Trans am 1980

Trans am 1980
Comments: In perhaps the ultimate insult to the Firebird, Pontiac dropped its 400 V8 and installed a new Turbo-charged 301 (4.9 liter) V8 as its top engine choice. The notorious "Turbo 4.9 was rated at a pathetic 210 bhp, but the real insult came from its actual performance. There was no Turbo boost indicator as Turbo lag was a huge problem and the engine often made loud pinging sounds under heavy loads just before it self-destructed. Nevertheless, a Pontiac Trans Am paced the Indianapolis 500 race that year. Sales dropped considerably.

Production:
Engines: 301 Turbo V8 210 bhp.
Performance: 301/210: 1/4 mile in 17.02 sec @ 82.1 mph