In the sales brochure for the 1981 Firebird, Burt Reynolds sits atop a black and gold Trans Am talking on a CB radio. Reynolds had driven a 1980 turbo charged Trans Am in the 1980 movie “Smokey and the Bandit II,” and had helped make the black and gold color scheme popular when he drove a 1977 model in the original movie. But “Smokey and the Bandit II” was not nearly as successful as the original movie, and the 1981 Firebird didn’t really compare with the 1977 model.

The 1981 Firebirds were essentially carbon copies of the 1980 models, and most critics now agree that this was not a good idea on the part of Pontiac. After the second oil crisis sent gas prices through the roof in 1979, Pontiac bet on a turbo charged, 4.9 litre V8 engine as the top performance model. But reviews of the motor were dismal, and would be eliminated the following year with the introduction of the third generation cars. In fact, it seemed like Pontiac was just biding time with the 1981 Firebirds until they could reveal the completely redesigned 1982 models.

Other engine options also remained the same in 1981 as they had been the previous year. The base engine was a 231 CID six-cylinder that produced 110 horsepower, and the base V8 was a 265 CID motor that was rated at 120 horsepower. A 305 (non-turbocharged) V8 was available that produced 150 horsepower. The engine lineup also would be completely overhauled the following year.

After seeing rising production throughout the late 1970s, Firebird sales dropped in 1980 and continued to fall in 1981. With total production at 70,899, production was at 38 percent of what it had been two years earlier. Fortunately, sales would pick up the following year with the introduction of the third-generation Firebirds.

Base Firebird

As had been the case since the introduction of the second-generation Firebirds in 1970, there were four models available. The base model was the second best selling Firebird behind the Trans Am, and production was at 20,541 for the year.

Esprit

Production totals for the luxury model Firebird fell from 17,277 in 1980 to 10,938 in 1981. The latter number was less than a third of Esprit production in 1978.

Firebird Formula

Production of the Formula was at 5,927, and the shortened 1972 production year was the only year that less Formula models had been produced. The Formula model name would disappear in 1982, but would return to the Firebird lineup in 1987.

Trans Am

Though sales dropped, the Trans Am was still the top selling Firebird. Accounting for nearly half of all Trans Am production for the year, 33,493 were produced.

Pony Car Competition

The only other real pony car on the road in 1981 was the Chevy Camaro, and its sales were down as well, though not as much as the Firebird – 126,139 were produced. But the decline for the Firebird was magnified because it not only had to deal with the outside forces of a failing economy and inflated gas prices, but also an inferior product. Fortunately, Pontiac went back to the drawing board and produced a successful new version of the Firebird the following year.

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