Boy is THIS going to stir the pot. This quote is attributed to Automotive News, although I've seen it on a couple of other sites as well:

Pontiac, which sold just 437,806 vehicles in US last year compared with 599,123 a decade earlier in 1995, is understood to be investigating repositioning itself as a rear-drive-only performance brand by developing a next-generation GTO based on Camaro architecture, a more expensive sedan to replace the Grand Prix and a Firebird muscle car.

Whhhaaa???? Other reports I've seen of this story make it sound like the Firebird is questionable - even this one says that this brand re-definition is being "investigated", but this kinda shoots down all those "NO FIREBIRD" folks, doesn't it? Before I get flamed, let me say that I understand all those folks will be correct in the event Firebird doesn't come back, but the fact it's being considered shows that GM still seems some potential value in the nameplate. How much value...eh, we'll see.

The other thing I get from this (and I know you are all a BIG step ahead of this) is the positioning of the GTO. Could the above quote mean that GTO will be higher end (say $40k-$50k) while a Firebird could be a stablemate of the Camaro (say $20k-$30k)?

Either way, it's good news for us Pontiac fans that GM is seriously looking at the brand and its image. A Cadillac/Saturn-esque revamp could be REALLY fun to watch. Here's hoping they do it. Of course, in the meantime, I'm still getting a G5 Camaro

 

The article's accuracy is somewhat questionable. However, I could still see it going either way. Bob Lutz has stated the car is dead, but that was some time ago, and things seems to change on a daily basis as GM. As Z284ever stated earlier, there was never supposed to be a GMC Canyon, but it arrived. Pontiac Torrent, Saturn Sky, Pontiac G5; I still see some hope for a Firebird.

IF there was a Firebird concept to come out, I would want it's sheetmetal skin to be decidedly different from the Camaro's.

 

Amen to that. I'd personally like a more contemporary styled Firebird, to balance out the more retro Camaro

 

But not everyone finds the Camaro THAT retro. I certainly don't. It's far more modern than it is retro imo. I see retro HINTS, but little that is blatantly retro as the Challenger and Mustang do.

 

I like the Firebird concept. One thing is certain IMO about it, if it did come out (which it won't) it would be a highly valuable asset to GM sales. Ever since GM killed the Camaro and Firebird, and made Cadillac its performance end, sales have fallen through the floor. Even as gas prices soar to new hights and you hear of people riding their bicycles to work, as soon as the new Camaro concept was out, it was an instant hit. I would bet both pink slips to my F-bodies that when the Camaro hits the streets, it will make GM's sales increase on a large scale. The Dodge Challenger concept I believe would have the same outcome for Dodge if it came out. And like the Firebird concept or not, there are more of us die hard american muscle car guys out there looking for something other than a Mustang than GM realized when it killed the F-bodies, and if it were to somehow become a production car, GM would do nothing but benefit greatly from it.

 

Its true that Lutz said the Firebird is dead, But look at what GM is offering currently. If you want a chevy trailblazer, there is also a GMC, Saab, Olds, and Buick. If you want a solstice, there is also now a saturn and some other brand. Minivans get a saturn, Chevy, Pontiac, Buick and Olds. Based on GMs past experience, I wouldnt be surprised if they made a Camaro, Firebird, and 4 other variants of the same car. Its the GM way

 

I want my Firebird back!

 

I know this is probably BS, and I'm sorry if this has been posted already. I haven't seen it before.

http://www.autospies.com/article/ind...&categoryId=22

 

Hey Cool I think we might have a faint pulse!!!!!!!!!!
Im glad to see this thread has taken a positive turn.

201X is cool I can wait for my beloved car to return.

WS6 ish hood and V8 please. Make it Mean GM.

 

Some of the people on that site are stupid, and don't do there research. To me I think there is a chance for one, but you never know.

 

Yeah, it isnt nearly as retro as the Challenger and Mustang. In fact the main thing that sets me off about it is the lack of T-tops. I'm not a big fan of quarter panel windows. Still though, a more evolutionary and contemporary body style would be a nice counterpoint and would set the Firebird apart. If it got a distinctive powerplant, say a DOHC northstar as opposed to an LS2 or a DOHC 3.6 as opposed to a 3900, it'd make the Firebird more of a ditinctive alternative to the Camaro, in other words, the mid to late 70's all over agin in the best way.

 

Except that if the Firebird got a Northstar derivitive, it would probably cost more than the Camaro, and gets it's *** ripped apart by the Camaro as well.

 

As far as performance is concerend, the VVT variant is pushing, what 330 hp now, with a fairly mild set of cams. With a more performance minded tune and hotter cams, it might be possible to bump the HP numbers up to somthing approching LS2 levels. As far as price, how much more could one expect?

 

Yeah,the whole concept of giving it a more complicated engine with less HP is just plain stupid. Why make it harder and more expensive to mod and then give it less HP? Financially and marketwise it would be a stupid move.

 

From Jim Hopson