Twinned with the Catfish Camaro, the fourth-generation Firebird marks the bitter end of this legendary nameplate. Pontiac went under in 2010 after GM's disgraceful bankruptcy, whereas the F-body Firebird went out with a whimper instead of a bang in 2002.
The final generation was offered with a selection of six- and eight-cylinder lumps in either liftback or convertible body styles. Pictured in Silver Metallic, the 1995 Trans Am SLP Comp T/A in the clip below is one of circa 160 examples produced, which makes it quite a rare car.
Under the Ram Air hood, it hides a 5.7-liter small block that GM refers to as the LT1. A very different animal from the LT1 of the 1970s, the predecessor of the LS1 premiered in the 1992 model year Chevrolet Corvette.
It's not exactly powerful by modern standards (think 300 ponies compared to 455 for the 2023 model year Chevrolet Camaro SS). But nevertheless, 360 pound-feet or 488 Nm developed low down is pretty darn impressive for a powerplant from three decades ago.
A modern classic that can be picked up for cheap nowadays, the Firebird Trans Am also happens to be a few hundred pounds lighter compared to the Accord on the other lane of the runway. Said family sedan is the hybrid, which features the very same powertrain as the CR-V Hybrid. Equipped with an eCVT rather than a belt- or chain-driven continuously variable transmission, the 2023 model year Honda Accord Hybrid returns up to 48 miles to the gallon (4.9 liters per 100 kilometers) on the EPA's combined test cycle.
It also packs a punch, namely 204 horsepower and 247 pound-feet or 335 Nm at merely 2,000 revolutions per minute. Can this fuel economy-minded sedan keep up or – dare I say – beat the 1995 Trans Am in the quarter mile, though?
The good folks at The Fast Lane are much obliged to answer that question with a good ol' drag race at a little over a mile above sea level. Mentioning the elevation is pretty important in this scenario because both vehicles rock naturally-aspirated mills. The higher the elevation, the less power these lumps actually make.
Somewhat unexpected, the Pontiac finished second, clocking 16.19 seconds compared to 16.15 for the far more modern Honda. The rolling race concludes in favor of the Firebird, which is logical given the sheer torque of that 350-ci small block in combination with a manual transmission. In the emergency braking test, the F-body icon needed 130 feet (39 meters) to come to a complete stop as opposed to 104 (31) for the mid-size sedan.
The Fast Lane also tested these unlikely contestants on an impromptu handling course that begins with a slalom section. Not surprising anyone, the more archaic suspension of the Firebird didn't help its cause. Alas, the Trans Am crossed the line in 30.78 seconds compared to 28.08 for the fuel-sipping Honda. Although worse in many areas of interest, the Pontiac is – hands down – the cooler and much better-sounding vehicle of the two.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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