Autoextremist: Resurrecting the Firebird Trans Am
03-04-2009, 01:26 PM
#1
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Autoextremist: Resurrecting the Firebird Trans Am
Good rant by the Autoextremist, this time resurrecting the TA in a bid to revive Pontiac and its attitude.
autoextremist.com/
Actually it's part 2 of a rant from last week.
Included are some shots of a prototype done by ASC (I'm assuming the same ASC that did the WS6 conversions of the LS1 TA last time around). I was willing to allow the Firebird to die for the greater good, less product overlap and so Camaro could become a better car - even though I prefer the Pontiac.
The car looks bad-*** very early 70s is the feeling I got, you know when TAs sold per year what the G8 has done so far. I like the front moreso than the back.
If Pontiac is now a niche brand then Delorenzo may have a point..... he's certainly right about the swagger being needed again.
autoextremist.com/
Actually it's part 2 of a rant from last week.
Included are some shots of a prototype done by ASC (I'm assuming the same ASC that did the WS6 conversions of the LS1 TA last time around). I was willing to allow the Firebird to die for the greater good, less product overlap and so Camaro could become a better car - even though I prefer the Pontiac.
The car looks bad-*** very early 70s is the feeling I got, you know when TAs sold per year what the G8 has done so far. I like the front moreso than the back.
If GM is going to offer three Pontiacs, I see a portfolio consisting of a full-sized, high-performance rear-wheel-drive sedan (instead of “G8” think Bonneville), along with a new rendition of the GTO (a smaller, sportier, bare-bones rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive coupe) and of course the 2011 Firebird Trans Am.
Last edited by SharpShooter_SS; 03-04-2009 at 01:31 PM.
03-04-2009, 01:39 PM
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Oh don't get me started on this... we will have those that come in here and say "Firebird pulled more resources because they had two hoods, two of this and two of that. OK, then why does a 5th gen have to follow that formula? I purchased a new 02 TA, I'm not saying I will not buy a new Camaro but if GM wants my money it stands a better chance if the car has a Pontiac nameplate.
Sheesh, they give Saturn a version of the very low volume Solstice, talk about resources is there anything on the Sky shared with the Pontiac version?
Sheesh, they give Saturn a version of the very low volume Solstice, talk about resources is there anything on the Sky shared with the Pontiac version?
03-04-2009, 01:40 PM
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Much as I would peronally LOVE to see Pontiac with a Bonneville, GTO, Firebird lineup again I'm afraid that it'll never happen as Pontiac has NO future! G.M. corporate basically said as much when they didn't identify Pontiac as 1 of the core brands that they were going to be focusing ALL of their future development work on! 
)
03-04-2009, 02:50 PM
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Oh don't get me started on this... we will have those that come in here and say "Firebird pulled more resources because they had two hoods, two of this and two of that. OK, then why does a 5th gen have to follow that formula? I purchased a new 02 TA, I'm not saying I will not buy a new Camaro but if GM wants my money it stands a better chance if the car has a Pontiac nameplate.
Sheesh, they give Saturn a version of the very low volume Solstice, talk about resources is there anything on the Sky shared with the Pontiac version?
Sheesh, they give Saturn a version of the very low volume Solstice, talk about resources is there anything on the Sky shared with the Pontiac version?
2. The article mentions that ASC (and OEM supplier, and custom and low volume vehicle modifier) actually had their project considered presented to GM, but never saw the light of day when GM cut out any money that might have gone that way if the project made it to consideration.
3. The whole article is yet another "What I would do to save Pontiac", with the Firebird as the everpresent car (which in his 3 car scenario has 2 coupes and a sedan... unrealistic in today's world, even without a recession).
4. The reasons against a Firebird have been beated to a pulp seemingly hundreds of times before, so no need to rehash.
5. The only way a Firebird would make sense is as a car very different than a Camaro... ie: a fully equpted GTO-like car. Nothing anti-Firebird about any of this. Chrysler doesn't need a Cuda that competes for Challenger sales, and Mercury doesn't need a Cougar that competes for Mustang sales.
6. The Saturn Sky example didn't exactly prove the point for a Firebird did it?
Sky production never went beyond 1K per month in it's best month, and if it wasn't for the fact that Opel and Vauxhall didn't sell the same car in Europe at prices far beyond what GM charged for the Sky here, the whole program would have gone down in a smoldering pile of wreckage. That's on top of what's happening to Saturn.
If anything, the Sky reinforces the case against the Firebird... which won't have the benefit of GM Europe helping to defray the blow.
03-04-2009, 03:32 PM
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Yes read the article, I never said it was happening but I didn't add in all the details either.... just go read the article. I'm not saying it's good or bad, just interesting.
I'm in the camp that says it's dead and won't be coming back.... but I have always preferred the TA to the Camaro. This thread wasn't intended to be a "They're definitely bringing back the Firebird" discussion because obviously they're not - for better or for worse - it's just a what if and it beats all the doom and gloom discussions we've had here for the past couple of months.
My underlying point in posting the link was that Delorenzo's "plan" (and it's just that) may have some merit - maybe more than the "Pontiac is a niche player" plan currently being espoused by GM. Maybe it's just because it lays out a throwback performance lineup for the niche brand I dunno.... guess I'm biased.
As far as the ASC concept goes, I still think it's a bad-*** looking car.
I'm in the camp that says it's dead and won't be coming back.... but I have always preferred the TA to the Camaro. This thread wasn't intended to be a "They're definitely bringing back the Firebird" discussion because obviously they're not - for better or for worse - it's just a what if and it beats all the doom and gloom discussions we've had here for the past couple of months.
My underlying point in posting the link was that Delorenzo's "plan" (and it's just that) may have some merit - maybe more than the "Pontiac is a niche player" plan currently being espoused by GM. Maybe it's just because it lays out a throwback performance lineup for the niche brand I dunno.... guess I'm biased.
As far as the ASC concept goes, I still think it's a bad-*** looking car.
03-04-2009, 03:46 PM
#13
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PLEASE KILL THE BRAND ALREADY!!
Ugh, kill Pontiac. Its done. There is nothing left there. Its dead. Dont drag it out over time. You have combined dealers so they can withstand a drop in Pontiac.
Dont make it a niche brand.
Just
Kill
It
Ugh, kill Pontiac. Its done. There is nothing left there. Its dead. Dont drag it out over time. You have combined dealers so they can withstand a drop in Pontiac.
Dont make it a niche brand.
Just
Kill
It
