Used 2002 Pontiac Firebird Formula

The 2002 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 holds a unique place in American automotive history for one simple reason: it was the last of its kind. Pontiac ended production of the Firebird and Trans Am after the 2002 model year, making every 2002 Trans Am a genuine end-of-era car. The nameplate had run continuously since 1969, and the fourth-generation body — introduced for 1993 — was sent out on a high note with the LS1 engine and WS6 performance package leading the charge. The WS6 package wasn't just a cosmetic upgrade. When Pontiac fitted the Ram Air induction system to the LS1 5.7-liter V8, the factory-rated output climbed to 325 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. That's the same small-block aluminum V8 that powered the C5 Corvette, and it remains one of the most respected pushrod V8 engines ever built by General Motors. Car and Driver tested a WS6 Trans Am at 0-60 in under 5 seconds and through the quarter mile in the low 13-second range — performance figures that still hold up against many modern sports cars. Combined with the Tremec T56 6-speed manual transmission, this 2002 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 was built to be driven hard. The VIN on this car confirms it is a genuine Pontiac-built F-body, assembled in the Van Nuys, California facility — the same plant that produced Firebirds throughout the fourth generation's run. Production numbers for 2002 tell an important part of the story. Total Firebird production in 2002 dropped significantly from earlier years as GM wound down the platform, making well-optioned survivors like this one harder to find with each passing year. A red WS6 coupe with T-tops, the 6-speed manual, and a clean undercarriage is exactly the configuration that the collector market has been gravitating toward.