Founded originally in 1925, the Pontiac brand was a division of General Motor that produced some of the most awesome automobiles ever seen in the world before it eventual became defunct some 12 years ago. Some of the most popular Pontiac models include the GTO, Aztec, and the Firebird. Notably, the fourth-generation Firebird (1993 to 2002) features one of the most special Firebird models in the 1995 Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk.
Of all Pontiac cars, the Firehawk models stand out for being fast, furious, and fun. The 1995 Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk was a special edition performance car, a project that Pontiac embarked on as a comeback model from the 1980s oil crisis. The Formula Firehawk muscle car sure manages to pull the heartstrings of classic muscle car fans. At the time of release, it took to reignite the flame that Pontiac muscle cars once did.
Let's take a closer look at the 1995 Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk in finer detail.
The 1995 Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk Received More Modifications
The 1995 Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk received some modifications and cosmetic upgrades that set it apart from the standard Pontiac versions. The most obvious new upgrades and modifications were to its exterior, which boasts a stainless steel cat-back dual exhaust, rear spoiler, and stunning 17 x 9.0-inch alloy wheels.
Another cool exterior feature, which is there for looks and not performance, is its Firehawk badging. This set the special edition models apart from the rest and made them look pretty unique, we have to admit.
Furthermore, another feature adopted by the Firehawk model were new headlights that replaced the fancy pop-out lights that customers will remember from the standard model. Speaking of lights, the 1995 model also features a visible composite light cluster that is much brighter than the previous models, and this helps it to stand out at nighttimes. Owners of this SLP Formula Firehawk would likely want to stand out, so this feature was pretty important.
One more modification to the 1995 model, which was not in the previous Firehawk models, is the convertible roof. Again, this truly helps the car to stand out among the crowd, and certainly from the rest of the Firehawk editions. The 1995 model was the first to see the convertible roof, which was pretty new for muscle cars at the time.
The not-quite-so-obvious modifications were under the hood, which saw a new cold ram intake system as well as a new hood with a front-breathing RAM air unit. These small upgrades manage to maximize the car's performance.
The 1995 Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk Is A Performance Beast
Seeing as Pontiac took to creating this special edition car in order to reignite the automotive performance frenzy flame that died due to the oil crisis, the company knew that the SLP Formula Firehawk certainly had to wow the customers.
The team kitted out the 1995 special edition model with the LT1 V8 engine, which could cough out a maximum of 315 horsepower, which helps it to a top speed of 160 MPH. On the track, the performance is outstanding. The 1995 model, in particular, had an immense acceleration ability, achieving a zero to 60 MPH time of 4.9 seconds. At the time, this made it the fastest production muscle car in all of America.
The 1995 model has the offering of an optional Sport Suspension Package, which includes Bilstein shocks and struts as well as progressive-rate Eibach lowering springs. This package's aim was to improve the handling and the straight-line performance of the already capable car. Although it wasn't necessary to achieve impressive performance, it was an ideal option for those who enjoy racing muscle cars to their limits. With the sports package and new offering of a performance exhaust system, the Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk was better equipped when it comes to racing muscle cars around the track.
The Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk Was A Sales Success
Without a doubt, the SLP Formula Firehawk range was bound to do well in the market. It first hit the American market in 1992 and throughout its years, until 2002, the production numbers kept increasing yearly. In 1992, the production was only 25 models for the entire year. During the production of the 1995 model, over 1,000 units of the model were manufactured, and this continued from then until 2002.
The increase in production was clearly due to the take-off of the Firehawk brand. The fans had their SLP Formula models taken away due to the oil crisis, and this Firehawk range was exactly what Pontiac had to create in order for customers to talk about their muscle cars again.
Overall, the 1995 model of the Pontiac SLP Formula Firehawk was a pretty special one. Although the original 1992 model had great modifications and performance, the 1995 model took it up a notch. Customers could enjoy a convertible roof as well as a larger engine, with a more power and a more powerful performance.