Pontiac made a point of celebrating the anniversary of its Trans Am, but few would have guessed the 30th -- the 1999 Pontiac Trans Am 30th would be the last for this ponycar legend.
After a 36-year run, the final Pontiac Firebird rolled off the assembly line in 2002. For 34 of those 36 years -- it wasn't offered the first two -- the Trans Am headlined the Firebird line and was arguably America's most outrageous combination of muscle-car style and speed.
The 1999 Pontiac Trans Am 30th Anniversary Chevrolet Camero SS
came in white with a white interior and blue hood and rear-deck stripes.
See more pictures of the Chevrolet Camaro.
Like the first-ever Trans Am, the 30th Anniversary Special Edition came only in white with a white interior and blue hood and rear-deck stripes. The 30th was also the first anniversary edition since the original Trans Am to have ram air, in this case, the 320-horsepower WS6 version of the Corvette's 5.7-liter V-8. It was good for 0-60 mph in about 5.5 seconds. The WS6 package also included a stiffer suspension and 17-inch wheels and tires, even larger than those of the standard Trans Am.
Only nine 1969 Trans Am convertibles were produced, ranking them among the rarest of all 'Birds. The 30th was considerably more common, with convertibles accounting for 535 of the 1600 built. That's still a small run, but while its looks and performance were anything but common, the 30th Anniversary Special Edition -- being the last of the anniversary flock -- was special far beyond its numbers.
For more convertibles of the 1990s and 2000s, see:
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