#1991 pontiac firebird driver#
#1991 pontiac firebird plus#

Trans Am's 'Cross-Fire' V-8 faded away, replaced by the 190-bhp carbureted version.Ī new aero option package, including rear wing, could give Trans Ams the look of the Recaro special-edition. Among the most notable was the grille-less 'bottom-breather' nose installed for 1984. Through most of the Eighties, annual styling changes were slight and many of those affected Trans Ams alone. On the next page, we'll look at improvements made on the Firebird in 1983. Four-and six-cylinder Firebirds had their followers, but 64,116 customers selected a moderately vigorous V-8 instead. A total of 116,362 were built in the abbreviated model year-more than 45 percent Trans Ams. Trans Ams might no longer wear their immense and insolent decals, but the new hood did feature a rear-facing scoop.ĭazzling looks doubtless accounted for the impressive sales figures of the newly diminutive Firebird. Subtle it was not, with brash front-fender air extractors and flared wheel openings. Although the ride was declared shaky and stiff, and the car's character brutish, no fault was found with its super handling and flat cornering behavior. worlds better than the car it's replacing,' even though Camaro/Firebird 'engine displacements have been trimmed more aggressively than their curb weights,' and the editors bemoaned their test car's '10.6-second waltz to 60.'Ĭonsumer Guide® testers took their carbureted Trans Am with automatic to 60 mph in 10.8 seconds.

#1991 pontiac firebird driver#

Car and Driver declared 'America's latest shot at a modern GT coupe. Handling was deemed softer than Camaro's, more European in nature. Road & Track called the fuel-injected Trans Am 'a dramatic improvement on predecessors,' managing a 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds-sluggish compared to muscle cars of a decade earlier, but swift by 1982 standards. At least Pontiac offered a hotter option, borrowed from Corvette: a 305 V-8 with dual throttle-body ('Cross-Fire') fuel injection, rated at 165 horsepower. Trans Am again served as performance king, even if its standard carbureted 305-cid (5.0-liter) V-8 delivered a rather feeble 145 horses. Wheelbase shrunk by seven inches overall length by eight width by one.įor details on the 1982, continue on to the next page.

Design goals included keeping the cockpit as spacious as before, while reducing outside dimensions. Out back, coil springs replaced multi-leaf units.įront-wheel drive had been considered, but the ponycars stuck instead to traditional rear-drive. Sleeker and swoopier, lighter and less bulky than before, Firebird benefited from what Pontiac expert John Gunnell described as 'space-age engineering.' Underneath, modified MacPherson struts replaced the old wishbone-style front suspension. Several automakers had revived convertibles in the works, but there would be no openįirebird until the end of this third generation. All were 'glassback' coupes, with a rear hatch instead of a trunk lid. Some models wore full-width, smoked-lens taillamps, creating a blackout effect. Pontiac called attention to its 'sabre-like nose and rakish tail.' Once again, Firebird adopted a more rounded profile than Camaro, exemplified by the soft S-curves over each fender.

#1991 pontiac firebird plus#

Differences included a low-riding nose with shallow twin grilles within air slots, plus hidden headlamps-employed previously on Camaros, but a Firebird 'first.' Stylists under John Schinella again maintained Firebird's distinctive look, despite its continued tie to Camaro.