Pontiac was a brand of automobiles manufactured and sold by General Motors (GM); though production ended in 2009, Pontiac remains a registered and active trademark of GM. The Pontiac automobile brand was established in 1926 as a companion make for GM's more expensive line of Oakland automobiles
Minimalist Sets
The sporty Firebird was Pontiac's answer to the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. The car combined an available big V-8 with aggressive, attention-grabbing styling and delivered it in a relatively practical four-passenger package. Like its pony-car competitors, the rear-wheel-drive Firebird offered tire-smoking power and impressive acceleration. The F-body platform on which it and the Camaro were based, however, was arguably well past its prime by the early 2000s. 2002 was the final year of production for Pontiac's iconic but dated speed machine. The Trans Am was the pumped-up, V-8-powered model. It was available as a hatchback coupe or a convertible. The WS6 package added additional enhancements to the engine and chassis.
31 MAR 2023 modbase update:
-Textures, lightsi flames and physics reworked. New engine, drivetrain and suspension data.
-Car.ini reconfigured.
-v10 tyres.
-Racing White and Silver colors added.
Minimalist Sets
Pontiac G8 GXP was shown at the New York International Auto Show in March 2008 with a 6.2-liter 402 hp (300 kW) V8 from the Chevrolet Corvette and a six-speed manual transmission. The production version of the GXP was more powerful with its LS3 V8 producing 415 hp (309 kW) and 415 lb-ft (563 Nm) of torque. Both the six-speed Tremec TR-6060 manual transmission and the six-speed automatic transmission were available. The GXP has an upgraded, Nurburgring-tuned FE3 suspension package, as well as larger, ventilated Brembo disc brakes. It also features a unique front bumper cover and a rear (non-functional) diffuser to differentiate it from the standard Sedan and GT models.
Total sales of the Pontiac G8 GXP were 1,829 units. Only a limited production of 6 G8 GXP was available in Canada.
31 MAR 2023 modbase update:
-Texture and physics reworked.
-v10 tyres.
-Sport Red and Stryker Blue colors added.
Minimalist Sets
The third generation of Firebirds consisted of three models: Firebird, Firebird S/E, and Firebird Trans Am. The Firebird was the base model, equivalent to the Camaro Sport Coupe; the Firebird S/E was the luxury version; and the Trans Am, the high-performance version. For 1982, the new Firebird had been completely restyled, with the windshield slope set at a dramatic, more aerodynamic 62 degrees,[4] (about 3 degrees steeper than anything GM had ever tried before), flush-mounted side glass, and for the first time, a large, glass-dominated rear hatchback. Electronically controlled retractable headlamps, and a rounded hoodline and front fenders were the primary characteristics that distinguished the Firebird from its Camaro sibling and its previous Firebird incarnations.
Rated at 210 horsepower at 4,000 rpm, the 5.7 delivered an impressive 315 pounds-feet of torque to the rear wheels.
31 MAR 2023 modbase update:
-Texture and physics reworked.
-v10 tyres.
Minimalist Sets
The 1977 Firebird received a facelift that featured four rectangular headlamps. The shaker scoop was also revised for this year, with the early 1977-built T/As coming with off-center, lower-profile shaker scoops. The Formula hood was changed for the last time for the second generation with a much lower profile. The snowflake wheel became an option for all Firebirds and was standard with the Y82 appearance package, although it could be replaced with Rally II wheels as a credit option.
For the Esprit, an optional appearance package RPO W60 called the "Skybird appearance package" became available, featuring an all-blue exterior and interior. This package was originally slated to be called the "Bluebird" similar to the "Yellowbird" and "Redbird" packages to follow in the upcoming model years, but the name was already in use for a company that produced school buses.
As Pontiac had discontinued the 455 in the previous model year, a modified 400 Pontiac V8 dubbed the "T/A 6.6" RPO W72 with a single four-barrel 800CFM Rochester Quadrajet carburetor rated at 200 bhp (203 PS; 149 kW) at 3,600 rpm and a maximum torque of 325 lb⋅ft (441 N⋅m) at 2,400 rpm.
31 MAR 2023 modbase update:
-Texture and physics reworked. New engine, drivetrain and suspension data.
-v10 tyres.
Minimalist Sets
Its base engine was the Firebird 400 HO's 335-bhp 400-cid V-8, but with standard Ram Air induction. It came to be called the Ram Air III. The only alternative was the Ram Air IV version. Ordered on a mere 55 Trans Am coupes, Ram Air IV had a longer-duration cam and 345 bhp. The base mill came with a three-speed and 3.55:1 gears, the Ram Air VI with a four-speed and 3.90:1 cogs, and both were available with automatic. A heavy-duty suspension with one-inch front stabilizer bar, Polyglas F70xl4s on seven-inch rims, and special high-effort variable ratio power steering were standard.
31 MAR 2023 modbase update:
-Power and drivetrain reconfigured. New engine, drivetrain and suspension data.
-Texture and lights tweaks.
-v10 tyres.
Minimalist Sets
The first generation Firebird had characteristic Coke bottle styling shared with its cousin, the Chevrolet Camaro. Announcing a Pontiac styling trend, the Firebird's bumpers were integrated into the design of the front end, giving it a more streamlined look than the Camaro. The Firebird's rear "slit" taillights were inspired by the 1966–1967 Pontiac GTO and Pontiac Grand Prix. Both a two-door hardtop and a convertible were offered through the 1969 model year.
The 230 cu in (3.8 L) engines were subsequently enlarged for 1968 to 250 cubic inches(4.1 liters), the base version developing an increased 175 hp (130 kW) using a one-barrel carburetor, and the high-output Sprint version the same 215 hp with a four-barrel carburetor. Also for the 1968 model, the 326 cu in (5.3 L) engine was replaced by the Pontiac 350 cu in (5.7 L) V8, which actually displaced 354 cu in (5.8 L), and produced 265 hp (198 kW) with a two-barrel carburetor. An HO version of the 350 cu in (5.7 L) with a revised cam was also offered starting in that year, which developed 320 hp (239 kW). The power output of the other engines was increased marginally.
31 MAR 2023 modbase update:
-Power and drivetrain reconfigured. New engine, drivetrain and suspension data.
-Texture and lights tweaks.
-v10 tyres.
Climb into the Pontiac Solstice Coupe and there's an unsettling feeling of familiarity. We've been here before. And after driving off, it all begins to gel, although it has nothing to do with our previous stints in the drop-top variant. The Coupe feels like the unruly offspring of a night of passion between a C4 Corvette coupe and a Dodge Viper. And while the Solstice is nowhere near as large or as powerful as those two American icons, the DNA of both is undoubtedly present in this little machine – for good reason.
It's no coincidence that the history of the Solstice spans the Bob Lutz era at General Motors. After Lutz joined GM in 2001 to guide its product development, one of the first tasks he assigned the design staff was to create a new concept for the Detroit Auto Show. The Solstice was born, a stylistic hit was made and the convertible was rushed to production. Now, as Lutz is winding down his time at GM, the Solstice and the entire Pontiac brand are also fading off into the sunset. In many respects, this Solstice is symbolic of what was right and wrong with GM and Pontiac. And our time with the Solstice Coupe is a telling tale about the final new model from a vanishing brand.
-
