We've always suspected that a
sports car should be as aero-
dynamic as it looked. Trans Am
shows just how badly we wanted to
prove it.
    Look at the front end. There's
an air dam under the bumper. A
spoiler at each front wheel. Air
extractors on each side of the
engine compartment. And a shaker
hood.
    All that equimpent works.
Really works. In fact, the
combination of the front air dam
and side air extractors is re-
sponsible for creating 50 pounds
of downward pressure on the front
end at expressway speeds. The
spoilers at the wheels keep air
pressure from building up in the
wheel wells. Also at turnpike
speeds.
    The total effect is great
Front-end stability.
    The shaker hood uses air dif-
ferently, but just as effectively.
Its rear-facing inlet is smack at
the base of the windshield. Pre-
cisely where air-flow over the hood
creates a maximum amount of pres-
sure to feed Trans Am's standard
Ram Air engine (more about the
engine later).
    Now look at the rear end. An-
other spoiler at each wheel. They

function like the ones up front.
And a rather spectacular spoiler
in the rear. It creates a downward
pressure of 50 pounds. Again, at
expressway speeds. Again, more
stability.
    In keeping with Trans Am's aero-
dynamic integrity, the two outside
mirrors are encased in aerodynamic-
ally styled shells (remote-con-
trolled on the driver's side).
    Naturally, part of Trans Am's
stability comes from the suspension.
    We beefed up the front stabil-
izer bar to 1-1/4". And we added a
7/8" rear stabilizer bar. Springs
and shocks are heavy-duty. And the
tires are white-letter, bias-belted
F60-15's.
    Here's the more we promised on
the engine. It's a 400-cubic-inch
Ram Air V-8. It has 4-barrel carb-
uretion. A 10.5:1 compression ratio.
And it develops 345 horsepower with
430 lb.-ft. of torque. For emphasis
it comes with chrome accents. A
most impressive piece of equipment.
    Complemnted by some equally
impressive equipment. Like a wide-
ratio 4-speed that's floor-mounted
and Hurst-shifted. (Order a close-
ratio if you prefer it.) Variable-
ratio power steering with an extra-
quick ratio. A special Safe-T-Track
differential. Steel Rally II wheels.

And Pontiac's exclusive new 14"
Formula wheel.
    That wheel is one reason Trans
Am's Interior is as exciting as
the exterior. There are others.
    Th instrumentation is beauti-
fully simple, accurate and appro-
priately set in a no-nonsense, en-
gine-turned aluminum panel. In-
struments include a voltmeter in-
sted of an ammeter. An oil pressure
gauge. A water-temperature gauge.
And a tachometer that's turned on
its side so it red-lines at 12
o'clock.
    The available console makes
just as much sense. It's integral
with the dashboard this year,
making tape decks or radios harder
to "borrow." And it's covered with
padded vinyl instead of molded
plastic.
    The all-new Firebird Trans Am
is, in the final analysis, a bril-
liantly executed motor car. We're
proud of it because we didn't build
it the easy way. The right way is
rarely easy.
    Making all the right choices
took inspiration as well as per-
spiration. But it brought about the
beginning of a trend. The beginning
of tomorrow.
    Now you know what took so long.