SEMA 2009: It’s back! Trans Am Depot creates modern-day Pontiac Firebird Trans Am
11/03/2009, 2:24 PM
By Drew Johnson
The Pontiac Firebird Trans Am may have died off after the 2002 model year, but the Trans Am Depot has brought the Screaming Chicken back to life at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. Dubbed the Trans Am Concept, the classically designed black and gold ‘Bird is almost the perfect representation of a modern day Trans Am.
Penned by Kevin Morgan and built by Todd Otto, the Trans Am Concept uses plenty of retro touches to transform a standard Chevrolet Camaro into a modern interpretation of the classic Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Up front the Trans Am Concept features a unique front fascia, complete with Pontiac’s signature split grille. A shaker hood and Screaming Chicken graphics are also present and appropriately retro – as are the 20-inch snowflake wheels.
On the back side, the Trans Am Concept uses a one-piece rear fascia clip with Firebird-inspired lenses and bulbs. A tall ducktail spoiler sits atop the concept’s rear deck, with downturned quad exhaust outlets completing the Firebird look.
The concept’s interior isn’t as radical as its exterior, but does featuring a steering wheel from a Pontiac G8 as well as turned aluminum accents. No performance upgrades were made to the concept but Trans Am Depot says some are on the way.



11/03, 2:30 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Looks pretty good to me. I’d like to see a wider shot, though, including a side profile.
11/03, 2:30 PM
posted by:
Fx NauGhtY
ugly the whole body look like its all plastic like most of gm vehicle even the escalade front fenders is plastic
11/03, 2:31 PM
posted by:
atoms
yeah this article could really use a photo of the whole car, not the front, not the back, the whole thing
11/03, 2:32 PM
posted by:
JSi
such a murderer’s car!
11/03, 2:34 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
These one-off Trans-Ams are nice. Would have been an easy way for Chevy to sell more Camaros. Should have kept Pontiac as a niche brand… G8, Solstice, and something like this. Give people under 50 a reason to walk into a Buick dealership.
11/03, 2:43 PM
posted by:
05Z88Path
Ok, so I get it…they needed to put on a ducktail spoiler to give it that classic look….but was a 6″ monstrosity necessary? Other then that, it’s not a bad attempt…although I’d much prefer the Burt Reynolds Edition Trans Am by YearOne. You can’t beat this: http://www.yearone.com/yodnn/Home/tabid/54/Default.aspx
11/03, 2:46 PM
posted by:
Ketzer
Epic… Fail!
The Lingenfelter version looks production ready, this looks like a$$.
11/03, 2:56 PM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
posting in this thread = admission of mullet status
11/03, 3:05 PM
posted by:
Payton Byrd
Yeah, but I bet this car in GTA form would knock LWA out of his birkenstocks and make him spill his venti caffeine free soy latte on his cardigan.
11/03, 3:10 PM
posted by:
aesir
Front looks alright, but the tail is ugly as sin. I guess that’s what you get when you build something in a barn: http://www.transamdepot.com/
11/03, 3:12 PM
posted by:
BlueIndependent
The epitome of tacky. Those tail lights are hideous attempts at the mid-70s versions, and the front clip looks glued together. And that spoiler in back is just all around an illegal move. I’m still not sure I dig the Lingenfelter T/A body, but that one’s positively factory compared to this crap. I could’ve done a far better job of directing the styling of this thing. Hint to the fools that worked on this: You don’t have to ape every last square inch of detail on the old car to do a faithful rendition. This thing is what happens when you don’t have someone talented and experienced like Foose making your designs.
11/03, 3:17 PM
posted by:
ajm11
I wouldn’t say this version of the Trans Am looks like A$$ as Ketzer said, but he is right the Lingenfelter T/A 455 Concept is way better executed.
11/03, 3:18 PM
posted by:
MurcieMe
Between this and the Lingenfelter It’s clear that people aren’t ready for Pontiac to die. There’s a lot of equity here GM.
11/03, 3:28 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
According to LWA’s logic:
A post in this thread = mullet.
LWA = posted in this thread.
LWA = mullet.
11/03, 3:45 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
BlueIndependent,
Fess up. You just don’t like the Camaro or this car. You aren’t sure why you just do. Be sides without a wide image view of the car you really can’t judge. It’s like that old fable out the five blind men trying to describe an elephant.
Frankly, it just breaks my heart that this is the car that GM could have graced PONTIAC with. Maybe GM will license the name out and this car can be built on a limited basis.
11/03, 3:45 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Wow beatus, all that and you can translate Ktulu to English.
Soooo… did Sally Fields ever pose naked? I have the strangest urge to jerk off over something from the 70’s.
11/03, 3:48 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Go with Cheryl Tiegs, Johnny.
11/03, 4:04 PM
posted by:
aesir
And I’m done reading this thread….
11/03, 4:06 PM
posted by:
superman
lol this thing is just funny looking. what’s with that spoiler? going for the ricer look? i guess that’s the idea behind this jacked up camaro.
11/03, 4:51 PM
posted by:
sal500
uglier than a camaro
11/03, 5:49 PM
posted by:
andy
Lingenfelter TA kills this thing
11/03, 6:44 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Now they have some pictures of the bird. That’s better. Still no profile shot, though.
It seems like there is so much more that can be done with this body style than the wedge style of the earlier Camaro.
11/03, 7:55 PM
posted by:
DrFill
All I’m sayin’ is if you roll up in this, you’d get some prime trim!
DrFill
11/03, 8:25 PM
posted by:
A4
It looks way better in person.. these pictures don’t do it any justice. Seriously mean, and the front is much smoother than the Camaro. The taillights are full LED and they blend much better than it seems in pictures.
11/03, 10:27 PM
posted by:
anyclearer
I love the front end!!!!!!
11/04, 3:08 AM
posted by:
carbonsigma
These photographs are a joke.
11/04, 12:54 PM
posted by:
85ZingoGTR
Pretty. Very pretty. Too bad Pontiac bit the dust before it could reach production.
11/05, 1:57 PM
posted by:
injunraiv
Me likey.
Me sad Pontiac is dead.
Hulk smash!
11/06, 6:39 PM
posted by:
chevymanc6
I really hope they decide to build this and keep Pontiac as a small niche performance brand. Maybe this, the angry letters from Pontiac fans, and the slightly improving auto industry will help motivate GM to save Pontiac.