The Firebird also had the Trans Am package beginning in 1969, which really made it stand out from the normal F-bodies. However, there were minor stylings that set the two apart, including badges and decals, and the Camaro got the larger and more powerful engines. Often compared with the Camaro, the Firebird looked visually very similar and had similar engine options, too. Pontiac offered the Firebird as either a convertible or a coupe, and it resided on GM’s F-body – which it shared only with the Camaro. Performance was outstanding for the Firebird, and at a $2,700 cost for the coupe it was a great deal. The first generation Pontiac Firebird lasted from 1967–1969, and had engine options ranging from a 230 cid inline-six to a big-block 400 cid V8. At the time, the market was dominated by the Ford Mustang and to a lesser extent the Plymouth Barracuda, and the entry of the Camaro and Firebird easily started cutting into Ford and Chrysler’s bottom-line. Pontiac created the Firebird in 1966 to coincide with the Chevrolet Camaro, as General Motors’ entry into the pony car market. Read on for more information about the first and second generation 1967-1981 Pontiac Firebird, or check out our other article for the third and fourth generation 1982–2002 Pontiac Firebird. The second generation ended in 1981, with the third generation kicking off in 1982. The first two generations of the Pontiac Firebird span from 1967–19–1981. The Trans Am sold incredibly well, at times selling as many units as the other three trims combined. Pontiac introduced the Trans Am option package in 1969, but it eventually became its own model the next year. The Firebird earned a reputation as one of the most potent pony cars around, and it led the way for performance in the 1970s. Pontiac introduced the Firebird in 1967, and kept it around all the way until the new millennium in 2002. Despite brisk early sales and good reviews, sales of the new Thunderbird couldn’t justify continued production, and Ford discontinued it again in mid-2005.The Pontiac Firebird stands out as one of the most iconic pony cars of all time. The luxury retailer Neiman Marcus offered an early special edition version in their 2000 Christmas catalog, priced at just under $42,000 their stock of 200 sold out in two hours and 15 minutes. In 2002, however, in an attempt to capitalize on car buyers’ nostalgia, the company launched production of a retro T-Bird, a two-seater convertible that took some of its styling from the original classic. Thunderbird sales slowed during the 1990s, and Ford discontinued the Thunderbird in 1997. Kennedy had already included 50 Thunderbirds in his inaugural procession in 1961, and a T-Bird would also feature prominently in the 1973 film “American Graffiti.” The Beach Boys elevated the Thunderbird to pop- culture-icon status in 1964 by including it in the lyrics of their hit single “Fun Fun Fun” (“she’ll have fun, fun, fun ’til her daddy takes the T-Bird away”). In 1958, to satisfy critics who thought the T-Bird was too small, Ford released a four-seater version with a roomier trunk and bucket seats. In addition to the powerful V-8 engine that Ford was known for, the Thunderbird boasted all the conveniences consumers had become accustomed to, including a removable hard convertible top, soundproofing and the accessories standard to most Ford cars. The success of the Thunderbird led Chevrolet to continue production of (and improve upon) the Corvette, which soon became a tough competitor in the sports car market. The 1955 Thunderbird was an immediate hit, selling more than 14,000 that year (compared to just 700 Corvettes). The undeniably sleek Corvette’s initial engine performance was relatively underwhelming, but it was gaining lots of attention from the press and public, and Ford was motivated to respond, rushing the Thunderbird to the market in 1955. General Motors built the first American sports car: the Chevrolet Corvette, released in 1953. The last Thunderbird, Ford Motor Company’s iconic sports car, emerges from a Ford factory in Wixom, Michigan on July 1, 2005.įord began its development of the Thunderbird in the years following World War II, during which American servicemen had the opportunity to observe sleek European sports cars.
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