2016 Special-Edition Trans-Am unveiled at New York Auto Show.
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
2016 Special-Edition Trans-Am unveiled at New York Auto Show.
I couldn't help but post this. A close friend of mine has an original 1979 T/A...black with the gold chicken and striping, just like the one in the movie (he still drives it to classic-car shows). This one, of course, is a special-production aftermarket version, using a Camaro SS.
#2
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
I still wish somebody (probably Chrysler, now that Plymouth is gone) would do a retro Road Runner. My checkbook's ready...I'd take one home the day they introduced it....particuarly if they did it in Lime Green or purple like the original. The present Dodge Charger has an ideal chassis/platform for it, but, of course, has four doors, and lacks the cartoon bird-graphics and the Beep-Beep horn. The 1970 GTO, Barracuda, and particularly the Road Runner were my favorite muscle-cars when I was in high school....though the GTO had far better overall build-quality.
#4
Yeah those things are ugly, especially the rear tailights. Of course I've never liked the 5th or 6th gen Camaro either.
As far as my favorite Trans Am, the 1977 Special Edition model Burt Reynolds drove is one of my favorites. If you didn't know, they stole the color scheme from the Lotus Formula 1 team and their John Player Special gold and black paint jobs.
As much as I love the black and gold Trans Am of that era, I might like Solar Gold even more. And I normally hate gold/champagne colored cars because they look dull and dirty, but this just pops.
The 1998-2002 Trans Am WS6 is another classic IMO. It looks like an angry predator that is going to eat you alive. The styling is so radical, the edge of the front bumper is below your knee cap, the steeply raked windshield, the impossibly low roof line, the wide stance, it has those classic Lamborghini or Ferrari exotic car proportions.
As far as my favorite Trans Am, the 1977 Special Edition model Burt Reynolds drove is one of my favorites. If you didn't know, they stole the color scheme from the Lotus Formula 1 team and their John Player Special gold and black paint jobs.
As much as I love the black and gold Trans Am of that era, I might like Solar Gold even more. And I normally hate gold/champagne colored cars because they look dull and dirty, but this just pops.
The 1998-2002 Trans Am WS6 is another classic IMO. It looks like an angry predator that is going to eat you alive. The styling is so radical, the edge of the front bumper is below your knee cap, the steeply raked windshield, the impossibly low roof line, the wide stance, it has those classic Lamborghini or Ferrari exotic car proportions.
#5
Pole Position
iTrader: (2)
I still wish somebody (probably Chrysler, now that Plymouth is gone) would do a retro Road Runner. My checkbook's ready...I'd take one home the day they introduced it....particuarly if they did it in Lime Green or purple like the original. The present Dodge Charger has an ideal chassis/platform for it, but, of course, has four doors, and lacks the cartoon bird-graphics and the Beep-Beep horn. The 1970 GTO, Barracuda, and particularly the Road Runner were my favorite muscle-cars when I was in high school....though the GTO had far better overall build-quality.
#6
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
What they did there was basically just take a current Challenger and graft on some body parts from the 1970 Road Runner Superbird / Charger Daytona.
The late 60s/early 70s Road Runner was not a pony car (the Barracuda/Challenger filled that role), but a two-door sedan (or convertible) version of the Plymouth Belvedere/Satellite mid-sized platform, with large V8 engines, cartoon bird-graphics, some trick hood-scoops, and the trademark "Beep-Beep" horn. An absolute masterpiece of cheap but effective marketing at the time....that's why it sold like hotcakes, and seriously threatened the GTO's title.
Let's ge back to Trans-Ams, though...I didn't mean to take the thread too far off-topic with a new RR.
The late 60s/early 70s Road Runner was not a pony car (the Barracuda/Challenger filled that role), but a two-door sedan (or convertible) version of the Plymouth Belvedere/Satellite mid-sized platform, with large V8 engines, cartoon bird-graphics, some trick hood-scoops, and the trademark "Beep-Beep" horn. An absolute masterpiece of cheap but effective marketing at the time....that's why it sold like hotcakes, and seriously threatened the GTO's title.
Let's ge back to Trans-Ams, though...I didn't mean to take the thread too far off-topic with a new RR.
Last edited by mmarshall; 03-28-16 at 07:48 AM.
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Y
The 1998-2002 Trans Am WS6 is another classic IMO. It looks like an angry predator that is going to eat you alive. The styling is so radical, the edge of the front bumper is below your knee cap, the steeply raked windshield, the impossibly low roof line, the wide stance, it has those classic Lamborghini or Ferrari exotic car proportions.
The 1998-2002 Trans Am WS6 is another classic IMO. It looks like an angry predator that is going to eat you alive. The styling is so radical, the edge of the front bumper is below your knee cap, the steeply raked windshield, the impossibly low roof line, the wide stance, it has those classic Lamborghini or Ferrari exotic car proportions.
Trending Topics
#9
Yeah......agreed on the macho styling, but Firebirds (and most American-designed Pontiacs) of that era were Gosh-awful inside on the interiors and materials. Can you spell C-H-E-A-P? The 5.7L V8 drivetrains, however, particularly with the automatic, were solid and dependable.
That's the main gripe I have about the 5th and 6th gen cars is the interior and ergonomics. You can't see out of them with those gun slit windows and with all the unrelenting black plastic its feels very dark and cave like. Plus the 5th gen cars have a stupid looking gauge package and dash layout.
Last edited by Aron9000; 03-28-16 at 11:42 AM.
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
This is not a GM project. It is an aftermarket company called Trans-Am Worldwide, based in Tallahassee, FL, that takes a new Camaro SS and turns into into a Trans-Am. The former Firebird and Camaro came from the same platform.....the GM F-body. This is what a new T/A would (probably) have been like had Pontiac stayed in business.
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Well, what ELSE would you use as a platform? The Camaro, the Firebird's brother, is the only surviving GM F-body product. There's nothing else you CAN use, if you want a brand-new vehicle comparable to a Firebird.
#15
Lexus Champion
Nothing says "Just because we can" than a prototype of a car from a defunct brand. Let's give them some more bail out money.
Ahh--better.
This is not a GM project. It is an aftermarket company called Trans-Am Worldwide, based in Tallahassee, FL, that takes a new Camaro SS and turns into into a Trans-Am. The former Firebird and Camaro came from the same platform.....the GM F-body. This is what a new T/A would (probably) have been like had Pontiac stayed in business.