A pair of hood vents served as hot-air extractors. It had no grille, just a few air-intakes to cool the radiators and feed the engine with air. But the true rag-top version came only in 1994.ĭesigned as a more aerodynamic, GT-style vehicle, the Firebird featured a pair of pop-up headlights and a V-shaped front bumper. When Pontiac introduced the fourth generation of the Firebird in 1992, it offered it either as a coupe or as a T-top, which was the next best thing to a convertible. While in the beginning was all about horsepower, later on, it was about features and amenities. Pontiac introduced a convertible version for the Firebird's fourth generation in 1994 as a 1995 model year and raised the bar against its main rival, the Ford Mustang. full description and technical specifications But that wasn't a real problem for as long as its customers had the music of a V-8. Its seven-channel equalizer was challenging to use while driving. The center stack looked very similar to the '97 model but with a CD player on it. Its front independent suspension and the solid rear axle were not the best choices for a handling vehicle, but they worked well for wide turns on a fast track. Inside the cabin, the carmaker ditched the comfortable seats and introduced a pair of high-bolstered bucket seats that provided much better side support. Pontiac offered the RamAir version in three body shapes: coupe, T-top, and convertible. A set of aerodynamically profiled door mirrors and a wing on the trunk enhanced the car's aggressive look. Last but not least, the headlights featured two lamps on each side instead of one as on the rest of the Firebirds. Its bumper was still V-shaped as in the 1997 model but incorporated a pair of wide fog lights placed closer to the car's center. Thus, it removed the exhaust vents and tracked more air into the air filter installed just under the nostrils-looking air-intakes. The main difference was that the carmaker installed a new hood with two bulges opened at the front. It competed against its sibling, the Camaro, and the Mustang, but its pop-up headlights were different, which attracted the customers who were teenagers in the '80s It was a sports car, but not as harsh or expensive as a Corvette. In 2000, the Pontiac was still riding the high tides, and its cars were selling well, especially the Firebird. Pontiac was eager to get a better engine for its TransAm Firebird, and it made the RamAir version, which looked wild, and then the carmaker made a convertible out of it. Under the hood, Pontiac installed a 3.8-liter V6 engine for those who didn't really care about performance, while those eager to hit the gas on a drag strip were granted a V8 powerplant. Yet, Pontiac still insisted on installing a bench in the back, which proved to be very useful for a sports bag or a backpack. But, just like the non-facelifted version, it didn't provide enough room for rear passengers. The Firebird featured high-bolstered bucket seats that supported the passengers during high-cornering maneuvers. A set of aerodynamically profiled door mirrors and a wing on the trunk completed the car's aggressive look. Another major improvement was the V-shaped bumper, which incorporated a pair of foglights mounted closer to the car's center, not on the outer sides. Moreover, it removed the exhaust vents, and that led to a better airflow into the engine compartment and especially to the air filter installed on top of the engine. Unlike the blue-oval contender, Pontiac bragged about its pop-up headlights, even though those were outdated for almost two decades.įor the last refresh, the carmaker installed a revised hood with two bulges that opened at the front with a pair of nostrils-looking air-intakes. Its main competitor from outside GM was the Mustang. It was considered a sports car, and while it lacked the same performances as a Corvette, it was lower priced than it. While it was still a competitive car on the market, it was overshadowed by its Camaro sibling. In 2000, Pontiac released the last sequel o its Firebird, and, even though it wasn't a new vehicle, it was an important refresh.
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