Updated
Updated · Jalopnik · Jun 22
Jalopnik Ranks 4 Pontiac Firebird Generations, Puts Fourth-Gen First at 163 mph
Updated
Updated · Jalopnik · Jun 22

Jalopnik Ranks 4 Pontiac Firebird Generations, Puts Fourth-Gen First at 163 mph

1 articles · Updated · Jalopnik · Jun 22

Summary

  • 163 mph topped Jalopnik’s ranking of Pontiac Firebird generations, with the fourth-gen model edging the third-gen by just 1 mph in verified stock-vehicle testing.
  • 162 mph went to the third-generation 1989 Turbo Trans Am, while the second-gen peaked at 132 mph and the first-gen at 115 mph based on instrumented test data.
  • Verified runs excluded modified cars and theoretical estimates, leaving out headline-grabbing but non-stock examples such as the 283-mph Banks Trans Am and the alleged 206-mph Tojan.
  • 2010 marked Pontiac’s end, and the ranking taps renewed nostalgia as the Camaro is discussed for a seventh-generation return while the Firebird remains discontinued since 2002.

Insights

With GM reviving the V8 Camaro, what are the real odds of a new Pontiac Firebird hitting the streets?
Is GM's pivot back to V8 muscle a brilliant strategy or a retreat from the automotive industry's future?