Firebird instead od G4?

Using that name on a car that is not a pony car will really tick-off some people...I'm not one of them

 

I can't believe you said that!

Would be a stretch though, wouldn't it?

 

I don't know, just putting some bits and pieces together.

 

Curious... just how "small" would you allow them to go with a new Firebird, and still let them put that name on the fender?

 

Instead of getting rid of engineers, GM should get rid of some of the bean counters. People need to have cars to get excited, interested about. Desireable cars. When a person sits in a car they need to feel WOW this is a nice car! Not, well, it's OK.

 

Solstice coupe = Firebird....hmmm.. that could work. Just save the Trans Am name for a V8 car.

 

Trans Am costs GM money, they could just make the high performance one the Formula. It would be neat to see a turbo HF V6 in the Firebird lineup.

 

Was it something like $10 per car on the last Trans Am. I bet a lot of people are willing to pay that.

 

Solstice Trans Am?

 

Or for a new Turbo T/A...

 

As much as I'd like a T-T/A, would that car have anything attached to the name negatively? Camaro has the mullet stigma, does Firebird and Trans Am?

 

Well Proud, like I said, just acouple of bits and pieces mixed with some speculation.

Frankly, I'm not even completely sure of what a Firebird should be anymore. But if one day it comes back as an RX8 type car, with a 260 hp turbo Ecotec.....that wouldn't be so bad for Pontiac's image.

 

 

I'm sorry guys, a Firebird that is not a rwd V8 coupe and doesn't somewhat resemble what the car has always been, is not a Firebird. The Firebird name on a Solstice-like vehicle would be the worst application of a classic name that I can think of, worse than Charger. Trans-am or not, just leave it dead.

New name.

 

True - I agree.
If I think about the Cougar and what it was for Ford throughout it's life... it's been just about everything.
It went from a "fancier" sporty Mustang in 1967-1973, to a luxury barge T-bird clone 1974-1978, then to a mid-size/mid-level 2-door fox body T-bird clone from 1979-1987, then to the MN12 platform with upscale performance and luxury from 1989-1998, and finished up as a Probe-replacement with the 1999-2002 new-edge Cougar based on the Contour/Mystique platform available with only a V6 option over the base I4 engine. In short, it has evolved into many forms over the years, and has played all the roles prety well.

Pontiac could do the same with Firebird. I think Firebird stayed more true to it's original design over 3 decades than Cougar did, but if Camaro holds true to it's heritage, then firebird could have room to waver a bit - successfully, just like Mustang and Cougar did.

One thing for sure... a turbo-4 in a light car with great styling should make for a very interesting piece. It would have my attention.