Tag: Pontiac

1987 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe

While dropping my parents off at church this Sunday morning, I saw a stock-appearing facelifted fourth-generation Grand Prix with two-tone paint out of the corner of my eye—heading west on the Lincoln Highway. As good a reason as any to finally complete this blog post that I’ve been working on for over six months.

“… a Pontiac classic …”

1987 marked the final model year for the G-body Grand Prix coupe—it would be replaced in 1988 by an all-new W-body front-wheel-drive model. Changes were few; the Grand Prix portion of Pontiac’s 1987 brochure emphasized a new sport steering wheel and new 45/55 seats for the LE.

The standard Grand Prix powertrain continued to be the LD5 110 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with a two-barrel carburetor paired with a three-speed automatic. Optional engines included the LB4 140 bhp 4.3 liter/263 ci V6 with fuel injection ($200 and available with either a three-speed or a four-speed automatic) and the LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor ($590 and only available with a $175 four-speed automatic). With the V8, a Grand Prix owner could expect a 0-60 time of a little over nine seconds in a coupe with a shipping weight of 3,231 pounds.

Mileage wasn’t good with any engine/transmission combination: the best was the 4.3 liter/four-speed automatic combination with 19 city/26 highway (17/24 by today’s standards). Predictably, the V8 was the worst, at 17 city/24 highway—with a 13.6-gallon gas tank the owner of a V8 Grand Prix could expect a range of between 225 and 250 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Grand Prix page from the 1987 Pontiac brochure.

Standard equipment on the $11,069 Grand Prix (about $25,300 in 2019 dollars) included power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P195/75R14 blackwall tires (a size still available thanks to Hankook and Kumho) on 14-inch wheels. General Motors was moving to option groups in the late eighties, and the base Grand Prix had two. Option Group I $1,313) included dual sport sideview mirrors, body side moldings, air conditioning with Soft Ray tinted glass, a tilt steering wheel that was also a luxury cushion steering wheel, and a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio. Option Group II ($1,867) added cruise control, lamp group, controlled cycle windshield wipers, power door locks, and power windows.

Moving up to the LE ($11,799) added dual sport sideview mirrors, 45/55 notchback seats in Pallex cloth, and a four-spoke sport steering wheel. For the LE, Option Group I ($1,844) included body side moldings, air conditioning with Soft Ray tinted glass, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, lamp group, controlled cycle windshield wipers, power door locks, power windows, a visor vanity mirror, and a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio. Option Group II ($2,117) added halogen headlamps, a deck lid release, and a power driver’s seat, and made the visor vanity mirror illuminated.

The top-of-the-line Brougham ($12,519) added 45/55 notchback seats in Majestic cloth, power windows, special trim, and a luxury cushion steering wheel. Option Group I ($1,874) for the Brougham included body side moldings, air conditioning with Soft Ray tinted glass, a tilt steering wheel, a power driver’s seat, cruise control, lamp group, controlled cycle windshield wipers, power door locks, a visor vanity mirror, and a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio. Option Group II ($2,078) added halogen headlamps, cornering lamps, luggage compartment trim, a deck lid release, dual remote mirrors, and a dome reading lamp, and added illumination to the visor vanity mirror. A Brougham with Option Package 2, the V8, and the four-speed automatic came to a non-trivial $15,362 (about $35,100 in today’s dollars or about what a 2019 Buick Regal Avenir sedan goes for).

Individual exterior and mechanical options included a rally-tuned suspension ($50), a power sunroof ($925), a hatch roof with removable glass panels ($905), a power antenna ($70), two-tone paint ($205 to $295) and turbo-finned cast aluminum wheels ($246). Inside, you could get bucket seats with recliners and console ($292 with Ripple cloth in the base coupe, $69 with Pallex cloth in the LE, or $369 with leather in the LE), and a rally gauge cluster with tachometer ($153) along with a range of stereos up to a Delco ETR AM/FM stereo radio with cassette and graphic equalizer ($450).

The 1987 Grand Prix did not sell well—sales were about 41% of the 1986 total, and, at 16,542, the typical Pontiac dealer sold more Grand Ams, 6000s, Bonnevilles, Sunbirds, Firebirds, and Fieros.

Evidently (based on my observation this morning) someone is saving these cars! Hagerty declines to value any Grand Prix after 1977, but this generation does come up for sale every once in a while in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds or on eBay Motors. As I write this in February 2019, there’s a 1985 Silver/Medium Gray two-tone Grand Prix LE with gray cloth notchback seats, a 3.8 liter/231 ci V6, an automatic, and 54,000 miles available for $12,900.

Make mine Dark Maroon Metallic, please.

Other rear-wheel drive G-platform (designated A-platform before 1982) cars I have written about include the 1984 Buick Regal Grand National coupe, the 1983 Chevrolet Malibu sedan, the 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sport Coupe, the 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe, and the 1980 Pontiac Grand Am coupe.

1988 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe

“… one of the most aerodynamic cars in the world.”

The Grand Prix was all new for 1988. Gone was the elderly G-body rear-wheel-drive (dating from 1978), replaced by an aerodynamic front-wheel drive W-body.

For 1988, the standard Grand Prix powertrain was the LB6 130 bhp 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with fuel injection paired to a four-speed automatic (a five-speed manual was available). With a curb weight of 3,038 pounds, 0-60 took a little over 10 seconds with the standard powertrain. Mileage with the same powertrain was 20 city/29 highway by the standards of the day (18/26 by today’s standards). A 16.0-gallon fuel tank meant that a Grand Prix owner could expect a range of between 315 and 355 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

The 1988 Grand Prix came in base, LE, and SE forms. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment in the $12,539 base coupe (about $27,300 in today’s dollars) included composite halogen headlamps, dual sport mirrors, power steering, four-wheel power disc brakes, an independent rear suspension, and P195/75R14 tires (a size still available from multiple vendors) on 14 x 6 inch wheels with custom wheel covers. Inside, notchback front bench seats, an electronic digital speedometer, a glove box with a combination lock, and an AM/FM stereo radio were included.

Moving up a little to the $13,239 LE added power windows with illuminated switches, lamp group, 40/60 split reclining pallex cloth seats, rear folding armrest with pass through to the luggage compartment, and mechanical analog gauges with tachometer and trip odometer.

The top-of-the-line $15,249 SE (about $32,300 in 2018 dollars) added the Y99 Rally Tuned suspension, dual exhaust system, and P215/65R15 tires on 15-inch aluminum wheels and switched the standard transmission to a five-speed manual. Inside, air conditioning, leather-wrapped tilt steering wheel, cruise control, power cloth front bucket seats with three-position lumbar controls, and rear bucket seats were all part of the SE experience.

Options included power door locks, an electric rear window defogger, a power antenna, and a UX1 AM stereo/FM stereo radio with seek, scan, auto-reverse cassette, five-band graphic equalizer, and digital clock.

The 1988 Grand Prix was relatively well received—it was Motor Trend‘s Car of the Year, and Pontiac sold 86,357 cars in slightly over half a model year (sales only began in January 1988), which marked more than five times as many as the last of the G-body versions in 1987. For 1989, sales would top 136,000 and would stay over 100,000 for every year through 1995.

Grand Prix’s of this generation are rarely seen in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors. Sometimes you do see the ASC/McLaren or GTP versions, but rarely the “civilian” models.

Make mine red, please.

1985 Pontiac Grand Am coupe

“Introducing a brilliant new driver’s coupe”

The Grand Am name returned for the 1985 model year. Instead of the rear-wheel-drive coupe and sedan that it had been in its previous two lives from 1973 to 1980 (with none in 1976 or 1977), it was now a front-wheel-drive coupe, part of GM’s N-body offerings. As such, its first relatives were the Buick Somerset Regal and the Oldsmobile Calais.

The standard powertrain on the Grand Am was GM’s Tech IV 92 bhp 2.5 liter/151 ci inline four with throttle-body fuel injection connected to a five-speed manual. For $560, optional power was the LN7 125 bhp 3.0 liter/181 ci V6 with fuel injection, which required the $425 automatic transmission (also available with the base engine). 0-60 times for early N-body cars are hard to come by, but were likely about 10.5 seconds for the standard powertrain and about 9.0 seconds for the V6/automatic combination—the 2,419-pound shipping weight helped. Mileage with the standard powertrain was rated at 24 city/34 highway by the day’s standards (21/31 by today’s measures). With the 13.6-gallon tank, Grand Am buyers could expect a range of 310 to 350 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $7,995 base coupe (about $24,400 in 2025 dollars) included power rack and pinion steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and P185/80R13 tires (now a trailer size) on 13-inch Rally wheels. Inside, reclining bucket seats and an integral floor console were included.

The LE (starting at $8,495 or about $25,900 in today’s dollars) included “substantial body side moldings,” upgraded front bucket seats with adjustable headrests, deluxe door trim, and a fold-down rear seat armrest.

Options included the Rally Tuned suspension ($50) and cruise control ($175). A Driver’s Package was also available, which included 215/60R14 Goodyear Eagle GT radials (a size available thanks to BFGoodrich and Riken) on 14-inch turbo cast aluminum wheels, “sport-tuned” front and rear stabilizers, and a Driver Information Center.

The View From 2025

I think these were handsome cars, especially with those turbo cast aluminum wheels—Pontiac had great wheel designs in the eighties. Like many American cars of the era that aren’t considered to be collectible, they have essentially vanished despite over 82,000 sold in 1985 alone. They’re invisible in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors and are hard to find anywhere—Bring a Trailer has sold two 1990 models, but none from the eighties.

Make mine Red, please.

Last updated June 2025.

1985 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe

For many years, I made a retro CD for the holidays that goes to friends and family. Whatever expertise in popular music that I have is from the eighties, so that I would go forward one year in that decade—that means that in 2017, I was doing 1988. There’s a story behind every year’s CD, and this one involved a 1985 Trans Am. So, I decided to draw a 1985 Trans Am dashboard and thus this blog post.

1985 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am dashboard

“The most serious piece of machinery we put on the road.”

Updates for the 1985 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am included a restyled nose with integrated fog lamps, new taillights, fake hood louvers replacing the traditional power bulge, and full rocker and quarter panel extensions. A new WS6 suspension package was made available for the Trans Am, which included gas-pressurized shocks, four-wheel disc brakes, and 16-inch wheels with P245/50VR16 Goodyear “Gatorback” tires for a $664 price tag. Inside, all gages now had graph-patterned backgrounds, and a new UT4 “Touch-Control” optional stereo was available.

For 1985, the standard Trans Am powertrain was the LG4 165 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor paired with a five-speed manual transmission. The top-of-the-line engine was the $695 LB9 fuel-injected 5.0 liter/305 ci V8, with 205 bhp—but that was only available with a $425 four-speed automatic transmission, yielding a zero to sixty time of about 7.5 seconds. If you wanted the five-speed manual transmission, the best engine choice available on the Trans Am was the 190 bhp L69 H.O. 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor.

Mileage with the standard powertrain was 15 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (14/22 by 2025 measures). With a 15.9-gallon gas tank, a Trans Am owner could expect a range of between 255 and 280 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $11,569 Trans Am (about $35,700 in today’s dollars) included power brakes (front disc/rear drum), hidden electronically-controlled halogen headlamps, dual sport mirrors, an all-glass rear hatch, a rear deck lid spoiler, and P215/65R15 steel-belted radial tires (still a readily available size) on “deep-dish” 15 x 7 wheels. Inside, reclining front bucket seats, a Formula steering wheel, full gages, and side window defoggers were included.

Options & Production Numbers

Options included T-tops ($875), a louvered rear sunshield ($210), four wheel disc brakes ($179), electric rear window defogger ($145), air conditioning ($750), Luxury Trim Group ($359), tilt steering wheel ($115), cruise control ($175), and a series of five stereos. In something you rarely see in the current day, Pontiac offered two completely different optional front seats—Lear Siegler Custom adjustable bucket seats and Recaro bucket seats (which were not available with the six-way power driver’s seat).

The 1985 Trans Am sold reasonably well, with 44,028 sold—about 46% of total Firebird sales. In Pontiac showrooms, only the Sunbird and the 6000 outsold the Firebird in the 1985 model year.

The View From 2025

Third-generation Firebirds have a strong following, and 1985 Trans Ams make regular appearances in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and at online auctions such as Bring a Trailer that cater to the eighties car market. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a loaded 1985 Trans Am with the LB9 in #1/Concours condition is $47,400, while a far more typical #3/Good car goes for $14,900. As I update this post in November 2025, there’s a Canary Yellow 1985 Trans Am with the LB9 engine, an automatic, and 12,000 miles for sale on Hemmings, asking $23,500.

Make mine Black, please—I think.

Other eighties Firebirds I have written about include the 1981 Trans Am coupe, the 1982 Trans Am hatchback coupe, the 1986 SE hatchback coupe, the 1987 Formula hatchback coupe, and the 1989 Turbo Trans Am hatchback coupe.

Last updated November 2025.

1981 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am coupe

“Soul Survivor”

1981 was the last year for the second-generation Firebird and, thus, also the final year for the second-generation Trans Am. With the third-generation cars on the way, Pontiac’s eleven-year-old F-car received only minor changes. The “screaming chicken” decal on the hood was now two colors, compared to the four-color decal from 1979 and 1980. Not much could be done about the general lack of space efficiency (the EPA rated the Firebird as a subcompact car), the high curb weight (about 3,700 pounds when the Mustang weighed about 2,800), and the relatively primitive technology.

Engines & Transmissions

The standard Trans Am powertrain was the Pontiac-built L37 150 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor paired with a three-speed automatic. The only choice for Trans Am purchasers who wanted a manual transmission was the Chevrolet-built LG4 145 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor, but you did get a $147 credit.

The top engine was the $437 Pontiac-built LU8 200 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and an AiResearch turbocharger, which also added a hood-mounted boost gauge. The turbo engine was emissions-certified only with the combination of air conditioning, an automatic transmission, and a 3.08:1 ratio rear axle. For a period of time during the 1981 model year, Pontiac also required rear disc brakes and a limited-slip differential to get that turbo power.

Combining a turbocharger, carburetors, and primitive electronic engine controls was not easy, and reviews of one of the world’s first turbo V8’s were mixed. The relatively primitive gas of the day meant that Pontiac had to retard spark substantially to minimize detonation, which kept the power returns of the turbocharger relatively low. As Car and Driver stated, “by the time the engine reaches 4000 rpm, the show is essential­ly over.”

Performance & Standard Equipment

A Turbo Trans Am would accelerate from 0-60 in a little over eight seconds (Car and Driver clocked 8.2), which was good for 1981. Fuel mileage was predictably bad—15 city/21 highway mpg by the day’s standards for the combination of the turbo engine and the automatic. With a 21-gallon fuel tank, Trans Am owners could expect to travel about 280 to 305 miles before refueling.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included in the $8,322 base price of the Trans Am (about $31,700 in today’s dollars) included a black accent grille and headlamp bezels, dual rectangular headlamps, front and rear wheel opening air deflectors, chrome side-splitter tailpipe extensions, a shaker hood, power front disc/rear drum brakes, power steering, and P225/70R15 blackwall tires (a size still readily available) on 15-inch Rally II wheels. Inside front bucket seats, a floor console, a bright engine-turned dash plate, and rally gauges with a tachometer were standard.

Firebird pages from the 1981 Pontiac brochure
Firebird pages from the 1981 Pontiac brochure

Packages & Options

The Trans Am Special Edition package was $735 additional over a base Trans Am—$1,430 bundled with the removable locking hatch roof (otherwise known as T-tops). There was also a special edition of the Special Edition—the NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car, resplendent in oyster white with a black and red interior. It included the LU8 turbocharged engine, the WS6 special performance package, four-wheel power disc brakes, and a limited-slip differential. Inside, the most notable upgrade from other Turbo Trans Ams was Recaro front seats—among the best available production seats from any manufacturer in 1981. All this extra content was a good thing because the NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car listed for $12,257—about $46,700 in 2025 dollars.

Exterior and mechanical options available for the Trans Am included the WS6 special performance package, a limited-slip differential, tungsten quartz halogen headlamps ($29), white-lettered tires, cast aluminum wheels, four-wheel power disc brakes, and an automatic power antenna ($50). Inside, an electric rear window defroster ($115), power door locks ($99), Custom air conditioning ($600), Custom bucket seats, and a host of radios (seven!) were all available.

The View From 2025

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Initially neglected by the collector market and with many now used up, late second-generation Trans Ams in good or excellent shape are now getting interesting numbers—almost doubling in the past ten years. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1981 Trans Am NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car in #1/Concours condition is $69,300, with a more normal non-Turbo Trans Am in #3/Good condition version valued at $14,800. These Trans Ams are often available in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring A Trailer, and they frequently show up at in-person auctions.

Make mine the black and gold Special Edition, of course. The NASCAR Daytona 500 Pace Car is tempting, if only for those Recaro seats.

I evidently can’t help myself with eighties Trans Ams; I’ve also written about the 1982 hatchback coupe, the 1984 15th Anniversary hatchback coupe, the 1985 hatchback coupe, and the 1989 Turbo hatchback coupe. I have written about the 1986 SE hatchback coupe and the 1987 Formula hatchback coupe, but I probably should write about the base car at some point.

Last updated September 2025.

1980 Pontiac Grand Am coupe

“One exhilarating road machine”

The last of the rear-wheel-drive Grand Ams came in 1980. Unlike in 1978 and 1979, the sedan was no longer available—only the coupe remained.

The standard engine in non-California cars was the L37 155 bhp 4.9 liter/301 ci V8 with four-barrel Rochester carburetor and electronic spark control (California cars got the Chevrolet-sourced LG4 150 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8). The only transmission available was a three-speed Turbo-Hydramatic TH200 automatic transmission. Performance was respectable for 1980—Car and Driver recorded a zero to sixty time of 11 seconds. Mileage was 17 city/25 highway by the day’s standards. With an 18.1-gallon gas tank, range was 280 to 305 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

New features for 1980 included a revised soft-fascia front end with three sections per side, an Ontario Gray lower accent color for the exterior, a silver upper body accent stripe, larger wraparound black-out tail lamps, and larger front and rear stabilizer bars for the optional ($45) Rally RTS handling package.

Grand Am page from the 1980 Pontiac brochure
Grand Am page from the 1980 Pontiac brochure

The Grand Am’s base price was $7,299—about $31,400 in 2025 dollars. Standard exterior and mechanical equipment included dual sport mirrors, dual horns, power steering, power front disc/rear drum brakes, and 205/75R14 black sidewall radial tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch Rally IV cast aluminum wheels. Inside, Grand Am purchasers could expect cut-pile carpeting, Custom vinyl front bucket seats with center floor console, rally gages with a clock embedded in a brushed aluminum instrument panel, and a Custom sport steering wheel.

Options, Period Reviews, & Production Numbers

Available exterior and mechanical options included a power sunroof—either metal ($561) or glass ($773), dual remote sport mirrors ($73), Soft-Ray tinted glass ($107), and electric rear window defroster ($107). Inside, air conditioning ($601), power door locks ($93), power windows ($143), a six-way power driver’s seat ($175), a tilt steering wheel ($81), automatic cruise control ($112), and an AM/FM stereo radio with a stereo cassette player ($272) were all available. A nicely configured Grand Am could easily push past $9,700—real money in 1980 and about $41,800 in today’s dollars.

Period reviews settled into the “we’re glad they make it, but we’re not sure we’d buy it” category. Car and Driver called the 1980 Grand Am “a noble experiment” and praised its handling.

Grand Ams didn’t sell at all well in 1980—Pontiac moved only 1,647 of them, after selling almost five times as many coupes only two years prior in 1978. Despite this, Pontiac would not give up on the Grand Am name—it would be back in 1985 as a small front-wheel-drive coupe.

The View From 2025

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Most of the Grand Ams being collected are the larger and more powerful first-generation Colonnade versions sold from 1972 to 1975. You do occasionally see second-generation Grand Ams for sale in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors. Bring a Trailer’s only second-generation Grand Am sale so far was a very rare 1979 Grand Am coupe with a four-speed manual in 2024. I haven’t seen a Grand Am from this generation for many years.

Make mine Starlight Black, please.

Other G-bodies covered in this blog include the 1980 Grand Prix SJ coupe, the 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sport Coupe, the 1981 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe, the 1983 Chevrolet Malibu sedan, the 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Sport Coupe, the 1984 Buick Regal Grand National coupe, the 1987 Buick GNX coupe, and the 1987 Pontiac Grand Prix coupe. Another 1980 Pontiac I have written about is the Sunbird Sport Hatch.

Last updated October 2025.

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1989 Pontiac 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe

Originally posted on the fourth of July in 2014, here’s some eighties American iron.

“The Only Modification It Needed To Pace The Indy 500 Was A Decal.”

For 1989, the big news in the Pontiac camp was the release of the 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am, which was essentially a Trans Am GTA coupe with an exclusive engine option and some specific trim elements.

Rated at 250 bhp but actually making about 300 bhp, the LC2 3.8 liter/231 ci sequential fuel-injected, turbocharged, and intercooled V6 was teamed with the 200-4R four-speed automatic transmission. Mileage was 16 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (15/22 by today’s standards), and nobody cared. What they did care about was the acceleration—Car and Driver managed to achieve a 4.6 second 0-60 time (Pontiac had claimed 5.5 seconds) and a top speed of 153 mph. At least in power, the third generation Trans Am had come a long way from 1982 …

1989 Pontiac Firebird brochure cover, courtesy of Flickr user Alden Jewell.
1989 Pontiac Firebird brochure cover, courtesy of Flickr user Alden Jewell

The 20th Anniversary Turbo Firebird Trans Am’s base price was $31,198—about $84,100 in 2025 dollars. Buyers got all the Trans Am GTA exterior and mechanical equipment, which included fog lamps, a power antenna, power steering, four-wheel disc brakes, the special performance package, a limited slip differential, and 245/50-VR16 black sidewall tires (a size still readily available) mounted on gold 16 x 8 diamond-spoke aluminum wheels. Turbo Trans Am-specific additions included larger brake rotors and softer front springs. In addition, there were Turbo Trans Am emblems on the fenders and 20th emblems on the nose and rear pillars.

Inside, standard GTA equipment included air conditioning, power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, tilt steering, cruise control, a rear window defroster, a power deck lid release, and an AM/FM stereo cassette with an equalizer and steering wheel controls. Turbo Trans Am owners also got a turbo-boost gauge inside the tachometer face.

Options & Production Numbers

Pontiac built a total of 1,550 Turbo Trans Ams for sale (there were another 5 test cars), with 85% of them being t-tops with leather bucket seats (buyers could order cloth bucket seats and/or the hardtop, but few did). Period window stickers show the t-top roof and the custom leather interior combined in a value option package.

The View From 2025

Unlike many other eighties cars, 1989 Turbo Trans Ams hold their value just fine. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, all the money for a 1989 20th Anniversary Turbo Trans Am in #1/Concours condition is $79,000, though some have sold for more. A more “normal” #3/Good condition example is valued at $29,900. Turbo Trans Ams often come up for sale in the Hemmings Motor News classifieds and on eBay Motors, but many are now sold at auction, whether online (Bring a Trailer) or in-person.

Make mine White, please. As with many other General Motors special editions, there’s no color option.

I’ve written about six different eighties Trans Ams; the 1980 Turbo coupe, the 1981 coupe, the 1982 hatchback coupe, the 1984 15th Anniversary hatchback coupe, and the 1985 hatchback coupe. I have also written about the 1986 SE hatchback coupe and the 1987 Formula hatchback coupe, but I probably should write about the base car at some point.

Last updated December 2025.

1983 Pontiac 6000 STE sedan

“Enter the realm of the senses”

The 6000 STE was Pontiac’s 1980s attempt to make a car that could effectively compete with the BMWs and Audis of the age. Of course, Pontiac had been trying to do this for at least a decade, including two different generations of the Grand Am (1973-1975 and 1978-1980). Though hampered by the fundamental constraints of the front-wheel-drive A-platform, the 6000 STE was a committed attempt.

For 1983, the 6000 STE‘s power was provided by GM’s Chevrolet-built corporate “High Output” LH7 2.8 liter/173 ci V6 with a Rochester E2SE two-barrel carburetor, rated at a respectable for the era 135 bhp, but the only transmission available was (oog) a three-speed automatic. 0-60 came in about 9 seconds in the 3,000-pound car. Mileage was 19 city/24 highway by the day’s standards (17/22 by today’s measures). With a 15.6-gallon gas tank, range was an unimpressive 275 to 300 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Improvements over the standard Pontiac 6000 (and the other A-platform cars—the Buick Century, the Chevrolet Celebrity, and the Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera) included a special steering rack and suspension tuning with a self-leveling rear air suspension. Four tungsten halogen headlamps paired with two inboard driving lamps gave the 6000 STE a distinctive and relatively unique face.

Pages from the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE brochure
Pages from the 1983 Pontiac 6000 STE brochure

The 6000 STE came comfortably equipped for a sedan in 1983. Dual rectangular halogen headlamps, Soft-Ray tinted glass, power steering, four-wheel disc brakes, and 195/70R14 Goodyear Eagle GT tires (a size still readily available) on 14-inch aluminum wheels were standard. Standard interior features included 45/45 reclining front seats with a six-way manual adjustment and lumbar support, air conditioning, a rear window defroster, power door locks, power windows, power mirrors, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel, rally gauges with trip odometer, and a Delco-GM ETR AM/FM stereo radio with a cassette player and four speakers.

Options, Pricing, & Production Numbers

The only significant options available were a $295 vista vent roof and leather seating surfaces.

In 1983, 6,719 buyers paid around $13,572 (about $44,600 in 2025 dollars) for a 6000 STE, and it managed to make Car and Driver‘s 10Best Cars that year and the two following. The STE gained multi-port fuel injection in 1985 and various interior upgrades just about every year through 1989.

The View From 2025

Over time, the initial positive opinion there was of the 6000 STE seems to have faded—the most disparaging comment I’ve ever received on this site is about this car.

6000 STE‘s only occasionally show up in either the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds or eBay Motors, and when they do, they are often not in the greatest of shape. Bring a Trailer has yet to feature a 6000 STE.

Please make mine the same Light Brown Metallic/Dark Brown Metallic two-tone as there is in the brochure picture above.

Other A-platform cars I have written about included the 1985 Chevrolet Celebrity Eurosport coupe, the 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera sedan, the 1986 Buick Century sedan, and the 1989 Chevrolet Celebrity sedan.

Last updated August 2025.

1980 Pontiac Sunbird Sport Hatch

“Sunbird offers new thrills for the thrifty.”

1980 was the last model year for the rear wheel drive Pontiac Sunbird, Pontiac’s variant of Chevrolet’s Monza. Initially available in base coupe, sport coupe, and sport hatch (a base hatch was added mid-year, but the wagon was permanently gone), the Sunbird received few changes for 1980.

The standard engine was the LX8 Iron Duke 2.5 liter/151 ci inline four with a Rochester 2SE two-barrel carburetor, making all of 86 bhp. Optional was the LD5 110 bhp 3.8 liter/231 ci V6 with a Rochester M2ME two-barrel carburetor. A four-speed manual was standard, with an optional three-speed automatic available.

Mileage with the inline four and four-speed manual was pretty impressive in 1980: 22 city/35 highway by the day’s standards. Getting decadent by spending $545 for the automatic and the V6 combination took mileage down to 20 city/27 highway. With the V6/automatic transmission pairing and an 18.5-gallon fuel tank, a Sunbird owner could expect a range of 320 to 350 miles with a 10% fuel reserve.

Not much came standard for the $4,371 base price (approximately $18,700 in today’s dollars), especially to our 2025 eyes. Feature highlights for a base Sunbird included a bright grill with park and signal lamps, whitewall tires, Custom wheel covers, and “Sunbird external identification.” Inside, base Sunbirds included tinted windows, vinyl front bucket seats, and a Delco AM radio.

Moving up to the sport coupe ($4,731) or the sport hatch ($4,731) added body color mirrors, “custom” vinyl bucket seats, and various moldings, but was still rather austere. Luxury trim ($195) added cloth seats along with snazzier carpeting and door trim.

A Package, Individual Options & Production Numbers

1980 Pontiac Sunbird brochure picture
1980 Sunbird Sport Hatch with the Formula Package

Available only with the sport hatch, the rare (only 1% of production) and expensive ($674, or about $2,900 in today’s dollars) Formula Package added a front air dam and rear spoiler, along with blacked-out grille, and BR70-13 white lettered tires (nearly equivalent 195/70R13 tires are available from BF Goodrich) on 13-inch cast aluminum rally wheels with trim rings. It wasn’t all bark and no bite: the Rally Handling Package was included, with larger front and rear stabilizer bars. Inside, a tachometer and other rally gauges were included. The whole combination meant that a sport hatch with the Formula Package, the V6, and the four-speed manual came to $5,630 (about $24,100 in today’s dollars). The 0-60 time for this top-of-the-line Sunbird was probably around 10 seconds—not far from some versions of the line-leading 1980 Firebird Trans Am.

Individual mechanical options included variable-ratio power steering (the most popular option and required with the V6) and power front disc brakes. Inside, you could add Custom air conditioning ($531), a tilt steering wheel (which required power steering), and an AM/FM stereo cassette player (two different 8-track radios were also still available). A removable sunroof was also available for $193.

The rear wheel drive Sunbird sold well even in its final year, partially because of the extended model year. Almost 188,000 were sold, with over 100,000 being the base coupe, making the Sunbird the best-selling of all the 1980 H-bodies. Pontiac would return partially to the Sunbird name with the 1983 2000 Sunbird convertible version of the J-body—by 1985, the Sunbird name would once again stand alone.

The View From 2025

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Stock Sunbirds of this generation almost never come up for sale in Hemmings Motor News and eBay Motors—they seem to have disappeared entirely despite the fact that Pontiac sold about 480,000 examples over five years. You do occasionally see examples of the “sister” Chevrolet Monza auctioned on Bring a Trailer, but even they are rare.

Make mine Agate Red, please.

Another Sunbird I have written about is the 1984 2000 Sunbird S/E hatchback coupe. I have also written about the 1980 Chevrolet Monza Sport 2+2 hatchback coupe.

Last updated October 2025.

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1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am hatchback coupe

“From saber-like nose to rakish tail, the Trans Am is a brilliant orchestration of aerodynamic function.”

It is hard now to remember how new and wildly aerodynamic the 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am looked when it debuted—Car and Driver wrote that its “exterior sculpturing is an absolute knockout.” The Trans Am suddenly made every other American car (and more than a few European ones) look like they were standing still.

The Trans Am didn’t just look aerodynamic, either: the drag coefficient of .323 is still respectable even in 2025. Pontiac’s choice of pop-up headlights (over the Camaro’s open headlights) and careful airflow tuning yielded an impressive result. According to Autopolis’ excellent article on the 1980-1981 Turbo Trans Am, the third-generation Trans Am’s distinctive hood bulge was intended for a turbocharged V8.

Unfortunately, the mechanicals did not come close to backing up the looks. The top-of-the-line engine for the Trans Am was the LU5 Cross-Fire 165 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with throttle-body fuel injection—and that was only available with a three-speed automatic transmission, yielding about a nine-second zero to sixty time (Motor Trend managed to do it in 8.89 seconds). If you wanted the four-speed manual transmission, the best engine choice available on the Trans Am was the base LG4 145 bhp 5.0 liter/305 ci V8 with a four-barrel carburetor—and approximately ten seconds from 0 to 60 mph.

These performance challenges, however, did not prevent Pontiac from implying the world in its commercials for the Trans Am—and having Richard Basehart do the narration.

Standard exterior and mechanical equipment on the $9,658 Trans Am (about $33,500 in today’s dollars) included power brakes (front disc/rear drum), hidden electronically-controlled halogen headlamps, dual sport mirrors, an all-glass rear hatch, a rear decklid spoiler, and 205/70R14 steel-belted radial tires (still a readily available size) on 14-inch turbo cast-aluminum wheels. Inside, reclining front bucket seats, a folding rear seat, a Formula steering wheel, and side window defoggers were included.

Options & Production Numbers

Cover of the 1982 Pontiac Firebird brochure
Cover of the 1982 Pontiac Firebird brochure

Options included a special performance package ($387 bought you the special handling package, four-wheel disc brakes, and 215/65R15 blackwall tires on 15 x 7 aluminum wheels), tinted glass, a rear hatch washer/wiper, power windows ($165), power door locks ($106), a tilt steering wheel ($95), and air conditioning ($675).

Pontiac sold 52,962 Trans Ams in the 1982 model year, with 2,000 of those having the Recaro package.

The View From 2025

Third-generation Firebirds have a strong following, and 1982 Trans Ams appear regularly in the Hemming’s Motor News classifieds, on eBay Motors, and on Bring a Trailer. According to Hagerty’s valuation tools, a 1982 Trans Am with the Cross-Fire engine, the Recaro package, and T-tops in #1/Concours condition is $34,600, with a more normal #3/Good base Trans Am going for $9,800.

Please make mine Black, but I think I’d hold out for the 1983 version and its five-speed manual transmission/190 bhp L69 HO engine combination.

I evidently can’t help myself with eighties Trans Ams; I’ve written about the 1981, the 1984, the 1985, and the 1989 Turbo. I have also written about the 1986 SE and the 1987 Formula, but I probably should write about the base car at some point.

Last updated November 2025.