MODEL: 1987 Pontiac Firebird GTA
PRICE: $10,359 base, plus $414 destination charge
ENGINE: 5.7 Liter V8
WEIGHT: 3,435 lbs
MPG: 16 city, 25 highway
FEATURES: Heavy-duty, major league sports driving
This is an all-points wimps and sissies bulletin. Do not ride in or buy a 1987 Firebird GTA. This all-American sports car is not for you. It will scare you.
The GTA is Pontiac’s super-luxury, ultra-high performance macho drag wagon, but women enjoy driving it too. A 350-cubic-inch, port-fuel-injected V8 is locked to a four-gear automatic. This gives the GTA a 0-60 mph acceleration time of less than 6.5 seconds. And then there is that V8 sound. Lots of performance engines sound good, but nothing can match a thundering V8 exhaust tone. It is so American.
Looking at the GTA’s powerplant is also exciting. The large aluminum tubes that carry air to each intake port show that this is the real world of thundering V8s. The automatic transmission is easier to live with in the long run, just shifting the big V8 takes too much effort and the clutch requires a great amount of spring pressure to keep from slipping. Besides, the automatic performs within a split second of the stick and it requires less maintenance.
The Firebird GTA has a 3.27 rear axle ratio, and it seems to be about perfect for decent fuel economy. The engine is turning in the low-2000 rpm’s at 65 mph and it’s just ghosting. There’s just a pleasant exhaust rumble at that speed and almost no drumming inside the car even though it’s a hatchback. There is more to the GTA than just go-go; the handling is world-class. The WS6 suspension and the big P245/50VR16 tires keep the GTA nearly flat on high-speed turns. I drove the GTA on a professional rally course, and it’s very hard to get the GTA sideways – yes, you run out of nerve before that happens.
The styling accents are low-key. The GTA badges, plus the criss-cross deep-dish 16” aluminum wheels are a sign that the GTA is more than just a Firebird. The gills and intake slots on the hood give the ‘Bird a little spaceship look along with air dams, wide body skirts, and a big body-colored rear spoiler. At 140 mph, the spoiler has a useful effect of holding the GTA’s tail down I’ve been told.
Paint colors for all GM cars this year are the best in any showroom. The stunning candy metallic colors are given a clear coat for extra sparkle; they are stunning. I like the maple or copper hues the best. Inside, the most noticeable change are the fully articulating seats that look like Star Wars props. They are able to adjust to any normal earthling’s needs. A power-driven lumbar support will ease the stiff lower backs and the sides can even be held in place with a power adjustment. The headrests go up, down, or forward.
The instrumentation is better with the back lighting at night, and with the headlights flipped up it looks like a jet plane. It looks great in the dark. The GTA requires the purchase of a good radar detector. Why? Because it is a difficult car to rein in and even if you are abiding by the speed limit, the paint job alone might be enough to get you a ticket.
(Edward R. Noble is automotive columnist and chief photographer for The Oakland Press in Pontiac, MI)