1982 pontiac firebird8/22/2023 ![]() ![]() In 1983, Pontiac released a 20th Anniversary Daytona 500 Limited Edition Trans Am capped at just 2,500 units. Pontiac continued the Trans Am as the performance version of the Firebird. Also in 1985, the standard suspension was upgraded to the 1984-WS6 Trans Am suspension, but without disc brakes.įans of the TV show “Knight Rider” undoubtedly remember KITT, the 1982 Firebird Trans Am modified by artificial intelligence and driven by Michael Knight (David Hasselhoff). For the 1985 Firebird, Pontiac revised the front and rear ends to make them more aerodynamic, which they changed again the next year. For the 1983 Firebird, Pontiac barely changed anything visually, with the exception of making Rally wheels standard. Pontiac offered three models from 1982–1986, the base, Special Edition (S/E), and the Trans Am, all of them on the same hatchback body. Much of this was done in the name of aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. The hood was curved instead of flat, got a more rounded front bumper, hidden headlights, and a 62 degree raked windshield. The subframe was a brand new one-piece construction, and used coil springs in the back and MacPherson struts in the front. The 1982 Pontiac Firebird was now a hatchback on a slightly smaller 101 inch wheelbase. Pontiac kicked off the third generation Firebird with a complete head-to-toe rebuild. GM has still not revived the Firebird namesake, though there were some special edition Trans Ams built on Camaro shells in the 2010s. GM also dropped its F-body brother the Chevrolet Camaro the same year, and by the time of its revival in 2010 Pontiac had already ceased to exist, negating the creation of a new Firebird. Pontiac killed the Firebird after the 2002 model year following a decline in enthusiasm and sales. By then, both had shifted to using the LS1 V8 engine, making 310–345 horsepower. Pontiac continued both the Trans Am and Firehawk through 2002, with the Firehawk getting a one year break in 1998. Though production was heavily limited to just 25 units the first year, it was a sign of things to come. The 1992 SLP Firehawk is what truly brought performance back to the Firebird, utilizing a 350 horsepower version of the 5.7L L98/B2L V8 engine, which made only 240 horsepower in the standard Firebird. The Firehawk was a collaboration between Pontiac and Street Legal Performance from Toms River, New Jersey. Pontiac continued to produce the performance-oriented Trans Am for the third and fourth generations, and in 1992 they added the Firehawk as an even more high performance model. The LS1 made a maximum of 320 horsepower and 345 lb-ft of torque with the optional WS6 ram-air package. In 1998, General Motors dropped the LT1 and brought out the LS1 in its place, a similar sized 5.7L V8. Styling aside, the Firebird undoubtedly regained its lost performance in the fourth generation, starting with the 5.7L V8 LT1 engine making 275–285 horsepower. The fourth generation Firebird is very love/hate, with some people coveting the new body style and others absolutely abhorring it – though most agree it looks better than the Camaro. Pontiac restyled the hood and front/rear end, making the car much more aerodynamic and sleek. The fourth and final generation of the Pontiac Firebird lasted from 1993–2002, and once again saw a complete redesign. The only real exceptions were the 245 horsepower LC2 Turbo-Trans Am in 1989 and 210–240 horsepower L98/B2L 5.7L V8 from 1987–1992. Unfortunately, for pretty much the entire generation performance was down. Still residing on the F-body, Pontiac gave the Firebird a new hood, new front and rear end, and the iconic hidden headlights.Īs for power plants, the Gen 3 Firebird introduced a four-cylinder inline-four engine for the first time, the famous (or infamous) Iron Duke Engine making just 90 horsepower. The third generation lasted from 1982–1993, and saw the Firebird get a complete redesign. 1982–2002 Pontiac Firebird OverviewĪfter firmly establishing itself as a premiere pony car in the 1960s and 1970s, the third generation Firebird had a high bar to live up to. Read on to find out all about the 1982–2002 Pontiac Firebird. The Gen 3 and 4 Firebird did not sell nearly as well as their predecessors, but they also saw the return of performance that vanished in the 1970s. This article will cover the Gen 3 (1982–1992) and Gen 4 (1993–2002) Pontiac Firebird. For information on the 1967–1981 Gen 1 and Gen 2 Firebird, check out our other Pontiac Firebird article here. The Pontiac Firebird spanned a total of four generations from 1967–2002. The Firebird quickly earned a potent reputation, and the Trans Am and Firehawk performance variants got even more attention. Pontiac introduced the Firebird in 1967, and kept it around all the way until the new millennium in 2002. The Pontiac Firebird stands out as one of the most iconic pony cars of all time. ![]()
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