Pontiac Firebird

Pontiac Firebird Models

The Pontiac Firebird is available in coupe and convertible body styles and in three models: Firebird, Formula and Trans Am.

Compared with the base Firebird, the Formula adds speed-rated tires, performance suspension tuning, and a Monsoon CD sound system with 10 speakers.

The Trans Am gets further standard equipment: removable roof panels and a special spoiler on the coupe, and leather seats with six-way power adjustment for the driver.

The engine in the base Coupe or Convertible is the 3800 (3.8-liter) V6, yielding 200 horsepower and 225 foot-pounds of torque. The 5.7-liter V8 (overhead-valve LS1 with aluminum cylinder block and heads) comes in the Formula and Trans Am in two versions: 310 horsepower and 340 foot-pounds of torque or, with the WS-6 Ram Air package, 325 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque.

Three transmissions are available: The base Firebird gets a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic; the Formula and Trans-Am get either the automatic or a six-speed manual in which both fifth and sixth gears are overdrive.

Driving the Pontiac Firebird

We spent a wonderful long 500-mile weekend with the Pontiac Firebird, using it as it's absolutely intended, while at the same time as it's not really intended. We drove from San Francisco to Mendocino up the remote and curvy Pacific Coast Highway, an approximate 175-mile stretch whose views from rocky cliffs hanging over the rugged ocean are some of the most stunning in the country. It was a gorgeous spring day, and we had the top down. This is truly what this car was made for.

We had two kids in the back, in car seats-one just over five, the other just under three. Battling boys, on top of it. This is not what the Trans Am was made for. But it worked. Kids are happier in the back than adults. Legroom is not a problem when your feet don't touch the floor. Of course, we traveled light. The one-kid collapsible stroller stayed home, although it fits in the trunk.

Driving relatively easily, the Trans Am is a gem. Macho drivers-and there will be plenty with the WS-6-will abuse the car and push to its limits, but when it's driven reasonably and within the law, it is highly rewarding and not the least bit uncomfortable or difficult.

The biggest problem is the perception of size, from behind the wheel. Still, the wife and mother of this driving family is 4'10" tall, and she managed to find a seating position that afforded her reasonable driving and parking in the city.

The power steering is not heavy, but it is a compromise; women might like easier turning for parking, but precision would then be lost in the cornering-and this is, after all, a high-performance car. The steering is direct and steady, no roaming or twitching at all, both in the curves and on the freeway.

Cowl shake has been a bugaboo with Firebird and Camaro convertibles, given the lack of chassis stiffness provided by a roof, combined with a suspension that isn't designed to simply soak up bumps. During our test over fairly smooth roads, the cowl never reared its shaking head. This is a significant advancement, a true character change. If this T. Rex is destined for extinction, at least it will be refined when it goes out.

The suspension performed admirably. Never once were we jarred, which is saying quite a lot. And never once did we feel the car undulating, even slightly. We suspect that extremes in both road conditions and driving aggression could indeed produce those responses from this Trans Am-at least we hope so, because the suspension wouldn't be correct if they didn't. All Firebird models receive re-valved shock absorbers.

The six-speed gearbox with Hurst linkage feels solid, though not quite buttery. It might be overstating things to call it quirky, but it requires some understanding. The pattern is closely spaced for quick shifting, which means you sometimes find yourself in third gear instead of first, when pulling out. There is a lockout of second gear at certain rpm and at a certain pace of acceleration designed to save gas. Accelerating slowly causes the computer to force you to shift from first gear into fourth. Basically, it won't let you drive sharply and casually at the same time. You either accept it or you learn how to get around it. There is a way to get into second gear, when you want to; we could explain, but it would take two paragraphs. The good news is there's so much torque that you actually can go from first to fourth gear, even at a tame 2500 rpm, without bogging the engine.