1995 Pontiac Trans Am Prototypes - Department X

It also didn't take long for Pontiac market planners to capitalize on the momentum and begin offering specialty versions of the Fourth-Gen F-car. Pontiac rolled out the 25th Anniversary Trans Am coupe and convertible for '94, and GM Performance Parts subsequently offered an over-the-counter upgrade kit for Formulas known as the Firebird GT. Others would follow right through to the end of F-body production in 2002.

Speaking of anniversaries, the '95 model year represented a silver anniversary for BFGoodrich. Its Comp T/A tires were first introduced in 1970 and even saw race duty on the BFGoodrich "Tirebird" racecars, driven by Milt Minter, Don Pike, Larry Dent, and others. Though the team's efforts were not as successful as others in the series, the tires did manage to perform much better than many ever expected.

Jim Mattison, president of PHS had previously held a wholesale BFGoodrich Tire Distributorship, and his ties to the brand extend back to the '70s. He saw the potential for a commemorative edition Firebird coming from this and knew that his unique position made him the person most able to get the ball rolling. Jim approached both BFGoodrich and Pontiac, and suggested to them that they should get together and produce a show car that would celebrate this milestone.

The original idea was to take a Firebird Formula, add the upcoming WS6 performance Package, which included the new Ram Air hood, paint it up in a design that called to mind the old Tirebird racecars, and put in on the show circuit. Mattison was handling the shows and displays for Pontiac at the time and knew this car would make an interesting addition to the traveling road show.

He then went to Tom Goad, Pontiac's director of advanced engineering at the time. An integral part of Pontiac's divisional displays were the "mule cars," the "skunk works" factory hot rods that served as mechanical prototypes for future production models. Often these cars looked a little road-worn due to the constant testing. "A lot of cosmetic work was needed to bring these machines up to show standards," Mattison explained. This vehicle, however, would be for show only and would not need additional show prep beyond the initial build."

Tom liked the idea and ordered up the first blue '95 Formula, with the order being speeded up with the assistance of Pontiac management. Jim actually purchased the car himself in order to prevent the untimely destruction of a company-owned, modified vehicle, as is normal GM policy. As a result, it was one of the first Formulas built for the '95 model year.

Mattison subsequently received early-release WS6 components from Pontiac Engineering, including the wheels and Ram Air hood. "I was sworn to secrecy on the upcoming WS6 program," Mattison recalled. This car had all of the WS6 componentry added on. We even had to paint over the wheels to hide the WS6 badges on the center caps."

GM Designer Jeff Denison was called in to design a graphics package that recalled the old BFG Tirebirds, but in a configuration compatible with the lines of the Fourth-Gen Bird. He came up with a simple but effective design that captured the original spirit of the Tirebirds. A broad single white stripe, surrounded by a red pinstripe, started at the hoodscoop and went over the roof and hatch. Combined with the white wheels, the Formula made for a visually arresting package.