Description
By: Marc Cranswick .
Over a 40 year period the Pontiac Firebird has earned a unique place amongst automotive icons. What started out as another contender in the 'me too' Mustang pony car race, ended up becoming so much more. Only Pontiac could have come up with a coupe like the Firebird, and it was the Firebird that kept the performance fires burning once the mighty GTO was gone.
As per Pontiac tradition, the Firebird delivered what folks expected in the real world. Even during the lean years the Firebird kept the 400 cube, 4-speed dream alive when others had moved on to paint and tape specials. Fast cars didn't die out in 1973, they just started wearing the "Screamin' Chicken" on their hoods!
As a collector car the Firebird has all the right credentials: strong fan base, wide variety of power team and trim options, various low volume and commemorative models, competition history, and a healthy helping of nostalgia thrown in for good measure. A number of Firebird models are already valuable classics, but certain younger versions can be counted on to be some of the fastest appreciating collector cars of today and tomorrow.
From the go-faster 1960s to the gas mileage and pollution controlled 1970s; the performance renaissance of the 1980s to the indifference of the 1990s, the legend just gets bigger: the Firebird was always there and this is its story.
Includes Trans-Am, Esprit, SE, Formula & Trans-Am GT.
