With all the downsized engines availbale nowadays, questioning the status of a non-V8 muscle car seems to be at an all-time high. However, there was a time when packing less than eight cylinders was an asset. And the 1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo 20th Anniversary makes for one of these exceptions. Its secret? Sharing a turbocharged V6 with the understated muscle monster that was the Buick GNX.
The 1989 special known as the Turbo was the epitome of the third-generation Trans Am (built between 1982 and 1992). Ditching the V8 was a good move because American cars were still strulling with the lackluster performance forced by the oil crises-fed Malaise Era at the time.
You see, the third-gen Firebird Trans Am and its Camaro sibling were a major step forward in their day. Fueled by the need to increase efficiency, GM shaved up to 500 lbs (230 kg) compared to the Gen II models. In addition, the wind tunnel testing that made these machines more slippery also gifted them with distinctive design features like the aggressive windshield ange and the glass rear hatch.
However, with computerized engine management still not being fully developed back in the 80s, the platform lacked proper motivation. For one, this iteration of the Firebird was available with the dreaded Iron Duke straight-four (the engine that plagued the midship Fiero). And its most potent V8, the L98 Chevy 350 (5.7L) only made 235 hp.
No Smokey and the Bandit muscle, but better
Now, Pontiac had experimented with turbocharging for the Gen II Trans Am. And while that included a 301 V8, the resulting 1980 and 1981 models only had 210 hp. So, while these continued the flaming chicken model’s Hollywood tradition for Smokey and the Bandit II, the movie car had to fitted with a nitrous system to deliver proper dynamics.
However, since the 20th Anniversary Trans Am Turbo commemorated two decades since the OG Trans Am production ended, this would be a seriously quick machine. Fortunately, Pontiac had its work cut out of it thanks to another GM brand. You see, back in 1987, Buick sent off the Regal with the sinister GNX, whose turbo 3.8L V6 made it quicker than the contemporary Ferrari halo car that was the F40.
The engine was borrowed for the Turbo Trans Am 20th Anniversary. And while the official rating sat below that of its Buick engine sibling (think 250 hp and 340 lb-ft vs. 276 hp and 360 lb-ft), the motors were, once again, underrated.
In reality, this Poncho would make around 300 hp, which allowed it to pull a 4.6s 0 to 60 mph sprint and complete the quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds at 101 mph (the numbers are about the same as those of the GNX). Once again, the engine was mated to a Turbo Hydramatic four-speed auto.
The engines for these Trans Ams were built in California by PAS, Inc., an engineering firm led by Jeff Beitzel. They would be shipped to the Buick factory, also in Cali, for installation, while the completed vehicles once again came to PAS for the final testing.
Only 1,550 units of the 1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am 20th Anniversary were built and this particular one is currently up for grabs. The vehicle comes with just 10,000 original miles on the clock, while featuring the only two available options, namely T-tops and a leather interior.
It only has 10,000 miles on the odo
The vehicle is showcased on Instagram by Trans Am Depot, the Florida-based specialist that also builds modern iterations of classic muscle cars—their Trans Ams were recently joined by the 70/SS Chevy Chevelle built on the sixth-gen Camaro.
The Pontiac comes with a price of $45,000, which seems reasonable when compared to a pair of more expensive examples featuring triple-digit mileage numbers, which sold earlier this month on Bring a Trailer. For the sake of comparison we’ll mention that a good-condition GNX will currently set you back between $150,000 and $200,000, but an example went past the $300,000 mark (!) earlier this year at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering about the combo involving the white exterior and tan interior, this was the only form of the special edition—it’s nice to pack a clean look when slaying V8 enemies, isn’t it?
