After being a staple of the brand’s lineup for over eight decades, General Motors discontinued Pontiac in 2010.
The iconic brand was discontinued because of the company's financial problems and the restructuring it necessitated. Several efforts were made to save Pontiac, but the fact that it was a loss-making brand that was also cannibalizing Chevrolet sales sealed its fate.
Fortunately, the brand’s discontinuation hasn’t dampened the spirits of passionate Pontiac fans who remain devoted to this day. The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, in particular, became a cultural icon and was one of the best classic muscle cars from the factory.
Today, a company run by Pontiac Firebird enthusiasts have resolved to revive the legendary car, and this article will show you what we know about the new 2021 Pontiac Trans Am Firebird.
10 Built By A Custom Carmaker Trans Am Depot
Trans Am Depot is a company that has spent the past five decades winning multiple awards for the level of exceptional craftsmanship that goes into the construction of its custom Pontiacs.
The company is based out of Tallahassee Florida and it's one of the best in the business when it comes to restoring old Pontiacs or building custom Pontiac Firebirds. Many of these cars will take just nine seconds to run the quarter-mile. We are glad that the company is not waiting on General Motors to revive the Pontiac brand and has instead taken matters into its own hands.
9 Based On The Iconic Chevy Camaro
The Chevy Camaro has always been one of the coolest muscle cars you can get and Trans Am Depot couldn't have chosen a better muscle car as the base of the new Trans Am Firebird.
The new Trans Am will be a reworked Chevy Camaro SS that will also be extensively changed stylistically to look like a Pontiac Firebird. More than 380 parts will be modified, including the bumpers and the taillights. Many upgrades will be made to the Camaro's mechanical parts including its carbon fiber body panels, its rear differential, its springs, and other parts.
8 Arrives In 2021, Dubbed The "Bandit Edition"
You won't have to wait long for the new Pontiac since the car will be out in a year's time. The company has called the new Pontiac the natural successor to the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Special Edition.
Although the new Pontiac will be available in limited numbers, Trans Am Depot currently has two other available editions of its custom Pontiac cars. These are a 50th Anniversary Edition Trans Am and an Outlaw Edition Trans Am. Their anniversary edition is inspired by the 1969 Pontiac Firebird, while the Outlaw Edition is inspired by the 1979 Pontiac Firebird.
7 The Vehicle Was Endorsed By Burt Reynolds And Only 77 Units Of The Car Will Be Built
For passionate fans of the Pontiac Firebird, Burt Reynolds' Pontiac Firebird in the "Smokey and the Bandit" movie will be forever etched in memory.
There is no better individual to endorse the new Pontiac Firebird, and each of the 77 units of the car will have his signature on them. Trans Am Depot has put in a lot of effort to craft elements of that iconic Firebird into the new car, and a big "screaming chicken" will of course be plastered on the hood to complete the look.
6 The Interiors Are Heavily Influenced By Those Of The 1977 Special Edition Pontiac Firebird
There are few things more impactful than the spirit of freedom evoked when watching Burt Reynolds drive to Texas from Georgia in a Firebird and come back within just 28 hours.
Although the 1977 Pontiac Firebird wasn't as powerful as its rivals with its 200-hp max power, that movie made the car an icon. This is why the modern Firebird takes its inspiration from it, and why its interiors will also be heavily inspired by it. The interiors will combine the basic elements of the Camaro SS along with nostalgic styling that reenacts the elements of the 1977 Firebird.
5 It Will Be A Beast With A Top Speed Of 200 MPH
The new Pontiac Firebird packs a lot of power and speed. Its V8 engine outputs up to 840 hp (over four times the power of the 1977 Pontiac), its top speed is 200 mph, and it will do 0 to 60 in less than three seconds!
The modern Firebird may be based on the Chevy Camaro, but after all the upgrades, it is a much more powerful car. A lot of power has been added to the original 6.2-liter V8 engine of the Camaro to make the new Pontiac Firebird a sure contender to become the new king of the drag strip.
4 It Will Rival The New Dodge Challenger Hellcat
There is a lot of hype around the new 2021 Challenger SRT Hellcat, and Dodge Challenger fans have every reason to be excited. The new challenger is a powerhouse. It sports a V8 engine that packs up to 807 hp and it will cover the quarter-mile of a drag strip in just 10.50 seconds. Those are impressive numbers and there are few factory-produced muscle cars that come close.
However, the new Pontiac Firebird has some extraordinary numbers of its own and in every category, including speed and power, it leaves the 2021 Dodge Challenger in the dust.
3 A Steep Price Tag Of $115,000
All that power, speed, and drag strip mastery cost a lot of money, and the new Pontiac Firebird will cost you supercar money. The car's manufacturer, Trans Am Depot, is no stranger to building and restoring Pontiacs, and the cars created by the company cost between $70,000 and $200,000.
Buyers should have no complaints. The new Dodge Challenger Hellcat will cost $81,000 for a top speed of 200 mph and 797 hp, with up to 807 hp for the new Challenger Super Stock. The new Firebird is capable of matching or exceeding the Hellcat's figures with a top speed of 200 mph and 840 hp.
2 Trans Am Depot Also Built The 455 Trans Am Super Duty In 2018
Trans Am Depot has built one-off Pontiac models in significant numbers before, and the 2018 455 Trans Am Super Duty is one such car. The 455 Super Duty is a ridiculously impressive car with a mind-boggling 1,100 hp of power.
Like the 2021 Pontiac Firebird, it was built as a response to the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, and it is also based on a Chevy Camaro. The company had to get outside help to build the car and it collaborated with NASCAR engineer Joey Arrington to handle the challenges of building and designing such a powerful car.
1 It Revives The Pontiac Firebird's Legacy With A Modern Pontiac Muscle Car For The Drag Strip
The Pontiac Firebird defined the muscle car for much of the late 1970s, and it became one of the most sought-after muscle cars when it was still in production.
The 2002 Pontiac Firebird was the last Firebird produced by General Motors, and it was not a shabby muscle car. The engine packed 350 hp and can reach a top speed of 130mph. It is also a very modern car with creature comforts like a modern infotainment system, automatic door locks, heated seats, and others. The car marked the end of an era and we are glad the Pontiac Firebird has been revived.