The Trans Am Lives!
Pontiac is a brand that died while most of us watched its final, agonizing moments. After years of badge engineering and somewhat lowly showroom offerings, it went the way of the Dodo. Along with it went the Trans Am name, which is really unfortunate because it was pretty much the Camaro’s brother. Be it the better or worse brother is up to debate, but no doubt it left a very unique impact on how we felt about GM’s more bulbous muscle car.
A shop in Florida misses those old days, and as such has created the modern successor. It’s not an official Pontiac, even though it looks like one. It’s not a screaming chicken either, even though it has one painted on the hood. What it is, is a “thank you” to the cars that came before it. A 7.4 liter, supercharged “thank you.”
Trans Am Worldwide is responsible for these creations. In keeping with tradition of the old Trans Am, the new one is also based on the Camaro platform. You might be able to that tell the DNA is the same, but the car is fundamentally transformed.
Outer modifications include putting the iconic T-top back where it belongs, revised front and rear fascias to reflect what a modern Firebird may look like, and wheels that pay homage to the wire-mesh rollers originally fitted to the 70’s model. The gold-accent theme on the outside continues inside, but the big news lies under all the new body work.
LSX power resides under the hood, displacing 7.4 liters and producing 840 horsepower. Controlling that mass and momentum is handled by a set of Eibach springs, and upgraded sway bars. High speeds are kept in check with either the competent stock 4-piston calipers, or an upgraded system. This particular combination is the “Outlaw,” but that’s not the only package you can choose from. You can get “The Bandit” version, which is an homage to Burt Reynolds’ own car from Cannonball Run.
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