What was the first turbocharged Pontiac car?
It was Pontiac’s first turbocharged production car, but it also brought down the curtain on a storied era of unique Pontiac engines. This is the story of the little-loved, often-forgotten Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Turbo.
What was the 1980 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo?
The ultimate Trans Am Turbo was the 1980 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica. There were originally supposed to be 6,300 of these (eventually cut to 5,700). The Pace Car replicas were essentially Trans Ams with the turbo engine and every available Firebird option, including a T-top roof, air conditioning,…
What was the performance of the Pontiac 303?
The 303 produced impressive performance, at least at high speeds, but development delays and concerns about regulatory compliance meant that it was produced only in tiny numbers, none for street use. Still, the 303 project gave engineers some grounding in what could be done with the old Pontiac V8.
What kind of horsepower does a Pontiac 389 have?
Perhaps the most famous Pontiac V8: the 389 Tri-Power, seen here in a GTO. By the time it was dropped in 1966, the Tri-Power 389 was rated 360 gross horsepower (269 kW) with three Rochester 2GC two-throat carburetors. Not only is it powerful, the roar it makes when the front and rear carbs cut in is truly something to hear.
It was Pontiac’s first turbocharged production car, but it also brought down the curtain on a storied era of unique Pontiac engines. This is the story of the little-loved, often-forgotten Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Turbo.
The ultimate Trans Am Turbo was the 1980 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica. There were originally supposed to be 6,300 of these (eventually cut to 5,700). The Pace Car replicas were essentially Trans Ams with the turbo engine and every available Firebird option, including a T-top roof, air conditioning,…
The 303 produced impressive performance, at least at high speeds, but development delays and concerns about regulatory compliance meant that it was produced only in tiny numbers, none for street use. Still, the 303 project gave engineers some grounding in what could be done with the old Pontiac V8.
Perhaps the most famous Pontiac V8: the 389 Tri-Power, seen here in a GTO. By the time it was dropped in 1966, the Tri-Power 389 was rated 360 gross horsepower (269 kW) with three Rochester 2GC two-throat carburetors. Not only is it powerful, the roar it makes when the front and rear carbs cut in is truly something to hear.