Camaro, meanwhile, had a total production of 282,571. And though the Mustang didn’t offer the power of the Camaro or the Firebird, it did trump both in sales, and 369,936 were produced that year. Pony Car CompetitionĪlong with fellow GM product the Camaro, the Firebird was one of the only pony cars left on the road by 1979, though the Mustang was redesigned that year to become more sporty than the Mustang II, which had been introduced in 1974. Total production was at 117,108, which was well over half of the 211,454 total Firebirds produced throughout the model year. When the Trans Am was first introduced, it was only available in one color scheme, but as its popularity continued to grow exponentially, Pontiac designed more and more Trans Am models to meet growing demand. Though it was the lowest selling Firebird, production was still at a very respectable 24,851 in 1979.

The Firebird Formula also included the base V8, and also had an upgraded suspension to split the difference between the base model and the sportier Trans Am model. It came with its own special trim line as well as a standard V8 engine.

The Esprit had been introduced in 1970 and was marketed as the luxury model of the Firebird. Total production for the model was 38,642, and the base price was $4,825. The base model was the only Firebird that included the six-cylinder engine, and it was the second most popular Firebird for the year. The 10th Anniversary edition of the car came in a special silver color that had never been available before. By 1979, it sold more than all other Firebirds combined. The Trans Am was growing more and more popular with each passing year, and had been the best selling Firebird since 1975. Though it had been a Firebird staple up to that point, 1979 would be the last year the 400 engine was offered. A 305 CID V8 was available for California models to meet the state’s strict emission controls.Īlso available was a 350 CID engine that upped horsepower to 155, and 400 CID and 403 CID engines also were available as upgrades. The base engine remained a Buick 231 CID six-cylinder engine rated at 105 horsepower, and the Esprit and Formula models each received a standard 301 CID V8 rated at 135 horsepower. Otherwise, the cars were very similar to the 1978 models in both looks and performance. In the back, the tail was redesigned and taillights on the Formula and Trans Am models received a blackout treatment. The most obvious visual change to the car came to the front end that put each of the four rectangular headlights in its own bezel, and moved the split grille down below them. Sales of the Firebird had been increasing since 1973, and hit a high mark in 1979 when production crossed the 200,000 mark for the first time in the car’s history.

1979 firebird