V8 power isn’t always required to beat out muscle car competitors, as the 20th Anniversary 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am proved with its conservatively rated 245 horsepower V6. It’s a shame that the car was built for one year only, with a strengthened chassis, improved handling, and an advertised top speed of 160 mph, but it’s apparent that GM didn’t want the Pontiac pace car to steal the Chevrolet Corvette’s thunder, and the turbocharged Trans Am’s rarity makes it all the more desirable in today’s market. Just 1,555 of these special muscle cars were made.
Despite being advertised as having the same power output as the 1989 Chevrolet Corvette C4 with 245 horsepower and 340 lb-ft of torque, once it was put to the test, the 1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo proved to offer closer to 300 horsepower. It was a rule breaker, breaking one rule that GM had set for all of its brands: never produce a car that is faster or more powerful than the beloved Chevrolet Corvette. (Whoops.)
Not only did the 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am prove to be faster than the Corvette of the same year, but it achieved its power range with two less cylinders.
Pontiac’s main inspiration for offering the turbocharged Trans Am, aside from its upcoming 20th anniversary, was to build an official pace car for the Indianapolis 500. It was built on the third-generation Camaro and Firebird chassis, and power came from the big bad Buick GNX, but there was a problem: the 3.8-liter Turbo V6 wouldn’t squeeze under the Trans Am’s sloped hood. To wedge it in, Pontiac swapped the heads, using newer and better-fitting equipment from the 3800 V6. Since GM’s manual transmission couldn’t quite handle the power, a four-speed 200-4R automatic transmission was used.
According to several media reports, the factory turbocharged 1989 Pontiac Trans Am could accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in 4.6 seconds. Tuning mods, made possible with the Trans Am’s ECU (electronic control unit), could easily kick it up a notch, but for this article we’re sticking with stock numbers.
Many would argue that the Turbo Trans Am is not only faster, but also handles better on all fronts when compared to the more expensive Buick GNX. Today, the Buick GNX can fetch six-figures, while the stealthy Trans Am typically sells for between $50,000– $70,000 depending on location and condition.
1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans AM 20th Anniversary Official Pace Car listed for sale on Hemmings Classifieds.
The Rare Cars channel on YouTube delved deep into the history of this rare Pontiac muscle car. Watch it below and then let us know: Do you think 1989 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was the best turbocharged American car ever made?
This rare V6 Turbocharged Trans Am crushed Corvettes – The 1989 Turbo Trans Am
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