The return of the Formula was successful upon introduction, and 13,164 were produced during the 1987 model year. Total production for the model was 42,058-down from 59,334 the year before. The base model remained essentially unchanged from 1986, but still remained the best selling Firebird model. Total production for the year fell to 88,612 from 110,456 the year before. The 1987 models integrated the light into the spoiler of the car, which was seen as an improvement by almost everyone. The light had appeared in 1986 to comply with federal regulations, and that year’s design was nearly unanimously derided by critics. On the outside, the only noticeable change to the actual styling of the car was the revised center high mounted taillight. These had replaced the inline four-cylinder as the base model, which was discontinued in 1986. The GTA would prove to be a popular option and would continue until the end of the third-generation cars in 1992.Īs they had been the year before, the base models were equipped with a 2.8 litre V6 engine that produced 135 horsepower. It came standard with the 5.7 litre engine, as well as special new seats, air conditioning, body colored ground effects and the WS6 handling option. It replaced the “luxury” S/E model that had seen declining sales in previous years, and catered to the growing number of car-buyers that valued inexpensive but substantial performance.įor those that did desire all the options, the Trans Am GTA was introduced to provide power and luxury. The revived Formula nameplate now represented a powerful Firebird for those on a budget, and came standard with the 5.0 litre V8 that could be upgraded to the new 5.7 litre model or the Tuned Port Injection model of the 5.0 engine. (This was 15 less than the 1987 Camaros with the same engine because of a more restrictive intake.) Though it was only available with an automatic transmission, it has been called “easily the best motor yet installed in a third-generation Trans Am or Formula” due to its high torque rating and flexibility. The new 5.7 litre V8 with Throttle Body Injection was the big news under the hood and increased maximum horsepower to 210. Although the exterior of the car remained almost entirely unchanged from the 1986 models, the new engine and model options gave the 1987 Firebirds one of the best lineups yet for the third-generation cars, and also one of the most versatile.
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