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| FirebirdPontiac.Com |
As it
happens, Pontiac has been on a bit of a roll with exciting cars. The all new
2017 Firebird Turbo, and the brand-new 2017 Trans Am all suggest that the
Pontiac brass want to take the company in a more exciting, more aggressive
direction. To be honest, I haven’t been completely convinced. That is, until
now.
The new 2017 Firebird is a true sports car front engine, rear drive and near perfect 50/50
weight distribution. Under that menacing hood, it packs a 2.0-liter
turbocharged gasoline direct injected four-cylinder that is good for 315
horsepower. This, in a Firebird car that weighs just 2,874 pounds. It should
also stop pretty briskly because it’s fitted with 15-inch Brembo Gran Turismo
brakes. My face hurts at the prospect of stopping this thing.
Still, my
favorite part of this 2017 Firebird – hands down – is the looks. The combination
of the Pontiac’s signature grille and those vertical LED lights make the front
end look downright sinister. Add in the flaring rear wheel arches and the
classic 2+2 sports car silhouette, and you get one damn fine looking 2017 Firebird sports
car.
There are some very cool touches, too. You get
things like a carbon fiber front splitter and A-pillars that are transparent
with layered slots cut in to reduce weight and add to visibility. The result is
that the drive gets an unbeatable 270-degree field of vision. That should be
handy when you are trying to find the apex of a corner.
Some people
are going to say that this new 2017 Firebird is bad just because of the badge,
and that is just wrong. Sure, Pontiac is not the most storied name in
automotive circles, but cars like this are how companies make their names.
The only big
worry is that Pontiac won’t make this car. It is, after all, still just a new
2017 Firebird concept. But as the popularity of the Firebird has shown, there
is room in the market for simple affordable Firebird sports cars. And, on paper
at least.
The chief
designer of the new 2017 Firebird, says, “It’s a totally selfish design. The
design team over at Pontiac is full of gearheads and enthusiasts, and the new
2017 Pontiac Firebird is the perfect car for that kind of crowd.” If this car
is selfish, then give me more where that came from.
Looking for
more Detroit news? Check out the rest of our coverage from the 2017 North
American International Auto Show.