This digital re-imagination of the iconic Pontiac Firebird Trans Am is as close as you can get to a modern incarnation of the iconic muscle car.
The Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro, and Ford Mustang might be the three most iconic muscle cars ever made. But in the past, America has produced several other muscle cars that are as important as this trio. Among these is the Pontiac Firebird which took the muscle car recipe to a whole new level with its iconic styling, powerful engines, a tonne of features, and the sportier Trans Am variant that was second to none.
Sadly, the Firebird was a short-lived model for Pontiac that lasted for over three decades with four generations and went out of production in 2002 when GM pulled the plug. With Pontiac closing its doors due to the 2008 financial crisis, it is doubtful you’d see a modern incarnation of the Firebird anytime soon. Or is it so?
In an exclusive Hotcars rendering, automotive visualist Timothy Adry Emmanuel brings to life the iconic Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in a digital form. And apart from being outright epic, this reincarnation is as close as one can get to seeing the Firebird in a modern avatar.
A Perfect Imagination Of The Iconic Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
Emmanuel takes the inspiration for his rendering from the second generation of the Firebird Trans Am, particularly from the 1977 model year when this muscle car first received its quad headlamps setup. He has integrated all the iconic bits of the 77′ Trans Am special edition and given them a modern take that looks pretty cool. The Firebird of that era was a good-looking machine, and this rendering pays an excellent homage to it.
The Firebird was closely related to the Camaro, but John DeLorean (the Pontiac boss) made sure that it was unique in as many ways as possible. If Pontiac were still in operation today, it would be to Chevrolet as Kia is to Hyundai, which means it would be making the same cars, just better-looking ones.
Emmanuel’s rendering also integrates a few design elements from the current generation of the Camaro, like the bulging front and rear fenders. Still, it does so while keeping the spirit of the Firebird alive. His modern interpretation of the ‘Batmobile grille’ looks amazing sitting between the quad-headlamps, which mimic the LED lighting elements of a Corvette’s tail lights.
The Firebird was a popular muscle car. But its popularity shot to an all-time high in the late 1970s due to the film Smokey and the Bandit. The hit movie featured the 1977 Firebird Trans Am and took the fancy of the American public. As a result, sales increased to a figure well past Pontiac’s star car, the GTO. And its iconic livery, which had several golden accents on top of the Starlight Black paint scheme, got imprinted in everyone’s memory.
This Rendering Captures The Iconic Style Of The Firebird Beautifully
Emmanuel’s rendering of the Firebird Trans Am gets all the iconic visual bits that were present on the original car. So, for example, it receives the Starlight Black paint scheme and all the golden highlights, which take the shape of the stripes on this muscle car’s body and the inserts on its grille. Even his interpretation of the 1977 model year Snowflake wheels looks terrific.
If the Firebird was still alive, it would still have a decklid spoiler, and Emmanuel’s rendering does complete justice to what shape it would have taken in the year 2023. The quad exhausts with chrome tips take a much more aggressive look here than in the original car, as does the rear bumper, which has a bold look.
At the front, the automotive visualist has given this muscle car a massive air dam which looks quite handsome thanks to the golden surroundings. The rendering features the Firebird’s iconic t-top look with an interior that will share most of its parts with the present-day Camaro.
If The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Was Still Alive
The 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was available with three engines. Models sold in high-altitude states had a 402 cu-in L80 Oldsmobile V8 motor under the hood, producing 185 horsepower and 320 lb-ft of torque. The second engine in the Firebird’s line-up was a 400 cu-in L78 Pontiac V8 which was good for 180 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. Finally, for those looking for extra grunt, there was the W72 Performance package, which boosted the L78’s power output to 200 horsepower.
In fairness, the L78s in some of the Firebirds with the W72 Performance Package were found to produce close to 260 horsepower. It was a common practice back in the day to rate the performance figures of muscle cars down to keep the insurance costs low and also to keep the authorities happy.
If the Firebird Trans Am were to make a comeback, the current generation Chevrolet Camaro’s engine line-up would be perfect for it. The turbocharged 2.0-liter with 275 horses would be perfect for the Base and Espirit grades. At the same time, the 3.6-liter V6 with 335 horsepower would be the ideal fit for the Firebird Formula, and the 6.2-liter V8, with 455 horsepower, makes a strong case for the modern Firebird Trans Am.
While this rendering is not a reflection of reality, it does give us a glimpse of what could have been if Pontiac was still alive and you could walk into their dealership and buy yourself a Firebird Trans Am.
