Orlando Sentinel's view

Ever since the original GTO debuted in 1964, people have paid attention when Pontiac flexes its muscles.

The GTO was the first car that offered a high-horsepower V-8 in a midsize car. It set the standard for performance and value in the 1960s.

You didn’t have to be rich to own one.

But times have changed. Car insurance is expensive. Safety’s in. Technology is hot.

For those reasons, it is very likely that the all-new Firebird Formula will carry on the performance tradition started by the GTO.

The new Firebird sets the standard for performance and value in the 1990s.

You don’t have to be rich to own one.

After logging about 350 miles in a shiny black Firebird Formula, I am convinced that the all-new Firebird is the most passionate statement of car-making that has rolled out of General Motors since its glory days of the 1960s.

Go ahead, take a close look at the new Firebird and try to find something that Pontiac left out or got wrong.

You want performance? Put your foot to the floor in a Formula and hold on as its 275-horsepower Corvette engine rockets you to 60 mph in just about 6.3 seconds.

You want safety? This ‘Bird comes standard with driver and passenger air bags and anti-lock four-wheel power disc brakes.

PERFORMANCE

If you like the quiet sewing machine smoothness of a Japanese sports car, you are going to be badly disappointed in the new Firebird Formula.

The 5.7-liter fuel-injected V-8 is an angry, throbbing power plant with a loud, mean growl – just the type of personality a real American muscle car should have.

Despite some spirited driving – such as blasting around a racetrack – the engine always was well-behaved and eager to please.

The test car sported a computer-controlled four-speed automatic. In first and second, acceleration is head-snapping.

When you have a sports car that looks like the new Firebird, you are going to attract your share of hot rodders eager to pit their car’s speed against it. You needn’t worry.

The Formula is extremely fast off the line, and when the pedal is put to the carpet, the shift into second gear will make the rear tires chirp.

Once placed in third, the shifter can be slid back into second and even first gear without having to press the button. I would prefer detents – or stops – to prevent unintentional downshifting.

HANDLING

Pontiac’s engineers did their best work with the Firebird’s redesigned suspension system.

The old MacPherson strut setup is out. Now there’s a short-long arm type of suspension system up front, special high performance gas-charged shocks on all four corners and power rack and pinion steering.

If you’ve driven an older Firebird, you’ll be able to tell the difference in a heartbeat.

The hard edge is gone; bumps don’t jar the entire car like they did in the old Firebird. And the steering is far tighter, more responsive and very precise.

Th e Formula’s four-wheel anti-lock power disc brakes are good and strong. Unlike other GM cars, the brakes in the Firebird are fast-acting and able to stop the car quickly and without fuss in panic situations.

FIT AND FINISH

The interior takes a bit of getting used to. The windshield is huge. On bright days, windshield glare can cause a slight distraction. You can see the outline of the top of the dash lightly reflected on the lower portion of the windshield.

The dash is very deep, and it doesn’t permit the driver to see over the sloping hood.

After a few minutes of driving, however, you get a feel for the car and learn how to judge its dimensions.

Ifthere is any acknowledgement to Japanese cars in the Firebird, it can be found in the layout of the controls for the air conditioner. They are the rotary type placed within easy reach in the center of the dash. No matter. They are huge improvement over the lever-type control used in the old Firebird.

The test car sported steering wheel-mounted controls for the radio, which makes changing stations and adjusting the volume an easy exercise. You don’t have to take your eyes off the road.

The cloth-covered front bucket seat felt as if it could use a bit more padding in the upper back area. It was not uncomfortable, however.

It’ll be tough showing off the car to more than one person at a time because only small children can hope to fit comfortably in the rear seats.

Like the old Firebird, the new model also is a hatchback. There’s room for grocery bags but no tall objects.

For 1993, Pontiac is planning to build 40,000 Firebirds.

A convertible is on tap for the 1994 model year. So is a special limited edition 25th anniversary Trans Am.

With the new Firebird, Pontiac can join an exclusive (and growing) club.

Along with Chrysler’s new midsize sedans and the Lincoln Mark VIII, the new Firebird Formula sets the standard for cars in its class.