This third-generation F-Body offering from The General is a spitting image of the Camaro IROC-Z we featured last week. The GTA, which stands for Gran Turismo Americano, was the top dog in the Firebird line-up, positioned as a luxury performer in the mold of Europe’s best touring coupes.

In ’87 the Firebird was mid-way through its cycle (’82-’92) and its biggest claim to fame was Michael Knight and KITT with its Cylon-like red eye shifting side to side. In fact, Knight Rider creator Glen A. Larson took the scan bar straight from the Battlestar Galactica bad guys as he was also the creator of that series and liked the effect.

In the real world, without its Turbo Boost, provided by rockets, and computer-assisted Pursuit Mode, the Pontiac GTA’s 5.7-liter V8 generates 210-horsepower and lays down 7.0-second 0-60 and mid 15-second quarter miles so there is some work to be done on the tuning side. Still it’s not bad for a car that hit the scene when U2’s “Joshua Tree” and Paul Simon’s “Graceland” took home Grammy hardware.

1987 Pontiac Trans Am GTA Gallery