Pontiac Trans Am reborn

OK, not officially, but Lingenfelter Performance Engineering of Indiana has created what it thinks a modern Trans Am might have looked like had General Motors not pulled the plug on the Pontiac brand.

Called the Lingenfelter TA, the car is based on the current Chevrolet Camaro SS and takes the 1971 Trans Am as its design inspiration.

Not many of the Camaro’s panels survive the transformation intact. The front end is completely replaced, as are the rear quarter panels and all of the lights. Finishing off the exterior are 20" wheels, Nitto tyres and a Corsa exhaust system. Meanwhile, the interior is very 70s retro, and it features custom seats, centre console, door panels, carpets and a turned metal instrument panel.

Engine capacity has been increased from 6.2 litres (376 cu in) 7.5 litres (455 cu in) and, with modifications including a ported and polished cylinder head, forged aluminium pistons and a new inlet manifold, it now produces 655 bhp (488 kW / 664 PS) and 827 Nm (610 lb ft) of torque. Drive is via a six-speed manual transmission.

Cost of the V8 SS-based Lingenfelter TA is around $150,000 (about £98,000 / €118,000), including the donor car. However, if a V6 Camaro is used instead the price falls to around $85,000 (£55,000 / €67,000).

Pontiac G8 GT with 557 bhp by APS

APS, the specialist tuning house with over 25 years of turbo tuning, has turned a Pontiac G8 into something of a Pontiac GR8 (or great). Realizing some potential in the 6.0-litre V8 used in the G8, APS then got to grips with it by installing an intercooled twin turbo system, which is cleverly mounted under the chassis so heat moves away from the engine. Clever yes, if you live in a town with no speed humps and other road oddities.

What power then? How’s about 557 bhp on the trot? And torque? That’s 583.8 ftlb. It’s good figures by any measure, and APS says its system ensures access to all this munchy power and delivers through quite a flat range. The intercoolers work hard to cool things down such that APS claims a quarter mile run twice or more up and down the straight will not even sweat its G8 system.

So those who own VXR8s and HSV Clubsport R8s will be welcome at APS to see how much further things can go. APS themselves reckon there’s quite a few more horses stored under the ‘hood here and perhaps in time it may all come home to roost.