The Musclecar Lives

Television advertising for the '98 Pontiac Firebird is already out of the bag, so to speak, and man, it's a hoot. The car in the ad is a loaded-to-the-gills looker in the form of a WS6-packaged Trans Am. In the sometimes confusing line of Firebirds, the base model is still V-6-powered. Unlike the Camaro line where only the Z28 is V-8-powered, a non-Trans Am Firebird has been available with LT1 power since the car's redesign in 1993. The more subtle Formula model has always been our favorite because it doesn't scream as loudly as the TA. However, for the purposes of the TV spot, the super-sinister, all-black '98 Trans Am WS6 will do a perfect job of selling '98 Firebirds for many months to come.

Our favorite part of the ad? In addition to the shattering traffic lights, spinning tires, and frightened pedestrians, the spokesman at the end of the spot warms our hearts when he says, "'98 Trans Am: The musclecar lives." And does it ever, as LS1 power gets the nod for all GM F-body cars destined to receive a V-8 engine. As good as the '93-'97 LT1 cars were, it seems as if it will get better still. How so? The easy and simplistic answer is more power--20 hp more to be exact. That means any standard, run-of-the-mill (read non-WS-6, non-Ram Air, and so on) V-8 TA or Formula is packed with 305 hp of import-killing power. Add supercharger boost from the venerable aftermarket, and you've got nearly 400 hp at the rear wheels with no sweat.

Besides the LS1 now finding its way to the Firebird (and Camaro), a change of appearance across the Firebird line is also notable. Although not quite as dramatic at the front as we've seen with the '98 Camaro (Car Craft, Dec. '97), the Firebird will also surely have its share of fans and detractors with regard to the updated look. If nothing else, it will now be very easy to tell a '98 F-body from its older stablemates. In fact, both the Firebird and Camaro went just about unchanged appearance-wise from 1993 to 1997, so an adjustment is welcome for the '98s that will allow one to easily differentiate model years--something that's more difficult to do these days. Of course, all the good stuff that makes both the Camaro and Firebird unique in today's new-car market, including the Gen III LS1 small-block V-8, is pretty much shared.

Yet the engine isn't the only thing that's new for the Firebird. Besides alterations with shock valving and spring rates, the larger-diameter brake rotors and updated calipers are significant improvements to the chassis. With earlier models, brake fade got to be a problem after two or three hard stops with rather small 10.7-inch rotors up front. The rear 11.4-inch discs also left room for improvement. For the '98, there are 11.9-inch front rotors and 12-inch rears, along with twin-piston front calipers replacing the '97 single-piston design. A new ABS module (ABS is standard in all '98 Firebirds) also has revised calibration for better stopping performance. In addition, four-wheel disc brakes are now standard on all '98 models, replacing the rear drums on V-6 '97s.

Speaking of base-model V-6 Firebirds, the 200hp, 3.8L engine is a carryover and has about 10 hp more than the strongest carbureted small-block V-8 had about 15 years ago. But the LS1 is what gets us interested, and it uses the same aluminum block and heads as the Corvette. The LS1 for F-body cars has only undergone minor packaging changes that help it fit in the platform. Changes to the front accessory drive, A/C compressor, dipstick and tube, alternator, and air cleaner are notable. While off the Corvette's 345hp rating because of slightly milder cam and different exhaust-system packaging, the LS1 in any standard '98 Trans Am or Formula now produces 305 hp at 5,200 rpm and 335 lb-ft at 4,000 rpm. Compared to the '97 LT1 and its 285 hp and 325 lb-ft, the jump is a commendable step up the horsepower ladder.

So 305 hp in a standard V-8-powered Firebird sounds great, right? Well, with the shown Ram Air system it gets better. Introduced for the '96 model year, the WS6 package continues by making the LS1 even stronger. The Ram Air system uses a forced-air induction system and composite hood that go a step past a standard Formula or TA. WS6 logos appear on the 17-inch wheels and on the back of the car to (as Pontiac puts it) "show fellow sports car enthusiasts what's ahead of them." The power-enhancing parts result in 320 hp at 5,200 rpm and 345 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm. Behind any LS1-powered Pontiac there's still a choice of a T56 six-speed manual or a 4L60E four-speed automatic.

Preliminary performance estimates from Pontiac for the Ram Air WS6 Firebirds place these cars right in there with the world's best when it comes to outright numbers. Non-Ram Air WS6 cars have already run times in the 13-second range down the 1320. In fact, a standard LS1 Trans Am ran a stellar 13.4-second blast at 107 mph for Motor Trend in its Sept. '97 issue. If the Ram Air is just a tiny bit quicker, then you can be sure that little else in the American performance car arena besides a Viper or a Corvette will touch a WS6-equipped Firebird. Other performances generated by that MT test car include 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds, braking from 60 to 0 mph in a scant 114 feet, and hugging the skidpad with .87 g of grip. Factor those numbers into the pie and it's safe to say the musclecar lives on big and strong in the form of cars like the LS1-powered '98 Pontiac Firebirds. It is, in fact, stronger than it was in the '60s, or any other time before today.