Pontiac thunderbird 20201/18/2024 Sport Car Graphic said its overall handling was nearer to a front engine race car than they had ever driven. Despite 57% weight over its front axle, the car reached 60mph in 5.6 seconds, with a 13.9 second ¼ mile at 102mph. Bigger ports and better valves produced 370hp at 5500rpm and 445 torque at 3900rpm. The 1970 Pontiac Firebird T/A was pure American muscle, with functional scoops, spoilers and standard 345hp Ram-Air 400cid.Ĭosting $4,600, only 88 of 3,196 Trans Ams were ordered with Ram Air IV. Pontiac engines were used until the 1970s when 185hp Oldsmobile and Chevy engines replaced them, then 105hp Buick V6’s to increase speed. Available for 55 Trans Am coupes and eight convertibles in four-speed, it had heavy duty suspension, front stabilizer bar, Polyglas F70 wheels, and power steering. With Ram Air IV, the Trans Am cost $3,950 with 345hp at 5400rpm, and 430 torque at 3700rpm, achieving 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds, and a 14.1 second ¼ mile at 101mph. The base engine was a three-speed, 400cid HO 335hp V8 engine, with standard ram air induction known as Ram Air III. Not advertised, it was limited to 689 Firebird coupes and eight convertibles. Rated 335hp at 5000rpm and 430 torque at 3400rpm, it had a fast 5.5 second acceleration rate and 14.2 second ¼ mile at 100mph.įor $725, the 1969 Pontiac Firebird offered the new Trans Am performance and appearance package, named after the Trans-American series which the Firebird raced in in the ‘60s and 1970s. Ram Air was the strongest and rarest engine option. It was possibly the best sporty compact and all-round performer, faster than many popular muscle cars at the time. The 1968 400cid Firebird had improved road handling and a smoother engine featuring $42 adjustable Koni shock absorbers. Costing $616 extra, Ram Air was capable of 400rpm higher at 5200rpm. It went from 0-60mph in 6.2 seconds, with a 14.7 second ¼ mile at 98mph. The inaugural 1967 Firebird was available in five different options, with each engine positioned as a separate model: Base sprint 6-cylinder 165hp or 215hp, and popular V8 options: Firebird 326 and 326 HO 250hp to 285hp, plus the high-performance 400cid V8 from the GTO.Ĭosting $3,800, 400cid Firebirds peaked at 325 horsepower at 4800rpm, with 410 torque at 3400rpm. ![]() Pontiac Firebird Specs First generation (1967-1969) The Trans Am became Pontiac’s most popular performance car, more so than the GTO, spanning four generations until its demise in 2002. Unlike other muscle cars, Firebirds focused more on handling and design as opposed to horsepower. Appearing in ’69, the T/A typically had the larger engine. The Firebird was the base model performance options included Sprint, Esprit, Formula and the powerful Trans Am (T/A) and Ram Air. However, the arrival of the 1964-1965 GTO, an optional package on the Pontiac LeMans, spurred muscle car rivalry and the creation of the Ford Mustang, Mercury Cougar and Camaro, all of which inspired Pontiac engineer John DeLorean (inventor of the Back to the Future cars) to create a four-seater automobile to compete.ĭeLorean’s 1967 Pontiac Firebird 400cid combined the Camaro’s F-body platform with Pontiac styling and long hood, short deck profile made popular by the Mustang. ![]() Although unrelated to Harley Earl’s Firebird concept series, the name pre-empted Pontiac’s muscle car.įollowing Earl’s Firebirds, Pontiac planned to produce a two-seater sports vehicle based on the 1964 Banshee concept car. This is our short car review of the Pontiac Firebird in its classic years.Ĭreated in 1926 by General Motors (GM), Pontiac was named after a Native American Chief who led the Ottawa tribe in a failed uprising against the British.Īkin to the first Mustangs, mid 1930s Pontiacs were high-style yet inexpensive, positioned between the Oldsmobile and Chevy.Īutomotive design and engineering were synonymous with jet themes in the 1950s and ‘60s. The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am’s decal is arguably an interpretation of a Native American symbol.Īccording to Car and Driver, the Trans Am was “a hard muscled, lightning-reflexed commando of a car.” Immortalised in popular culture and with prices rising, the Pontiac Firebird can still be found for sale in the UK, remaining one of the most desired automobiles of all time. Meanwhile, Ancient Greek mythology records a Phoenix, an immortal bird that regenerates from fiery ashes and has come to symbolise renewal. Slavic folklore tells of a prophetic glowing bird from a distant land beautiful and dangerous, it is simultaneously a blessing and harbinger of doom to its captor. The mythical Firebird appears in cultures around the world.
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