I have a stumper for you guys!!!

I was at an auto auction on Saturday and there was an 85 or 86 FireBird there up for auction. Here is where it gets weird, The emblems said FireBird XS ??? I thought this was weird so I looked inside and in the glovebox was the old pinkslip and it too said FireBird XS. What in the Hell is this??? It was a V6 but it had T/A GFX including the wrap around rear spoiler. I've never heard of this before and so I thought I'd run it by you guys...

 

Well off the top of my head im thinking maybe it was a Firebird S/E? Firebird SE's had the T/A hood and spoiler, but no gfx...yup this one is a stumper...

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1983 TransAm *Sold*
1984 TransAm
1994 TransAm GT
1994 25th TransAm GT
1999 TransAm
1990 T-Bird SC
1971 Boss 351

Four TransAm's are not enough. Firebirds for all.

 

I've heard of them. They come with the TA gfx and some kind of "cassette storage" compartment or something like that. Probably some other stuff too. They are not very rare.

 

You just about described it. Its basically a base model bird with TA gfx, a 6 banger, and your choice of transmission. Oh, and of course the Firebird eXcesS badging. Nothing special about it, couldnt even get a good suspension on it.

*twirls finger in air*

 

Was this dealer installed? Never heard of a factory XS...

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Jason E

'97 Z28
-30th Anniversary package (white with orange stripes)
-LT1, M6, t-tops, 46k
miles, killer stereo

'95 Grand Am SE 3.1 Coupe
-Red, AT, 112k, kept up with a '95 Stang GT auto once

FOR SALE: '89 RS 2.8 w/ t-tops

Third-gen-less for now...but not forever
Long Live #3...

 

The Firebird XS was limited edition for the Los Angeles CA area only. BTW, it was an 1989, not an 85 or an 86. There was also a Firebird SSA for the Sacramento CA area too. They were basically base model birds with the Trans Am exterior, the only exterior difference between them and real T/A's were the hood, spoiler, and 15 inch wheels. It's all on pg. 70 of "Pontiac Firebird, 1967-2000 Photo History" by George Scala.......

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[This message has been edited by 92GTA (edited November 27, 2001).]

 

Don't forget the tail lights. Essentially it was a movement towards dressing up the base model firebird like the Trans Am to increase sales. By now just about everyone knows that 91-92 Firebirds could be ordered with an appearance package to make them very similar to the Trans Am cosmetically. But the first cars to receive this kind of "Trans Am appearance package" came a few years earlier. In some areas they were marketed with badging such as Firebird XS and others, but in most other areas they were left only with the Firebird fender badging. To sum up the changes, add the aero skirting to a base model firebird. They didn't have the vented hood, air extractors in the fenders, wrap around spoilers, T/A taillights, 16" wheels, or any performance options. Or in other words, they received only GFX and foglights.