I'm just wondering why there insane amounts of Camaro arguments, about directions taken, when they will return etc. And the Firebird is never mentioned?

Am I the only one that would be very upset if only half the f-body re-appeared?

I realize that the GTO being released kinda halfass fills the gap of the v-8 RWD performance car. But with all the talk of GM going with alot of RWD platforms, why would it be a problem to have one more?

I would also like to put in my vote for a 5th gen T/A having a shaker hood

 

Much as I love Firebirds, and would love to see one return, I doubt it will. GM is investing a lot instead in reviving the GTO and I see the logic actually, if they bring out a 5gen Camaro and the new GTO, they will have one affordable 2+2 and one slightly more practical (image-wise) RWD performance coupe. One problem with the Firebird image is no one thinks of it as a car with a 'real' back seat, while most do think of GTO as having one.

 

I'd say that the GTO and Solctice are filling in for the Firebird and T/A

 

I'd love to see a Firebird return as well.... sadly, there aren't many things pointing to it.

Only good signs is that apparently Pontiac quietly denies that the marque is gone forever... and secondly (this is probably very minor to nothing... but still) the Pontiac website has a heritage page for Firebird... it uses the word "future" in it, etc etc etc...

 

Maybe it will come out 2 years after the Camaro...

Seriously, it will be a bittersweet day when the Camaro comes out but the Firebird wont be there to back it up.

 

Yes, it's hard to imagine where the Firebird would fit in the Pontiac landscape (Solstice, G6, GTO). I would hate to see GTO pushed up in price to make a hole for it. Obviously, they sat beside one another at one point, but that was a different era and different market.

Maybe Sosltice will still end up "Firebird," though I'm not sure that's a good idea.

 

Remember how Pontiac went with a Camaro based 1st gen Firebird after the Camaro was already done. so I wouldn't count it completely out till the new Camaro actually hits the showrooms, and we find out for sure how close the F5 and the next GTO actually are.


GM has historically given the Firebird a ton of importance & favortism over the Camaro than it's sales figures might lead you to believe. Trans Ams had the most powerful engines GM made, and for most of the 70s, could outaccelerate Corvettes, let alone Z28s. GM was aiming to kill the Camaro when pony car sales died, not the Firebird! The 2002 special edition Trans Am was approved before the 35th anniversary Camaro (completely opposite of what you'd expect!), and guess which had an easier time getting approved. Finally, the 4th gen Firebird had more variety and looks (up to 3 different front ends... in one year!) than the 4th gen Camaro, yet Camaro carried half the cost of the '98 redo, despite outselling Firebird by nearly 2 to 1.

Although a very good case can be made in not bringing Firebird back based on sales and the Solstice (I'm not quite convinced GTO is as big a factor). However, Firebird (with the help of the Trans Am) has defied logic before, so don't give up till the fat lady sings.

 

Another good example is the 4th Gen interior (at least the 97 update)

The dash panel was clearly designed for Firebird first... the air vents are round and smooth on the Firebird... on the Camaro, they tacked on rectangular plastic covers that didn't fit well, and you could see the circles behind... small, but valid point...

 

Honestly, although I dont dislike it, Im not sure the GTO is gonna last. Maybe by the time the 5th gen is ready to come back, room will be made.

So Pontiac openly, be it queitly denies that the Firebird name is gone for good?

 

Hasnt it already been approved for stateside manafacturing by 2007? Think its gonna be here til the end of the decade for sure.

 

I might be wrong on this...but the only reason why the Firebird debuted after the Camaro was because Pontiac had the car shoved down thier throats! They didn't want the car at first.

They wanted t build a Corvette type car and this was seen as far to threating so they got given the Firebird as a consolation.
The Camaro was under development earlier, so it debuted earlier.

And you also brought up the Camaro outselling the Firebird by 2:1
Not a good case for resurection. Not trying to blast ya

And since it looks like the Solsitice maybe coming, thats 2 RWD
coupes for Pontiac.....there won't be 3.

 

Actually, it wasn't rammed down their throats. Chevrolet blocked their 2 seater, so they were offered the part of the new Camaro as a consolation prize. Divisional general managers are marketers, so they aren't going to get a car they don't want.

Few words about the original "Firebird". It was built to be low cost. It had 2 seats, an OHC 6 cylinder engine, solid rear axle, clamshell doors, and was called the Banshee.

The F-body Firebird was going to be called Banshee also till someone found out it was a demon whose screech fortold a family death. Not as bad as Buick's "LaCrosse", but bad enough.

The dash and some of the interior & exterior themes ended up on the 1968 Corvette restyling.

 

Well, since GM doesn't hold the Trans Am name, and it cost them to use it; I wonder if there ever would be a TA variant? Pontiac Firebird Banshee doesn't sound too bad...

Oh yeah, isn't Banshee a ghost also?

 

I saw that in an auto show, but it had a pontiac V8 in it, not a V6. It looked damned near identical to an early C3, except it had a steel body. It was gonna hit the market for like 40% less $ than the corvette cost and look almost the same. GM didnt want their flag-ship imposed upon so they pulled the plug. The one I saw was an prototype 1 of 2. I think it was a 67.

out of curiosity what does LaCrosse mean?

 

DarthIROC,
You saw the 'vert. It had a 326 in it.
The coupe had the OHC I6 in it.