Urban Gear Works

I found this Trans Am on my way to dinner tonight. At first, I thought it was too new for a City Survivor, but after a moment of consideration, I realized that actually I'm just getting old. The unique and decidedly early-Nineties Pontiac wheel design marks this as a very early fourth-generation F-body.

The fourth (and final) generation of the Pontiac Firebird launched in 1993, so this car has faced two decades on the road, and looks remarkably clean for it. By the time production ceased in 2002, the Camaro and Firebird were subject to much criticism for their solid-axle handling and dated design, and sales were hampered by the fact that prices had risen to the point that they were all but unattainable to their target market. In 1993, though, this car was a big deal. Ford's Mustang was still carrying a design from the late Seventies. The Firebird had just endured a decade of fuel economy and emission restrictions that (with a few notable exceptions) left it a mere shadow of the monstrous Ram Air and Super Duty models of the pony car wars. 1993 saw a return to serious performance with the introduction of the LT1 V-8 and a sleek body drawing heavily from the Banshee showcar. Though the LT-1's 275 horsepower seems mild in light of the current V-6 Camaro's 300-plus, it put the Trans Am back in the same league as the earlier (and heavier) 290 horsepower Super Duty.

Given the generally high production volume of these cars, it is surprisingly unusual to see an original example. I think it will still be a few years before these cars achieve true classic status, but so many of them have been abused that it's refreshing to see one that hasn't fallen apart from neglect, been hacked and mutilated with a slew of poorly executed modifications, or had its ground effects torn off by a high curb.

City Survivors are photographed in public places. Every attempt is made to respect the privacy of the owner. License plates, faces and other identifying information are intentionally obscured. If the owner does not want their car displayed, Urban Gear Works can be reached through the contact form. Alternately, Urban Gear Works welcomes any owner who wishes to share more about their vehicle.