2019 Pontiac Firebird Review
2019 Pontiac Firebird Review
What's New for 2019 Pontiac Firebird
The 2019 Pontiac Firebird will be fully redesigned.
Introduction
The 2019 Pontiac Firebird marks the model's 50th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate an enduring symbol of American working-class muscle than to give it a turbocharged four-cylinder? After slightly too much feigned protest that its turbo-4 was intended only for Europe, Pontiac has confirmed that the next-gen Firebird will offer the new engine alongside the standard V6 and optional V8.
While Burt Reyolds fans in Europe will clamor for a V8 option, Pontiac is betting that plenty of enthusiasts want Firebird style and authenticity without the V8's attendant tax and fuel bill. According to one Pontiac source, engineering a new four-cylinder for what will be a small-volume specialty car in Europe wouldn't make sense. To justify the engineering expense, the new 2019 Firebird engine would need buyers: American buyers, in fact.
Four-cylinders aren't new to the Pontiac, and some applications have fared better than others. If any to date were to have meaningful success, the new 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder could be the one. Pontiac says it will generate more than 305 horsepower and more than 300 pound-feet of torque, with sources estimating peak power closer to 330 horses.
A slightly detuned version of the current 3.7-liter V6 (300 hp, 270 lb-ft of torque) will comprise the 2019 Pontiac Firebird's base engine, while an improved 5.0-liter V8 will make more than the current V8's 420 hp and 390 lb-ft (Pontiac hasn't offered specs for the new V8 yet). All engines will be available with a new six-speed manual or six-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
The 2019 Pontiac Firebird Performance Pack with larger brakes, shorter final gearing and summer tires will also be available for both Firebird and Trans Am models.
Will this new 2019 Pontiac Firebird finally get an independent rear suspension? Yes. Firebird die-hards, don't weep. With the excessive unsprung weight of the current live rear axle design and its attendant impact on ride quality and fuel efficiency, this was inevitable. Take solace in what Pontiac executives say is an all-new design, engineered specifically for the Firebird and not lifted from any existing Pontiac product. The new 2019 Firebird also has twice the anti-dive and twice the anti-squat characteristics of the old car, Pontiac says. A slightly revised front suspension is also said to improve steering precision and front traction
Despite dramatic changes under the hood and body, the new 2019 Pontiac Firebird won't grow, or shrink, in any appreciable way. Its wheelbase is identical and its overall length essentially unchanged from the outgoing car. It will, however, sit about 1.5 inches lower, while the overall width is up by an equal amount. The rear track has also expanded by 3 inches.
The 2019 Firebird expected to weigh much less. Aluminum fenders replace steel, but a steel-intensive underbody otherwise carries over. With additional features and newer technology, the 2019 Firebird could put on about 100 pounds.
Dramatic changes are also absent in the new car's styling. Tri-bar taillights, fastback shape and a sharklike nose carry over as cornerstone elements, while a lower roof, hood and deck lid trim the Firebird's proportions. The wider rear end also draws out the car's rear-wheel-drive performance aesthetic better than the slabbier sides of the current car. Improved materials, more elbow room and a smaller steering wheel that both tilts and -- finally -- telescopes, highlight an overhauled cabin experience.
Whether the thought of a turbo-4 Firebird excites or reviles you, get used to it. Look for the official auto show debut of the 2019 Pontiac Firebird at the Detroit show in January, with sales beginning next fall.
The 2019 Pontiac Firebird will be fully redesigned.
Introduction
The 2019 Pontiac Firebird marks the model's 50th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate an enduring symbol of American working-class muscle than to give it a turbocharged four-cylinder? After slightly too much feigned protest that its turbo-4 was intended only for Europe, Pontiac has confirmed that the next-gen Firebird will offer the new engine alongside the standard V6 and optional V8.
While Burt Reyolds fans in Europe will clamor for a V8 option, Pontiac is betting that plenty of enthusiasts want Firebird style and authenticity without the V8's attendant tax and fuel bill. According to one Pontiac source, engineering a new four-cylinder for what will be a small-volume specialty car in Europe wouldn't make sense. To justify the engineering expense, the new 2019 Firebird engine would need buyers: American buyers, in fact.
Four-cylinders aren't new to the Pontiac, and some applications have fared better than others. If any to date were to have meaningful success, the new 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder could be the one. Pontiac says it will generate more than 305 horsepower and more than 300 pound-feet of torque, with sources estimating peak power closer to 330 horses.
A slightly detuned version of the current 3.7-liter V6 (300 hp, 270 lb-ft of torque) will comprise the 2019 Pontiac Firebird's base engine, while an improved 5.0-liter V8 will make more than the current V8's 420 hp and 390 lb-ft (Pontiac hasn't offered specs for the new V8 yet). All engines will be available with a new six-speed manual or six-speed automatic with paddle shifters.
The 2019 Pontiac Firebird Performance Pack with larger brakes, shorter final gearing and summer tires will also be available for both Firebird and Trans Am models.
Will this new 2019 Pontiac Firebird finally get an independent rear suspension? Yes. Firebird die-hards, don't weep. With the excessive unsprung weight of the current live rear axle design and its attendant impact on ride quality and fuel efficiency, this was inevitable. Take solace in what Pontiac executives say is an all-new design, engineered specifically for the Firebird and not lifted from any existing Pontiac product. The new 2019 Firebird also has twice the anti-dive and twice the anti-squat characteristics of the old car, Pontiac says. A slightly revised front suspension is also said to improve steering precision and front traction
Despite dramatic changes under the hood and body, the new 2019 Pontiac Firebird won't grow, or shrink, in any appreciable way. Its wheelbase is identical and its overall length essentially unchanged from the outgoing car. It will, however, sit about 1.5 inches lower, while the overall width is up by an equal amount. The rear track has also expanded by 3 inches.
The 2019 Firebird expected to weigh much less. Aluminum fenders replace steel, but a steel-intensive underbody otherwise carries over. With additional features and newer technology, the 2019 Firebird could put on about 100 pounds.
Dramatic changes are also absent in the new car's styling. Tri-bar taillights, fastback shape and a sharklike nose carry over as cornerstone elements, while a lower roof, hood and deck lid trim the Firebird's proportions. The wider rear end also draws out the car's rear-wheel-drive performance aesthetic better than the slabbier sides of the current car. Improved materials, more elbow room and a smaller steering wheel that both tilts and -- finally -- telescopes, highlight an overhauled cabin experience.
Whether the thought of a turbo-4 Firebird excites or reviles you, get used to it. Look for the official auto show debut of the 2019 Pontiac Firebird at the Detroit show in January, with sales beginning next fall.
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