This is one of 1,555 examples of the Pontiac Trans Am Turbo “Pace Car Edition” from 1989. It was said to be the quickest-accelerating American car of its day – with a 0 to 60 mph time of just 4.6 seconds.
The 1989 Trans Am Turbo was powered by a modified version of the Buick Grand National GNX V6 that some period reviews estimated to be producing upwards of 300 bhp – far more than the claimed 250 bhp.
Fast Facts: The Pontiac Trans Am Turbo
- This is a 1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo 20th Anniversary “Pace Car Edition,” with only 1,555 examples built in total. It’s powered by a turbocharged 3.8 liter V6 derived from Buick’s GNX, it achieved 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating American production car of its day.
- Built by Production Automotive Services, the engines had a reinforced crankshaft, high-flow heads, an intercooled Garrett turbo, and sequential fuel injection. Although rated at 250 bhp, road tests confirmed closer to 300 bhp, paired with the 200-4R automatic transmission, WS6 suspension package, four-wheel disc brakes, and Goodyear Gatorback tires.
- Each car was finished in white with tan leather, carried special 20th Anniversary badging, and had unique VIN sequencing. The Turbo Trans Am served as the official pace car of the 1989 Indianapolis 500, needing virtually no modification thanks to its already formidable stock drivetrain and resulting high-speed ability.
- Today, the Turbo Trans Am is a rare collector’s car, widely loved for its blend of Pontiac styling and Buick turbo technology. Survivors, particularly low-mileage examples, typically command strong prices at auction.
History Speedrun: The Pontiac Trans Am Turbo
When Pontiac planned the 20th Anniversary edition of its Trans Am, the division faced a challenge. By the late 1980s, the V8 engines under its hood no longer held the same sway they once did. Emissions regulations and tightening fuel economy standards had whittled away at torque and horsepower, and the third-generation Firebird risked feeling like more style than substance. Pontiac’s solution was perhaps a little unexpected – they chose to look outside their own engine stable.
Instead of a V8, the anniversary Trans Am would carry a turbocharged 3.8 liter V6, the same unit that had earned Buick’s Grand National GNX its feared reputation at the drag strip. Image courtesy of Pontiac.
Instead of a V8, the anniversary Trans Am would carry a turbocharged 3.8 liter V6, the same unit that had earned Buick’s Grand National GNX its feared reputation at the drag strip. Built by Production Automotive Services (PAS) in Michigan, the engines were modified for Trans Am duty with a stronger crankshaft, higher-flow cylinder heads, an intercooled Garrett T-3 turbocharger, and sequential fuel injection.
Official ratings stood at 250 bhp and 340 lb ft of torque, but real-world testing showed most cars produced closer to 300 bhp – as was confirmed by a period road test by Car and Driver magazine written by the legendary technical editor Csaba Csere.
Pontiac paired the turbo V6 with the 200-4R automatic transmission, the only gearbox in their catalog that could actually handle the torque. Performance was startling for its time – independent tests recorded 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and the quarter mile in the mid-13s, making it quicker than the Corvette and many European sports cars that cost far more. At the time of its release, it was the fastest accelerating production Trans Am ever offered to the general public.
Underneath the skin, the car had the WS6 performance package with upgraded suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, and 16-inch aluminum wheels wearing Goodyear Gatorback tires.
Pontiac built just 1,555 examples, all finished in white with tan leather interiors, making them one of the rarest of the Firebirds. Each carried special 20th Anniversary badging and a unique VIN sequence that set it apart from the standard production models.
The Turbo Trans Am’s most public moment came when it served as the official pace car of the 1989 Indianapolis 500. Unlike many pace cars that require heavy modification, the turbocharged Trans Am needed almost none – with its stock drivetrain, it was more than capable of maintaining pace lap speeds.
Pontiac had built its identity on V8 performance, while Buick was an unlikely player in turbocharged technology. The decision to merge the two created a car that looked pure Pontiac but carried Buick DNA under the hood.
For enthusiasts, the Turbo Trans Am is an unusual marriage of GM divisions – Pontiac had built its identity on V8 performance, while Buick was an unlikely player in turbocharged technology. The decision to merge the two created a car that looked pure Pontiac but carried Buick DNA under the hood.
The 1989 Turbo Trans Am holds a special place among F-body enthusiasts. Its rarity, blistering performance, and its Indianapolis connection make it one of the most desirable third-generation Trans Ams. Well-preserved examples now command strong prices, particularly low-mileage cars still carrying their pace car decals.
The 1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo Shown Here
The car you see here is a 1989 Pontiac Trans Am Turbo that has just 587 miles on the odometer – making it the lowest mileage version of this car we’ve ever seen come up for public sale in recent memory. It’s finished in white over a tan leather interior, as you would expect, and under the hood you’ll find that legendary turbocharged V6.
A fair few of these cars were crashed or otherwise written off by owners who weren’t as capable of handling the 4.6 second 0 to 60 mph time as they thought. That’s before you even remember that they could exceed 150 mph in a straight line.
A fair few of these cars were crashed or otherwise written off by owners who weren’t as capable of handling the 4.6 second 0 to 60 mph time as they thought.
Low mile surviving cars are much sought after, and due to their rarity many on the car community have never even heard of them – particularly those under the age of 40. The sheer speed of these cars still surprises people today, with a sub-5 second 0 to 60 time being a rare thing indeed in an American V6 from the 1980s.
This car is now due to roll across the auction block with Mecum in mid-November. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Mecum
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
