INTRODUCING THE 1982 FIREBIRDS

For 1982, Pontiac offers a totally new lineup of Firebird models that represent the ultimate in sports car excitement. Collectively designed to meet sports car enthusiasts' universal demands for exquisite exterior and interior styling, excellent handling and roadability and high technology engineering, each individual model will appeal to a specific segment of the new sporty car market.

The exquisite styling of the contemporary Firebird coupe, hot Firebird Trans Am and sophisticated Firebird SE is self-evident. The sleek good looks of this new breed of American automobile will capture the immediate and undivided attention of sports car enthusiasts everywhere from the moment it hits the road.

Once drawn to the Firebird by its striking visual impact, these enthusiasts won't be disappointed. The '82 Firebirds boast a level of handling and roadability superior to that of the '81 models, with noticeable improvements in road isolation and structural rigidity. Additionally, the high level of standard equipment on every model will make these new "Birds" especially attractive to those individuals now considering a foreign competitor.

Though the 1982 Firebirds are similar in their universal appeal to the sports car market as a whole, they are uniquely distinctive in their individual "personalities."

The new Firebird coupe is Pontiac 's fun sports car. The lightweight, aerodynamic body, together with an Electronic-Fuel-Injected 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed manual transmission, gives this impressive model excellent fuel economy with surprisingly good performance. The lowest priced of the three Firebird models, the coupe will have a broad appeal to the majority of driving enthusiasts looking for smart, sporty car looks, good ride and handling characteristics, and exceptional value ...at an affordable price.

The 1982 Firebird Trans Am, in the tradition of the Pontiac classic, carries on the heritage of an exciting, highly styled road car. Sporting a standard 5.0 liter 4-barrel V-8 engine... heavy-duty suspension and handling package ...functional exterior wheel opening and rear deck spoilers ... high contrast black exterior accents ... and interior instrumentation that puts the Trans Am driver in total command of the road ...this imposing automobile is just what the out-and-out performance shoppers are looking for.

For even more performance, the Trans Am can be ordered with a dual TBI cross-ram fuel-injected 5.0 liter V-8 engine and special performance handling package that takes the car from 0 to 60 mph in an accelerating nine seconds. That's better than last year's hottest Trans Am! The most surprising part is that, due to the reduced weight, improved drive train efficiency and superb aerodynamics of the new Trans Am, this greater performance has been achieved together with a substantial improvement in fuel economy.

Pontiac 's new premier Firebird is the luxury touring SE. With an exterior finish of rich two-tone paint combinations and finely detailed black trim, this stunning beauty exudes subtle, understated sophistication. Standard with a 2.8 liter V-6 engine, the SE offers the optimal blend of good fuel economy with exceptional performance.

Standard contenting includes luxury interior trim with Viscount bucket seats (available in leather) and an extensive list of comfort and convenience features additional to that standard on the other models. This high level of standard equipment will make the Firebird SE especially attractive to those contemporary shoppers now contemplating the purchase of a sporty import model.

And the Firebird SE holds nothing back when it comes to the attributes most sought by driving enthusiasts. With the same heavy-duty suspension package and interior instrumentation standard on the Trans Am, the only difference in the handling and roadability of this model will be the quiet ride due to the SE's added acoustical insulation.

Because of the distinctive—and extensive—differences in the buying preferences of todays sports car shoppers, each 1982 Firebird model was designed for a high degree of versatility. Because it is impossible to equip a particular model precisely to the wants and desires of every buyer enthusiast in its targeted group, Pontiac is inviting '82 Firebird buyers to have a greater say in the personalized contenting of their automobiles than ever before.

Power trains, suspension, interior trims and optional accessories and components, previously more or less specific to a particular model, now enjoy a higher degree of interchangeability between models.

So the Firebird coupe can be ordered with a 2.8 liter V-6 or 5.0 liter V-8 engine for more performance ... or additional acoustical insulation and custom interior trim for more luxury. An SE can be equipped with the 2.5 liter EFI L4 engine for higher fuel economy, the 5.0 liter V-8 for more performance .., or special performance handling package for superb roadability. And the Trans Am can be personalized by opting for the comfort and convenience of luxury interior trim, a rear hatch wiper/washer and added acoustical insulation.

The result of this strategy is higher adaptability to the new market's present and ever evolving demands for "personalized" automobiles. With the number of possible equipment combinations practically limitless, Pontiac customers can custom-content their Firebird to their personal specifications and Pontiac salespeople have something for everyone in the sporty car market seeking excellent value for their money.

Exterior Design

Automotive design is the process in which market demands and new technologies are transformed into tangible, aesthetically pleasing products. Typically, new technologies are of a mechanical nature, and can be incorporated into an automobile's design with little influence on the vehicle's physical appearance. Aerodynamics, on the other hand, is a very technical discipline with the unique distinction of being extremely visual in its nature. Fortunately, the soft curves, flowing lines and smooth surfaces that contribute to excellent aerodynamics also result in an automobile of extraordinary good looks and outstanding market appeal.

Aerodynamics was a leading element of the 1982 Fire-bird's design from the "F" car program's inception, Technically, the result is the lowest drag coefficient of any production car on the road today ... an amazing .351 (.342 for the Firebird Trans Am!), Aesthetically, this painstaking attention to aerodynamics resulted in a lineup of fantastic looking automobiles that radiate pure excitement!

Pontiac 's design engineers started with an extremely low profile hood, retractable hidden headlamps and a wrap around integral air dam. At the windshield and rear liftback, the glass is flush-mounted to the sheet metal at a low, sloping angle. The large glass liffback is the most sophisticated glass ever applied to a high production automobile, and is as aesthetically pleasing as it is aerodynamically clean. The dual exterior sport mirrors are semi-patch-mounted and wind tunnel tested ... and the wipers retract fully beneath the hood, for minimal wind resistance. Contributing more to good looks than aerodynamics, the low, protruding twin venturi air intakes provide optimal engine cooling ... while at the rear, a full-width tail lamp lens identifies a sophisticated yet familiar Firebird.

Other design elements contributing to the Firebird's low drag coefficient resulted from meticulous attention to aerodynamic detail in the wind tunnel. When the movement of a molding by one eighth of an inch can result in the gain or loss of a half mile per gallon in fuel economy, the benefits of this attention certainly justifies the effort. In this regard, the Firebird's close fits and tight exterior continuity provide aerodynamic benefits equal in value to (though not as visual as) their benefits of good looks.

Other detailed elements that contribute to the Firebird's low drag coefficient include: the rounded contours of the front bumper ... the cleanly designed windshield pillars ... the gradual tapering of the roof, sail panel and backlight glass ... the flat, smooth wheel covers and the flush integration of the rear bumper to the quarter panels.

The less disturbance a car causes as it moves through the air, the lower the drag induced upon it. The more "streamlined" a car is, the less disturbance it will cause. As a streamlined car moves through the air, the air will "hug" the exterior shell. As the air passes the rear of the car it must be cleanly "lost" or it will continue to hug the car—and slow it down. To effectively "lose" the airflow at the rear of the Firebird, the deck lid and rear quarter panels are "squared-off," forcing the air to break cleanly away from the moving car.

The Firebird's rigorous wind tunnel testing yielded more than just a low drag coefficient and good looks, Exploiting other aspects of vehicular aerodynamics, Pontiac design engineers also tailored the Firebird's exterior skin --;) assure effective ventilation of the passenger area proper cooling of the radiator, engine compartment and brake assemblies ... ideal airflow patterns for the reduced accumulation of dirt, salt and moisture on the ccIr's surface...and even the proper "lift" and high-speed -ectional stability for optimal vehicle handling. Though of paramount importance to the vehicle's good looks and fuel economy, the Firebird's aerodynamic exterior skin is just one element of the automobile's total design. Other design applications that will contribute immensely to the 1982 Firebird's market appeal include:

•    The use of unitized body construction instead of a body-on-frame design. Especially adaptable to computer aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM) techniques, this integral body and frame construction process allowed precise tailoring to meet Firebird's program objectives of excellent aerodynamics, space utilization and structural integrity, with an appreciable reduction in overall vehicle weight.

•    The "conventional" front engine/rear-wheel-drive design was maintained for 1982 because it is the optimal configuration for an aerodynamic, fine handling performance car. Rear-wheel drive locates the transmission behind the engine instead of underneath it, allowing lower mounting of the engine and resulting in the Firebird's extremely low, sloping hood and "fast" windshield. Additionally, with the weight of the transmission and differential further back and over the driving wheels, the ideal front-to-rear weight distribution, essential to good handling, is achieved.

•    To further reduce weight and improve fuel economy, the '82 Firebirds feature much smaller exterior dimensions than last year's models, resulting in easier close-quarter maneuverability „.yet their interior dimensions have remained virtually the same.

•    Though the wheelbase has been shortened by over seven inches, the front and rear tread width are essentially equal to last year's model. This closer tread-to-wheelbase ratio results in a noticeably solid road stance on the highway complemented by superb cornering characteristics on the blacktop.

•    The fold-down rear seat and rear liftback design opens up a whole new dimension of functionality to Firebird owners, expanding the cargo area to an accommodating 30.9 cubic feet and transforming this 4-passenger beauty into an enchanting two-seater.

Interior Design

Today’s automotive interior designers are charged with the challenging task of capturing the emotion expressed by the vehicle's exterior and transferring that flavor inside. In addition, they must adhere to safety restrictions and a number of criteria set up by the government. Mandated guidelines for serviceability, sight lines, the placement of switches, etc. ... must all be taken into consideration as the aesthetics of the car's interior is designed and developed.

To complement the futuristic, functional sophistication of the Firebird exterior, Pontiac 's design engineers chose an aircraft cockpit theme for the interior. Totally new in concept and design, the interior layout and appointments provide a "high-tech" functional look, with a high level of comfort and driver-oriented convenience.

Because of the windshield's severe 62 degree angle, the color-keyed instrument panel was designed around a large, flat black upper IP pad to minimize reflections in the windshield. Key instrument panel controls and gages were positioned out toward the driver for easy sighting and/or operation.

Emphasizing aircraft-look instrumentation, the IP features a fairly long cluster with larger and more pronounced gages than before. The Firebird coupe has two round openings for the speedometer and fuel gages, with warning lights in four rectangular openings while the Trans Am and SE add a tachometer and extra gages in a total of four large horizontally positioned round openings for optimum visibility. Heater, air conditioning and radio controls are centrally located in the lower IP console for easy access by both the driver and passenger.

Everything is very mechanical and functional in appearance and operation, and the new rocker switch controls and "component-look" Delco 2000 series radios integrate well into the theme. There is no traditional wood-grain and very little chrome, stressing a no-frills "quality' look that appeals to today’s sophisticated enthusiast.

Major emphasis was placed on the new Firebird's seating, perhaps a sore point of the past. Reclining bucket seats are standard and feature a high level of contour and lateral support not exhibited by many domestic cars. Front seat travel has been increased from 5 to 71/2 inches so now anyone can find a comfortable driving position, and the deeply sculptured rear seats are much more attractive and comfortable than before.

Maintaining the distinct identities of the three Firebird models in the interior was a special challenge for Pontiac design engineers. The results of their efforts are impressive, with the SE's quieter, more sophisticated tone-ontone theme reflected by its interior appointments, and the Trans Am's functional performance image expressed with the heavy use of interior black accents throughout.

Inside and out, the 1982 Firebird design is sure to make an immediate and lasting impression on all who experience it. The look is clean, functional sophistication, and the appeal will be to those who demand more than just a good looking car. The 1982 Firebirds express an intrinsic "personality' that no competitor, foreign or domestic, can match.

-The 1982 Firebird Book, 11/81