The 1992 SLP Firehawk is what truly brought performance back to the Firebird, utilizing a 350 horsepower version of the 5.7L L98/B2L V8 engine, which made only 240 horsepower in the standard Firebird. The Firehawk was a collaboration between Pontiac and Street Legal Performance from Toms River, New Jersey. Pontiac continued to produce the performance-oriented Trans Am for the third and fourth generations, and in 1992 they added the Firehawk as an even more high performance model. The LS1 made a maximum of 320 horsepower and 345 lb-ft of torque with the optional WS6 ram-air package. In 1998, General Motors dropped the LT1 and brought out the LS1 in its place, a similar sized 5.7L V8. Styling aside, the Firebird undoubtedly regained its lost performance in the fourth generation, starting with the 5.7L V8 LT1 engine making 275–285 horsepower. The fourth generation Firebird is very love/hate, with some people coveting the new body style and others absolutely abhorring it – though most agree it looks better than the Camaro. Pontiac restyled the hood and front/rear end, making the car much more aerodynamic and sleek. The fourth and final generation of the Pontiac Firebird lasted from 1993–2002, and once again saw a complete redesign. The only real exceptions were the 245 horsepower LC2 Turbo-Trans Am in 1989 and 210–240 horsepower L98/B2L 5.7L V8 from 1987–1992. Unfortunately, for pretty much the entire generation performance was down. Still residing on the F-body, Pontiac gave the Firebird a new hood, new front and rear end, and the iconic hidden headlights.Īs for power plants, the Gen 3 Firebird introduced a four-cylinder inline-four engine for the first time, the famous (or infamous) Iron Duke Engine making just 90 horsepower. The third generation lasted from 1982–1993, and saw the Firebird get a complete redesign. 1982–2002 Pontiac Firebird OverviewĪfter firmly establishing itself as a premiere pony car in the 1960s and 1970s, the third generation Firebird had a high bar to live up to. Read on to find out all about the 1982–2002 Pontiac Firebird. The Gen 3 and 4 Firebird did not sell nearly as well as their predecessors, but they also saw the return of performance that vanished in the 1970s. This article will cover the Gen 3 (1982–1992) and Gen 4 (1993–2002) Pontiac Firebird. For information on the 1967–1981 Gen 1 and Gen 2 Firebird, check out our other Pontiac Firebird article here. The Pontiac Firebird spanned a total of four generations from 1967–2002. The Firebird quickly earned a potent reputation, and the Trans Am and Firehawk performance variants got even more attention. Pontiac introduced the Firebird in 1967, and kept it around all the way until the new millennium in 2002. The Pontiac Firebird stands out as one of the most iconic pony cars of all time.
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