This is a 1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA that remains in remarkably original condition throughout, largely thanks to careful prior ownership and the fact that it has just 27,135 kilometers on the odometer, or 16,860 miles.
The reason the odometer is in kilometers is because the car was sold new in Canada through the Carter Pontiac dealership in Vancouver, British Columbia. It’s been garage-stored since new, and it came with the desirable WS6 performance handling package.
Fast Facts – The Pontiac Trans Am GTA
- This 1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA is in remarkably original condition with only 27,135 kilometers (16,860 miles) on the odometer. Originally sold in Canada, it features the WS6 performance handling package and has been garage-stored since new, contributing to its well-preserved state.
- The Pontiac Trans Am GTA, introduced in 1987, was the top-of-the-line model in the third-generation Firebird family. It featured weight reduction, improved aerodynamics, and performance, signaling the end of the Malaise Era for muscle cars, with power outputs of up to 250 bhp and 350 lb ft of torque.
- The 1989 Trans Am GTA is powered by a version of the 5.7 liter 350 TPI V8 engine sourced from the C4 Corvette, paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The WS6 package improved handling, and the GTA included various luxury features such as power windows, air conditioning, and factory T-tops.
- This particular Trans Am GTA is being sold with its original sales invoice, warranty card, GM of Canada documentation, and a clean CarFax. It will be auctioned by Mecum on October 19th, presenting a rare opportunity for collectors seeking a pristine, unmodified example of the GTA.
The Pontiac Trans Am GTA
The Pontiac Trans Am GTA debuted in 1987, the name GTA stood for Gran Turismo Americano, and it was developed as the new top-of-the-line Trans Am on the third generation Firebird platform. This generation would receive many accolades in the press at the time of its release, winning “Best Sports GT” category and enjoying rave reviews in Road & Track Magazine.
Though it may look a little dated now, Knight Rider, and KITT in particular, were major figures in the 1980s television landscape. Many believe the styling of the GTA may have been influenced by KITT, which was in turn based on the Pontiac Trans Am of the time. Image courtesy of Universal Television.
The Firebird/Trans Am/Camaro shared the same platform, as they had done previously, but this time the engineers had managed to drop almost 500 lbs (227 kgs) of weight from the car compared to the outgoing second generation model. This was all while improving its drag coefficient (0.33), improving its handling, and offering more power.
For some these models represented the beginning of the end of the Malaise Era, as styling improved and manufacturers became better at developing engines that met emissions regulations while still actually producing some power.
The Pontiac Trans Am GTA was available with the LB9 305 TPI engine, this was good for 205 bhp, or with the higher-displacement L98 350 TPI which could produce 225 bhp and 325 lb ft of torque – genuinely impressive numbers for this vehicle class at the time.
The bodykit of the GTA did bear more than a passing resemblance to KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand) from Knight Rider, this was mostly because KITT had been based on the third generation Pontiac Trans Am, with style changes penned by customizer Michael Scheffe. That said, the GTA seemed to have at least been partially inspired by the new legendary TV car.
That 350 cubic inch Tuned-Port Injection (TPI) V8 had been sourced from the C4 Corvette which was in concurrent production, though the engine did differ somewhat, being fitted with cast-iron heads rather than the aluminum heads used on the C4.
Owners quickly realized that the GTA responded well to tuning, typically at the expense of emissions compliance of course. The GTA package could be added to the Trans Am when ordering under the RPO code Y84.
This car is powered by the original L98 350 Tuned Port V8 which was good for 225 bhp and 325 lb ft of torque.
The package included the TPI V8, a TH-700R4 (4L60) automatic transmission, air conditioning, special seats with inflatable lumbar support and bolsters, new door panels, gleaming epoxy-filled emblems, body-colored ground effects, a GTA horn button, and importantly, the WS6 performance handling package.
The GTA proved popular, and as a result it remained in production from 1987 until 1992 when the end of the third-generation F-body spelled its demise. Today the surviving original GTAs are becoming increasingly popular, the trick is to find one that hasn’t been “modified” by multiple former owners.
The 1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA Survivor Shown Here
It’s safe to say that this 1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA is the cleanest surviving example we’ve ever featured on Silodrome, and one of the most original we’ve seen come up for sale in recent memory. As noted higher up, it has just 27,135 kilometers on the odometer (16,860 miles), and it’s been carefully garage stored its entire life.
The car has the 5.7 liter 350 TPI V8 mated to the 4-speed automatic transmission, the WS6 performance handling package, factory T-tops, and all the standard bells and whistles, like power windows, power door locks, air conditioning, and more.
The interior of the car was perhaps a little ahead of its time by 1980s standards, looking more like the interiors we would see become commonplace on American cars in the 1990s.
It’s now being offered for sale with its original sales invoice and warranty card included, GM of Canada documentation, and a clean CarFax.
It’s due to roll across the auction block with Mecum on the 19th of October and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid.
Images courtesy of Mecum
Articles that Ben 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.
