The long-running second-generation Firebird arrived in 1970 and continued right through to 1981. A later 1970s versionis the model shown in our cutaway image, which also unfortunately bore the brunt of the 1973 oil crisis, new emission controls, and increased safety standards.
The second generation started so well, with a new more streamlined body that borrowed some lines from Ferrari. The entry level Firebirds were always modestly powered, but in 1970 Pontiac offered at the top of the heapa 400 cubic inch/6.6-liter Ram Air IV motor with up to 370hp. For 1971 they uppped the displacementto 455 cubic inches/7.5 liters but unleaded gas and smog laws started to cut into its power.
The Firebird was hit by the perfect storm that was mid-seventies insurance rates, fuel prices, and federal regulations. New 5 mph bumper requirements arrived in 1974 alongside other safety enhancements which caused a dramatic weight increase. Unleaded fuel meant reduced compression ratios and power, as did the new more accurate horsepower testing rules. Hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide limits meant less aggressive cams and retarded ignition timing. As if this wasn't bad enough, new corporate average fuel economy rules meant the end to huge engine displacements and low rear-end gearing.
Remember Smokey and the Bandit? Then you must remember Burt Reynolds' 1977 Pontiac Trans Am. Burt and that moviehelped keep the car cool-looking at a time when the most powerful option was a 6.6-liter V8 putting out just 200hp
By 1980 the biggest V8 you could get was just 5.0 liters, and even the special turbo V8 optiongenerated only 220hp – just two-thirds the power of the early Ram Airs.
The third-generation Firebird, which ran from 1982 to 1992, swept away the slow and heavy holdout from the 1970s by being an all new, lighter, better-handling car. Pontiac embraced the new realities of environmentally conscious America, swapping giant gas-guzzling V8s for improved aerodynamics, smaller size, and advanced chassis developments.
The Firebird was completely redesigned, delivering the best aerodynamics of any General Motors car to date and a weight saving of 500lb over the previous model. The body shape was developed in a wind tunnel, the windshield was sloped to 62 degrees and the headlights were nowpop-up items.
It looked great, but the third-generation Firebird was also about efficiency not just performance. For a while Pontiac even offered a feeble 2.5-liter inline six with just 88hp, which was rated at an impressive 32 mpg on the highway. The fuel-injected 5.0-liter V8 was still the largest offered, and power was up thanks to modern fuel injection. Indeed, this motormatched the old turbo motor by1988, after which a larger 5.7-liter V8 was introduced at the top of the line-up.
If the third-generation Firebird marked an era of svelte sensibility, the fourth and final generation (1993-2002) bought back some of the high-powered options fromold days. More modern and powerful motors, including the mighty LS V8, combined with handling that had never been possible before in a pony car. The last of the Firebirds even offered safety features such as airbags and anti-lock brakes.
The last year of the Firebird Trans Am was 2002, but it wasn't going quietly into the night. The WS6 optionproduced 325hp from its 5.7-liter V8 engine and in testing covered the quarter mile in 13.16sec. Honor was restored, but sadly the entire brand folded just a few years afterward.
