It’s that bad ride, that boss set of wheels with deep, throaty, dulcet tones that you so desperately lusted for more than two decades ago. But it’s also embellished with all of the creature comforts and power assists a 45-year-old Chamber of commerce president could want. Sure, there’s 5.7 liters of throbbing tuned-port-injected V-8 under the hood, but its flanks are free of screaming chicken hood decals and billboard-size door lettering. And the tasteful color combinations say to the world, "hey, I can afford an interior decorator if I want one."
We are talking Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA here..... your ultimate Trans Am and the Poncho Division’s one-third-off Corvette substitute.
It’s no secret that as General Motors' performance flagship crossed the $30,000 price point, many traditional Corvette buyers were left, checkbook in mouth, at the loan office water cooler. So, sensing an opportunity here, and perhaps hoping that some would find the sibling F-car Camaro IROC-Z a bit too glitzy and sophomoric, Pontiac stuffed its best V-8 engine, tarmac-grabbing suspension and binders, orthopedic seats and luxurv trim in a designer-color, aero-kit package-all for less than S20,000.
Why not offer thc V-6 mid-engine Fiero V6 as a Corvette alternative? Well, as any hot rodder knows, the engine had better be up front and have eight cylinders. Which the GTA does, thank you. End of discussion.....
Actually, this is the second year for the GTA. So pleased was Pontiac with the response to last year’s model that it plans to offer two GTAs this year: the slick, aerodynamic (0.32cx) slope-back you see here and sometime this spring, a notchback version. Shown to the press in mid—1987, the notchback was due to be hatched last fall, but supplier problems stemming from the
closing of GM’s Norwood, Ohio Camaro/Firebird assembly plant and glitches with rear—impact crash testing almost killed the project. With the bugs worked out, buyers now will be able to opt for the notchback, which features an upright back window and a fiberglass panel where the bubbleback window once was. The assembly opens like a hatch, but looks like a fixed—window coupe. Clever, those Pontiac folks. Both styles feature a rear-deck power pull-down, something you probably haven’t seen since varsity wrestling. It eliminates the need to slam the rear hatch to get it closed (possibly breaking the rear window in the process. Just gently lower the hatch to thc closed position and an electric motor cinches it home. By the way. it does just the opposite when it’s time to open the hatch.
News to warm any hot rodder’s heart is that Pontiac found more
horsepower in two of the three available GTA engines for 1988. The Firebird, since the introduction of the 3rd-generation cars in 1982, always has been a bottom-breather. That means it takes its intake air from the high—pressure area underneath the front bumper. But because a rather circuitous length of hose was required to get this air to the intake manifold, engine breathing was restricted. Until this year. For 1988, the diameter of this is increased, allowing more cool, dense air to reach the engine. That modification alone is worth a 15-bhp improvement over last year on the 5.7—liter, and is good for a 5-hp boost on the rating of the 5.0-liter V-8 with the manual transmission.
A revised camshaft with increased valve lift and duration on the 5.0 liter, manual transmission model contributes another 5 hp. These improvements now bring the output of Firebird engines in line with those of similarly-equipped Camaro IROC-Zs. Other improvements aid durability, including rocker-arm valve guides, stamped-steel and composite graphite cylinder-head gaskets and a serpentine accessory belt drive.
Bad news is that a 5—speed manual gearbox still isn’t available with the 5.7-liter V-8. Reportedly, the Borg--Warner T-5 that does such a fine job behind the 5.0-liter couldn’t handle the torque of the larger engine. So, a Getrag 5-speed was adapted from the GM Truck and Bus Group, but this program got snuffed by GM bean-counters. And the only transmission available with the 5.7-liter is the 700-R4 4-speed overdrive automatic. All GTAs come equipped with limited slip differential, standard, that helps get the power to the ground without axle tramp. Choose the standard 5.7-liter and 4-speed juicebox or optional 5.0-liter and 5-speed manual, and high- 14 to mid-15-second quarter-mile times will be the order of the day. So is 15-18 mpg in city driving but, hey, you paid your dues, gasoline’s a
relative bargain and you want your V-8. We understand.
Of course, any car that wants to play in the Corvette’s league has to do more than go fast. Roadholding and braking prowess are big factors. And here, the GTA’S excellent smooth—road handling belies its considerable 3670-lb heft. The formula is simple: a low wide stance with hefty front and rear anti-roll bars (36-mm front, 24-mm rear) for lots of roll stiffness: high-rate springs, high-pressure Delco gas-pressurized shocks, and huge paw print, near-Corvette-size P245/50VR-16 Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks with uni-directional tread. Pontiac’s famous
WS6 suspension package. Also included are power-assisted 4-wheel-disc brakes (though non-ABS at this time) and extra-quick 12.7:1 power assisted recirculating—ball steering with just 2.4 turns lock to lock.
On the skidpad, our test GTA generated 0.84g lateral acceleration, very close to that of a base Corvette. The real test, though, is the way the GTA feels when driven in spirited fashion — tremendous grip and good turn-in with mild understeer at the limit and just a hint of lift—throttle oversteer. Tossable, even. The only skeleton in the GTA’s closet is when the road sets rough, wherein the well-controlled, but very much live rear axle starts dancing and the rear end gets skitterish. You feel it in the seat of the pants.
Open the rather heavy door, slip behind the wheel, and the GTA’S fully articulated driver’s seat (with more adjustments than your dentist‘s chair) welcomes the seat of your pants, and your back, and just about every other part of your anatomy. There’s a lever to adiust seat-cushion rake and a pair of inflatable bladders for lumbar support and seatback side-bolster firmness. In all, a total of eight adjustments to get all but perhaps the Hunchback of Notre Dame comfortable. And for those who prefer to sit on cow, leather trim is available.
The GTA’s steering wheel, shifter and handbrake, leather- covered of course, are also ergonomic delights. Vital signs are communicated back to the driver via a full set of orange-on-black, lighted-pointer analog gauges (digital-readout LCD instrumentation is optional), including a 140-mph speedometer and 8OOO-rpm tachometer (academic, with the car’s power peak). Problem is, the gauges are spread out over about 2 feet of dash and below your line of sight. View of the voltmeter and gas gauge is blocked by the steering wheel, and the coolant-temperature and oil-pressure gauges are too far to the right to be checked at a glance. The dial faces suffer from daytime glare, and the graph—paper styling looks boy-racerish.
There are other examples of a dash design that could be tightened up. Take the fog light and rear-defrost buttons: one each for on - off and a separate indicator light. The same could be accomplished with a single on/off button with an integrated indicator light. And while we’re on the subject of buttons, the steering-wheel-mounted remote radio controls are enough to make one go back to typing school. True, the myriad teenv weeny control buttons on the AM/PM stereo/cassette
with graphic equalizer are difficult to see and use while driving. But placing a similarly dizzying array of larger but-
tons on the wheel when the radio isn’t really out of reach is not the answer. C’mon, Pontiac: Just design easy-to-use rotary push-button radio controls in the first place and be done with it.
But enough on this button overkill, because the GTA really does push all of the right buttons where it counts — on the street. Few cars, especially ones this substantially endowed, are as east to drive fast as is the GTA. Few cars this big and brassy deliver high-caliber throttle response combined with such a high degree of chassis sophistication.
The Detroit V—8 musclecar has come of age, with great stick, binders, aerodynamics and ergonomics to match the heavy ordnance. And the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GTA is a broad-shouldered, baritone delight. As any gentleman knows."
—Ron Sessions
WEBMASTER'S NOTE: The following figures and specifications are for the 1987 model Trans Am GTA.
PRICE
List Price, FOB Detroit:.......... $13,259
Price as tested:.......... $18,549
Price as tested includes: GTA Package (5.7-liter V-8, 4-speed automatic trans, rear disc brakes, WS6 susp, 16-in wheels and tires, limited-slip diff, oil cooler, custom int and seats, leather trim) $2700, air cond ($775), AM/FM stereo casette ($489), elect window lifts ($210), cruise control ($175), central locking ($145), rear-window heat ($125), misc options ($526)
ENGINE
Type:.......... V-8, cast iron block and heads, water-cooled
Displacement:.......... 5736 cc (350 cu in.)
Compression ratio:.......... 9.3:1
Induction system:.......... Multi-port EFI
Valvetrain:.......... OHV, 2 Valves/cylinder
Max. power (SAE net):.......... 210 hp @ 4200 rpm
Max. torque (SAE net):.......... 315 lb-ft @ 3200 rpm
Emissions control:.......... Catalytic converter, EGR, air pump
Recommended fuel:.......... Unleaded premium, 91 octane
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission:.......... 4-sp. auto.. O/D
Transmission ratios:.......... (1st) 3.06:1
(2nd) 1.63:1
(3rd) 1.00:1
(4th) 0.70:1
Axle ratio:.......... 2.77:1
CHASSIS & BODY
Suspension, Front:.......... independent MacPherson struts, coil springs, hydraulic shocks, anti-roll bar
Suspension, Rear:.......... Solid axle, torque arm, hydraulic shocks, anti-roll bar
Steering Type:.......... Recirculating ball, power assist
Ratio:.......... 12.7:1
Turns (lock to lock):.......... 2.26
Turning circle:.......... 10 m (32.6 ft)
Brake System, Front:.......... 267 mm (10.5 in.), vented discs, power assist
Brake System, Rear:.......... 267 mm (10.5 in.), vented discs, power assist
Anti-lock:.......... Not available
Wheel Size:.......... 16 x 8.0 in.
Wheel type:.......... Cast alloy
Tire size & Construction:.......... P245/50VR16 steel-belted radial
Tire mfr. & model:.......... Goodyear Eagle VR50
GENERAL
Curb weight:.......... 3530 lb
Test Weight:.......... 3670 lb
Weight distribution, f/r:.......... 57/43%
Wheelbase:.......... 101 in.
Overall length:.......... 191.6 in.
Overall width:.......... 72.4 in.
Overall height:.......... 50 in.
Track, f/r:.......... 60.7/81.6 in.
Fuel tank:.......... 15.5 gal
Trunk space:.......... 5.8 (+ 9.1) cubic ft.
CALCULATED DATA
Lb/bhp (test weight):.......... 17.5 lb/hp
Bhp/liter:.......... 36.6
Engine revs at 60 mph in 4th gear:.......... 1850
R&T steering index:.......... 0.92
ACCELERATION
Time to distance:
0-100 ft:.......... 3.1 sec
0-500 ft:.......... 8.4 sec
0-1320 ft:......... 15.5 sec
Speed (1/4 mile):.......... 89.5 mph
Time to Speed:
0-30 mph:.......... 2.4 sec
0-40 mph:.......... 3.9 sec
0-50 mph:.......... 5.2 sec
0-60 mph:.......... 7.1 sec
0-70 mph:.......... 9.7 sec
0-80 mph:.......... 12.3 sec
0-90 mph:.......... 15.6 sec
FUEL ECONOMY
Normal driving, mpg:.......... 16.0
BRAKES
Minimum stopping distances, ft:
60-0:.......... 166 ft
80-0:.......... 281 ft
Control in panic stop:......... Good
Overall brake rating:.......... Good
HANDLING
Lateral acceleration, 100 ft. radius:.......... 0.87 g
Speed thru 700-ft slalom:......... 63.8 mph
INTERIOR NOISE
Idle in neutral, dBA:......... 57
Maximum, first gear:.......... 77
Constant, 70 mph:.......... 74
