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Breaker, Breaker to the Bandit! Jay Leno Experiences 1979 Firebird Trans Am

You can always count on Jay Leno to showcase some of the most amazing cars ever built, and once again he doesn't disappoint. This time he drives the 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, an instant reminiscence of "Smokey and the Bandit," the movie which helped propel this car to its legendary status.
Jay Leno Pontiac Trans Am 15 photos
Photo: Jay Leno's Garage
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When this car left the factory back in the late '70s, it carried a price tag of slightly over $8,000. It was recently acquired by the Audrain Museum for about $40,000, which isn't all that expensive considering the overall pristine state the car is in.

When Smokey and the Bandit came out back in 1977, it was the second highest-grossing domestic film of the year, second only to Star Wars - A New Hope. Starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, and Jerry Reed, among others, the movie follows the adventures of two bootleggers, who make use of a Pontiac Trans Am to distract law enforcement from their deeds.

While Pontiacs weren't as popular as other GM cars at the time, the movie did have a major impact on the public. A steady increase in sales followed all the way up to 1979 when more than 200,000 people bought one of these models.

Although not impressed by the "Chicken" on the hood, Mr. Leno definitely feels an attraction towards the car: "This was the most successful year for the Firebird. If you were like 10, 12, 13 years old when the Smokey and the Bandit movie came out, this was the coolest car in the world!"

After a quick tour of the car, he fires up the 6.6-liter engine. Even with a stock exhaust, it does have that American Muscle flavour to it: "220 horsepower isn't much by today's standards, but the torque isn't bad so I'm anxious to see what it's like."

Taking the car out for a drive ultimately doesn't disappoint. It looks a lot more powerful than it actually is, and it's bound to still turn heads wherever you drive it. Also, it seems like the overall feeling behind the wheel is quite satisfactory as well: "This is something you could drive to Vegas or drive to San Francisco in all day long. Extremely comfortable. I think I love it better than the 79 Camaro. It's a lot of fun!"

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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