Photo: tuningcar_ps/instagram
It's been over a decade since GM put the Pontiac brand to sleep. And with the marque's not-exactly-small fan base enjoying every occasion to bring it under the spotlights, we'll hit that mark with the help of a rendering showcasing a next-generation Firebird Trans Am.
As muscle car fans will tell you, the Trans Am was a go-faster package for the Firebird. Offered throughout the four generations of the latter, this didn't just stick to engine compartment upgrades, with the handling and the aesthetics also being covered.
Now, the pixel doodle we have here builds on the final Firebird Trans Am produced by GM, which was discontinued back in 2002, seven years before the company put the brand to sleep altogether; the new-age cars that Trans Am Depot built last decade, following a licensing deal with GM, are another story for another time.
We can still see the taillight signature of the said model, albeit in more modern LED trim, while the design surprisingly appears to involve a folding metallic roof.
Sure, this is but a quick exercise that pixel label tuningcar_ps did using a smartphone. But, not least thanks to borrowing most of its body from the C6 Corvette, it brings a bit of an upmarket beat, which reminds us of how the Firebird started out in life as a runner-up prize.
Back in the 60s, when the Firebird was introduced, the Pontiac brand was willing to come up with a production version of its original Banshee concept car. Unveiled in 1964, this was a rather compact two-seater featuring a long, sweeping hood and a short rear deck.
Nevertheless, with GM fearing Corvette cannibalization, it decided to reroute Pontiac's performance efforts, allowing the company to develop the Firebird as a sister car for the Chevrolet Camaro.
And while Pontiac kept the Banshee concept car line rolling, introducing four "generations" up to 1988, this didn't change the situation. In fact, if we look at the final Banshee IV, we'll find plenty of styling features that made it to the showroom incarnations of the Gen IV Firebird and Camaro.
Come to think of it, there would be multiple ways for the Pontiac brand to return. And while an enthusiast's first choice will always revolve around performance offerings (how about a new Fiero serving as a little brother to the C8 Corvette and a rival to the Miata?), the industry trends mean we also need to consider EVs.
So, while GM is already working to bring back the Hummer in all-electric form, it could always use the Pontiac name for a line of premium electric cars.
Update: An also-brief rendering showcasing the front end of the new-age Poncho has been created and you'll find this below.
Now, the pixel doodle we have here builds on the final Firebird Trans Am produced by GM, which was discontinued back in 2002, seven years before the company put the brand to sleep altogether; the new-age cars that Trans Am Depot built last decade, following a licensing deal with GM, are another story for another time.
We can still see the taillight signature of the said model, albeit in more modern LED trim, while the design surprisingly appears to involve a folding metallic roof.
Sure, this is but a quick exercise that pixel label tuningcar_ps did using a smartphone. But, not least thanks to borrowing most of its body from the C6 Corvette, it brings a bit of an upmarket beat, which reminds us of how the Firebird started out in life as a runner-up prize.
Back in the 60s, when the Firebird was introduced, the Pontiac brand was willing to come up with a production version of its original Banshee concept car. Unveiled in 1964, this was a rather compact two-seater featuring a long, sweeping hood and a short rear deck.
Nevertheless, with GM fearing Corvette cannibalization, it decided to reroute Pontiac's performance efforts, allowing the company to develop the Firebird as a sister car for the Chevrolet Camaro.
And while Pontiac kept the Banshee concept car line rolling, introducing four "generations" up to 1988, this didn't change the situation. In fact, if we look at the final Banshee IV, we'll find plenty of styling features that made it to the showroom incarnations of the Gen IV Firebird and Camaro.
Come to think of it, there would be multiple ways for the Pontiac brand to return. And while an enthusiast's first choice will always revolve around performance offerings (how about a new Fiero serving as a little brother to the C8 Corvette and a rival to the Miata?), the industry trends mean we also need to consider EVs.
So, while GM is already working to bring back the Hummer in all-electric form, it could always use the Pontiac name for a line of premium electric cars.
Update: An also-brief rendering showcasing the front end of the new-age Poncho has been created and you'll find this below.
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