Pontiac Firebird — Full History, Generations and Buyer's Guide (2026)

The Pontiac Firebird launched in February 1967, five months after the Chevrolet Camaro on which it was based, and ran through four generations until production ended on 27 August 2002. Across 35 years and 3.5 million units, the Firebird produced cultural touchstones — the Bandit Trans Am, the KITT 1982 Knight Rider — and remains one of the most collectible American muscle cars in the UK 2026 import market. This guide walks through every generation, the Trans Am sub-lineage, and current 2026 values.

Based on GM's F-body platform shared with the Camaro, the first-gen Firebird offered six engine options from a 230ci straight-six to the 400ci V8 in the 1968 H.O. trim. Visual hallmarks: split front grille, hidden headlamps on Trans Am, Endura body-colour bumper. 1969 saw the first Trans Am with the white-and-blue stripe scheme. Only 697 Trans Ams were built in 1969, making it the most valuable Firebird at £140,000–£260,000 in 2026 UK auctions. To import a first-gen from the USA, see our USA to UK shipping page.

The 1970½ launch introduced the long-hood/short-deck shape that defined the Firebird. The 1973 Super Duty 455 was the last true muscle-era engine before EPA emissions caps. 1977 brought the black-and-gold Trans Am made famous by Smokey and the Bandit, with the screaming chicken hood decal. 1979 was the best-selling year (211,454 units). Values in 2026: £18,000 for a clean 1979 Trans Am, £45,000+ for the rare 1973–74 Super Duty 455. See our classic car shipping service for enclosed transport.

The wedge-shaped third-gen launched in 1982 and was immediately cast as KITT in Knight Rider. 1989 Turbo Trans Am (20th Anniversary) used the Buick Grand National turbo V6 and produced 250 bhp — fast for the era. Pace car at the 1989 Indianapolis 500. The 1991 GTA was the luxury flagship with leather, T-tops and 16-inch alloys. Values in 2026: £8,000–£14,000 for clean drivers, £35,000+ for documented 1989 Turbo Trans Ams.

The fourth-gen was sleek, plastic-bodied and powerful. The 1998 facelift introduced the legendary 5.7-litre LS1 V8 shared with the Corvette C5, producing 305 bhp in standard form and 320 bhp in the WS6 Ram Air package. 2002 was the final year and saw the limited Collector Edition — black-and-yellow paint, 305 bhp LS1, only 2,000 built. UK 2026 values: £14,000 for an LS1 Trans Am, £30,000+ for a 2002 Collector Edition. The LS1 makes them practical modern classics.

Rust is the biggest enemy on Gen 1 and Gen 2 cars — check trunk floors, rear quarter panels and the rear window channel. Gen 3 cars suffer from cracked dashboards and failing pop-up headlamp motors. Gen 4 LS1 cars are mechanically robust but T-top weather seals leak. Always run the VIN through Honest John's classics database for chassis-matching engines. Import duty into the UK is 10% plus 20% VAT (cars under 30 years) or 5% VAT only for vehicles 30+ years old. See our imported car insurance guide.

The Pontiac Firebird offers four very different ownership experiences across its 35-year run. First-gens are valuable investment classics, second-gen Trans Ams are the cultural icons, third-gens are affordable entry points, and fourth-gen LS1s are usable modern classics. Whichever generation you choose, a thorough rust inspection and a verified-match engine are the two non-negotiables. Once you have found the car, our enclosed RoRo service brings it from any US port to the UK in 21–28 days.

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