually replaced the unladed gross
ratings that GM used previously. The “Cooking”
455 was rated at 325-gross/255 net bhp, while the 455
HO was good for an additional 60 bhp net! Despite the
oil shock of 1973, the 455 remained a Trans Am staple
until 1976, by which time; unfortunately, the numbers
lost their impact as net output sank to just 200 bhp.
In the meantime, Firebird sales under went
a shock of their own. Though they had climbed slightly
in 1971 to 53,000 units, they fell just 30,000 in 1972
as a result of a disastrous strike at the Norwood, Ohio
assembly plant. Despite the gloom, Pontiac forged ahead
with a rather daring plan to introduce a new version of
the 455, prefixed the 'Super Duty," for the 1973
Firebird, at a time when big-displacement performance
engines were becoming a rare sight in the showroom. Designed
for the new realities of low-octane fuel and emission
controls, the engine was announced at 310 bhp, but was
down rated to 290 when it entered production. That was
still power enough to get so-equipped Trans Am’s
to 60 mph in less than 5.5 seconds. And, they would likely
continue to perform for years to come, thanks to the SD's
robust construction, which included 4-bolt main bearings
with a provision for dry-sump lubrication just in case
someone wanted to take it racing, of course. Other tasty
tidbits ranged from forged pistons and connecting rods
to large-port heads and a more generous Quadra jet carburetor.
The engine helped Pontiac retain the Firebird's position
at the upper end of the pony car performance spectrum.
A year later, as the 1974 lineup was rolling
into showrooms with a revised front fascia, the Arab oil
embargo hit, changing forever the way Americans would
think about high performance and gasoline consumption.
Although the days of the upper level performance engines
were numbered, (the SD 455 was discontinued after 1974,
the HO 455 a year later) the oil crisis years would be
very kind to the Firebird, with sales exploding in the
late Seventies. Why? One reason was the Trans Am, which
had gradually evolved from an elite model to a mainstream
offering; in 1976, for example, Trans Am production topped
46,000 units - nearly double the amount produced the year
before. "It's the young singles buying their first
new cars who can afford the higher prices of a Trans Am,"
Pontiac General Sales ManaLer Jim Vorhes explained to
the Detroit Free Press in 1976.
The year would also see the first "Special
Edition" Trans Am, painted in a black-and-gold paint
scheme that quickly become as much a part of Trans Am
legend as the original white-and-blue combination. Honoring
Pontiac's 50th anniversary, the Special Edition models
were all to get Hurst-built removable T-tops, but installation
problems ultimately limited T-Top production to just 643
cars, with 1947 built with normal roofs.
Though the addition of a wraparound rear
window freshened things somewhat for the 1975 model year
the firebird was showing its age by 1977, when a new quad-headlight
front end was added. Engine options also changed markedly,
signaling the beginning of the end for division-specific
engines. Replacing the Chevrolet-built straight six used
since 1970 was a new Buick-built V-6, producing 105 bhp
in the base and Esprit models. Reflecting the full impact
of America’s new energy awareness was a 301-cu-in.
V-8, still Pontiac-built. Optional on both base and Formula
were 350-cu-in. V-8s sourced from either Pontiac or Oldsmobile.
Even the Trans Am wasn’t sacred. As the decade closed,
Pontiac-built 400s were used with the 4-speed manual transmission;
automatic-equipped models-including California and high-altitude
T/A’s used an Oldsmobile-based 403-cu-in. engine.
Yet no matter where their Firebird engines
were built, American enthusiasts could hardly slake their
thirst for the cars in the late Seventies. Production
for 1979 soared to an almost unbelievable 211,000 units.
Though another facelift certainly helped, Pontiac drew
additional attention with a special Tenth Anniversary
Edition Trans Am. For this, the Pontiac studio had pulled
out all the stops. Silver was the theme both inside and
out, with a silver and charcoal paint scheme accented
by silver hatch-roof panels, silver leather seats and
silver door-panel trim. But there was function to match
form, with the last Pontiac-built 400-cu-in. V-8 (now
badged in metric form as a “6.6 liter”) producing
a still-impressive 220 bhp on 4-speed models. Filled with
standard equipment, the Special Editions started at a
hefty $10,620 nearly $4000 above the normal Trans Am.
Just 7500 were built.
As the Firebird entered the Eighties with
a major facelift in the works, newly appointed Pontiac
General Manager William Hoglund had good reason to be
cheery. With sales passing the 200,000 mark, wouldn’t
the next two years be just as rosy? Unfortunately, Hoglund
had little control over events halfway around the world,
where Iranians were now taking their turn at twisting
the oil valve. This time, however, the repercussions in
Detroit were far more severe. Production of 1980 Firebirds
plummeted to a gloomy low of 107,000 units, half their
1979 level. At the same time, Pontiac finally ceased offering
its venerable 6.6-liter V-8. In its stead was a new turbocharged
V-8, based on Pontiac's own 4.9-liter (301-cu-in.) V-8.
Like GM's other turbocharged 'vee' engines, the Turbo
4.9 used a single turbocharger, mounted on the right-hand
exhaust manifold. Producing 210 bhp, the Turbo was the
most powerful engine in the lineup that year, but unfortunately
included an automatic transmission only. An example tested
in April 1980 found that it was something of an enigma;
while it served up little of the harsh, neck-snapping
boost of its contemporaries, it also seemed to have little
top-end enthusiasm. As a result, 0-60 time was barely
below 10 seconds, a mighty fall for a car that, just four
years earlier, had managed 8.4 seconds.
THIRD GENERATION
The third-generation Firebird was introduced
in January 1982. Though it appeared substantially different
from its predecessor, both it and the Camaro remained
loyal to their original mission as low, sleek, rear-drive
sporty coupes. At one time, front-wheel drive had been
considered-for commonality with other GM platforms-but
in the end tradition won out. “There were those who
wanted front-wheel drive,” said then-Camaro Chief
Engineer Tom Zimmer, “and those for rear-wheel drive.
In the end, Pontiac sold rear-wheel drive to the corporation.
The decision was more on the basis of building upon existing
Camaro/Firebird tradition than anything else; we could
have done a very fine-handling front-drive car. But we
decided the original type of car still had plenty of market
potential."
Initiated as early as 1975, the program
was interrupted by more pressing projects, such as the
new J-body subcompacts (which live on today as the Pontiac
Sunbird and Chevrolet Cavalier). The program returned
to the front burner in 1978, where stylists were given
a mission to maintain cockpit dimensions while reducing
the size of the exterior envelope. This resulted in a
10-in. reduction in length and 2 inches in width. Although
the pair had as much as 65 percent of their parts compatible,
they still reflected their individual divisional heritages.
A notable benefit of the Firebird's new styling was a
tremendous increase in aerodynamic efficiency: The Cd
for the Trans Am measured 0.32, while the standard Firebird
was only slightly less slippery at 0.33.
Several updates had taken place beneath
the skin as well. Perhaps the most significant was the
replacement of the wishbone front suspension with a MacPherson-strut
design. Invoking Harry MacPherson’s name was a bit
of a stretch; however, as GM, like Ford, mounted the coil
spring inboard of the strut cylinder to reduce the need
for upper-body reinforcement. At the rear a live axle
remained, but it was now coil sprung, and located by two
trailing links and connected to the transmission through
a massive torque arm that controlled axle windup. In addition,
a panhard rod behind the axle helped absorb lateral loads.
Powertrains had come a long way since the
Sixties, and the 1982 Firebird's offering reflected technology's
answer to the new constraints of the decade. For the first
time, the base engine had four cylinders. The venerable
ohv "Iron Duke" was rated at 90 bhp-hardly Firebird
material, but good enough for the EPA. Next up was Chevrolet's
2.8-liter ohv V-6, rated a mere 12 bhp better. The mainstream
V-8 displaced 5.0 liters, breathed through a 4-barrel
Quadrajet and produced 145 bhp. A fuel-injected version
of the engine, whose "Crossfire" throttle-body
injection system was borrowed from the 1982 Corvette,
eked out an additional 20 bhp, boosting the Trans Am’s
main powerplant to a hardly spectacular 165 bhp. Posting
a 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds and an impressive 0.856g on
the skidpad, the Firebird won a straw preference poll,
with the conclusion that both cars were a dramatic improvement
over their predecessors.
Fortunately, the tremendous investment required
to bring the 1982 program to life appeared to pay off
rather quickly with sales once again surpassing 100,000
units. The energy crisis had dealt performance cars a
body blow, however, and the effects lingered into the
early Eighties. Some help came in the form of the L69
option, a Quadrajet-carbureted 5.0-liter HO V-8 that now
produced nearly 200 bhp, 25 more than the TBI version.
The L69 pack- age was standard on the Trans Am, which
for 1982 received a new hood incorporating a rear-facing
fresh-air induction system. Road & Track tested a
1983 example and noted an improvement in 0-60 times from
9.2 seconds in the original TBI 5.0-liter to 7.9 in the
HO.
Throughout this era's special editions had
become a way of life for the Firebird; the 1980 Turbo
was chosen by both the Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR as
their pace car, and Pontiac produced a street version
to capitalize on some of the attention. Three years later,
another special edition commemorated the 25th anniversary
of the Daytona 500. With special paint and graphics, Recaro-built
leather seats and a variety of other extras, some 2500
were built. There was also a Special Edition Recaro Trans
Am with a black-and-gold paint scheme, cast-aluminum wheels
and fiddly adjustable Recaro leather seats. After just
three years, on the heels of the introduction of Pontiac's
groundbreaking mid-engine Fiero, the Firebird was restyled
yet again to give it an even more tapered profile front
and rear. While small-displacement engines were still
a part of the lineup, the grafting of the Corvette's tuned-port
fuel injection system boosted the 5.0-liter engine's output
to 205 bhp.
As the third-generation Firebird neared
the end of its life span, Pontiac redirected its energies
toward a return to the performance pinnacle it had reached
two decades earlier. Starting in 1983 with the return
of the Formula model, Pontiac reintroduced a strategy
that targeted different segments of buyers. Encapsulating
virtually all of the performance features of the Trans
Am, 155 bhp, 5 0 liter throttle-body V-8, gas-charge shocks,
4-wheel discs, front and rear anti-roll bars and 245/50R-16
radials on alloy wheels-and priced significantly less
than the Trans Am, it was the ultimate sleeper. At the
other end of the scale was the muscular GTA. Wresting
away from Chevrolet the 5.7-liter tuned-port V-8 that
had previously been unique to the Corvette, the $2700
GTA package offered enthusiasts serious horsepower (210
initially, up rated to 225 in 1998) with suspension and
tires to match, plus a higher level of comfort and convenience.
One of the best performing Trans Am’s
was the 1989 20th anniversary Turbo Trans Am, with a 255-bhp
version of the 3.8-liter Turbo V-6 from the Buick Grand
National and GNX. This was an improved engine, outperforming
either Buick-5.0 sec 0 to 60 mph, 100 mph plus in the
quarter-mile, and a top speed over 160 mph.
As work began in earnest on the newest
Firebird, there was still plenty being done to the existing
production car to heighten its appeal in a market increasingly
crowded by high-tech Japanese sports coupes, such as the
Nissan 300ZX, Toyota Supra and Mitsubishi 300OGT. Borrowing
cues from the show-car circuit, a new nose gave the 1991
Firebird a profoundly different front appearance. Also
new was a convertible version, the first since 1969-that
stowed the close-fitting top under a flat tonneau, giving
the Firebird a particularly clean appearance in topless
form.
FOURTH GENERATION
A quarter century after its unveiling and
now in its fourth generation, the Firebird remains the
standard-bearer of high performance at Pontiac Motor Division.
It is the sole surviving rear-wheel-drive car in the Pontiac
lineup and the only one that offers V-8 power.
The newest Firebird takes a notably traditional
route to high performance, relying on the improvement
of existing technologies rather than diving headlong into
exotica. The engine blocks are iron and employ pushrods
to actuate the valves; a solid axle is bolted in at the
rear; the automatic and manual transmissions are free
of electronic shift controls.
The latest generation of firebird; restyled,
redesigned, and comprehensively rethought in 1993 set
a new high-water mark in the car’s lineage, not on
a single strength, but rather a broad range of attributes.
Just consider a few highlights: An LT1 V-8 brings Small-Block
power levels like never before. A new control-arm suspension
delivers inspired roadholding with ride refinement unprecedented
in an F-car. Standard equipment ABS and dual airbags offer
safety provisions at the leading edge of current technology.
This cross-pollination of long-proven hardware with state-of-the-art
systems is anything but unintentional.
Again, Throughout this era special editions
keep appearing with the 25th Anniversary Edition Trans
Am GT in 1994, with all white leather interior, painted
white aluminum 16” wheels with 25th Anniversary center
caps, single blue racing stripe down the whole of the
car and 25th insignias on the doors, seats, and door panels.
In 1998 the Firebird got a new sleeker front
end and a more powerful engine, again borrowed from corvette.
The LS1 V-8 350, pushing 305 bhp and 320 bhp with the
option WS6 Ram Air package, as a result, sales where up
27 percent. Besides the engine and front end, GM has made
other changes to the Firebird for 1998 including new wheels,
standard leather seats, standard four-wheel disc brakes
with bigger rotors and the addition of all-speed traction
control. The Trans Am convertible is the antithesis of
the current rage of luxury roadsters and ragtops.
In 1999 the special editions continue with
the 30th Anniversary Trans Am. The car is covered in bright
white paint and accented by dark blue racing stripes that
taper off at the ends of the RAM AIR intake (resurrected
from the first Trans Am in 1969), more striking are the
powder-blue 17-inch aluminum wheels with 30th Anniversary
center caps. Special headrest and door panel insignias,
embroidered floor mats and a numbered ID plate complete
the package and identify this Firebird as one of only
1,000 30th Anniversary T-top models built and 500 convertible
versions.
Sad to say, however, but this better looking,
faster and better selling sports car soon might be taking
its last lap. The same could be true for its sibling,
the Chevy Camaro. As reported recently: “GM pony
cars face extinction; slumping sales imperil coupes.”
The bottom line is that while the pony-car war between
Ford's Mustang and General Motors Camaro and Firebird
has been waged for 30 years; horsepower, design and price
have been the weapons in this derby. Customers have moved
away from all three cars.
But Trans Am owners couldn't care less.
They like its speed, its snarl and its slightly evil persona.
Most of its buyers, however, seem dedicated to American
heavy metal. Whatever GM's ultimate decision, the current
versions of the Firebird probably will be available for
another two or three model years. Hopefully it isn’t
the end…
* Excerpts taken from Road And Track
and Edmunds Online-
* For further reading on Pontiac's history,
please go to Pontiac's
Brief History page.
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