Just after the fuel crisis of the 70s automakers were being more vigilant than ever in producing new cars and it almost looked like the demise of brawny V8-powered muscle-cars. But towards the late 80s patience had almost run out and General Motors was the first one to crack open. They brought about the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in 1989 which surprisingly is a car that very few know of.

It was based on the 3rd Generation 1982 Firebird. This was also the time when Chevy brought about the 3rd Gen Camaro. The base model of Pontiac Trans Am packs a lackluster V6, but the Trans Am was not much far off also from being boring. The saving grace of Pontiac Firebird's Trans Am package was its V8 heart that brought back the kid in many when everything was thought to be lost.

But we stumbled upon a rather unique iteration of the 1989 Turbo Trans Am (TTA) that packed a Turbo V6 and was built by Pontiac to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of their famed Trans Am (commonly called as Firebird). The Firebird GTA was used as the base and packed engine from GM's wishing well. Impressively GM had managed to create a car that could hold up to the likes of Italians, especially in terms of reliability and efficiency.

The 1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am packed a Turbocharged V6 and was a fitting contender to the likes of Lamborghinis and Ferraris of the time.

Pontiac Trans Am Helped Bring Back The Muscle Culture

1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo side view
Via: Mecum.com

Muscles cars were thought to be winding up during the late 70s because of the fuel crisis. But Pontiac managed to turn things around with the 3rd Gen Firebird. And we should be grateful to the now deficient automaker, for keeping muscles alive. The transition started back in 1982 with the introduction of the sharper-looking Trans Am.

The earlier days were kind of lousy when it came to performance but packed in a V8 that pumped out 170 hp. It was smart of GM to focus on the efficiency perspective as it was imperative in getting past those pesky government bodies that were made during the time to be stringent with MPG figures. The standard V8 engine it packed was modest and held on because of the emotions people had for the muscle pact it managed to revive. But Pontiac showed the world of its vigor to take on the likes of Ferraris and Lamborghinis.

Related: Here's What Makes The Pontiac GTO The Best 60s Muscle Car

Packed A Turbocharged V6 And Did 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds

1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo engine bay view
Via: Carscoops.com

And to take on the heightened Italians who were dominating the sports car segment in terms of performance and sheer looks, Pontiac decided to make the Turbo Trans Am, commonly called the TTA. They made it in 1989 which also marked the 20th Anniversary of the Firebird nameplate. They used a Firebird GTA's chassis and slapped on a GM sourced 3.8L Turbocharged V6 that was used in the Buick GNX of the time.

It pumped out 250 hp and 340 lb-ft which was much more than the naturally aspirated V8 that came in as standard. The 1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am came only with a 4-Speed Automatic transmission and sent all the power to the rear wheels only. This helped it surge to 60 mph in a then-swift of 4.6 seconds. In fact, when CarandDriver.com tested the Turbo Trans Am, '250 hp' sounded too modest for a car that could run the quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds. And they actually were true as the TTA pumped out close to 300 horses.

A Desirable Machine To Celebrate 20 Years Of The "Trans Am" Nameplate

1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo 20th Anniversary Pace Car edition front third quarter view
Via: Carscoops.com

What better time to bring out a Pontiac that could rival the Italian exotics, than the celebration of 20 years of the "Trans Am"/"Firebird" nameplate. This was a limited run model of the TTA and only 1,555 units were made. It was made to be the official pace car of the 1989 Indianapolis 500 and had unique aesthetics bits and decals to showcase the same. Of these 5 were test cars, 3 convertibles were built by the American Sunroof Company (ASC).

Another interesting bit of this car was that Prototype Automotive Services (PAS) modified one with a 6-Speed manual and managed to do a top speed run in which it hit an unreal 181 mph (the 4-Speed Auto gave it a top speed of 162 mph). But this was just a prototype and didn't make it even in the 20th Anniversary Edition model. Almost all of them came in white and had a "Turbo" emblem to showcase its boost appeal. The most notable exterior bit was its 16-inch basketweave wheels with gold center plugs, which literally looked 'GOLD'.

Related: 2021 Pontiac Trans Am: Costs, Facts, And Figures

Exclusivity Seeped In On The Inside As Well. Plush Interiors Added To The Zeal

1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo ingress view
Via: Carscoops.com

The interior of the 1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am was quirky, to say the least. The most notably being all the buttons laid out on the steering wheel. It packed sports seats that provided a snug fit and was equally comfortable. You could actually pep into the cabin thanks to the T body structure that gave it glass panes on the roof.

The 20th Anniversary car had saddle leather with matching door panels and carpeting. Power windows, air-conditioning, and a Delco AM/FM cassette stereo came in as standard stuff.

A True-Blue American Muscle Car That Deserves More Attention

1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo rear third quarter view
Via: Mecum.com

A car that managed to turn tables around for the betterment of muscle cars is sadly not much recognized. It is, however, masked by the 1987 Buick GNX with which it shares the turbo V6. The GNX sure had the 'muscle' but Pontiac Turbo Tras Am was a much better-weaved car that was comfortable, fast, and efficient. It might be because of the later arrival but the fact still stands that the Turbo Trans Am is an icon of the 80s that could take on the Exotic Italians.

Sources: Drivetribe.com, Carscoops.com, Hemmings.com, Thedrive.com, Conceptcarz.com, Wikipedia.org, Autonews.com

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