Manoli Katakis 
Despite the rumors of a Hummer comeback, Pontiac will remain in the General Motors brand graveyard with less iconic brands such as Oakland and Geo. However, thanks to movies like Smokey and the Bandit and hit television shows like Knight Rider, Pontiac remains deeply a part of American car culture even beyond its death. Keeping the faith stronger than anybody else these days is undoubtedly the Trans Am Depot, which has created rather striking modern interpretations of the Pontiac Firebird and Firebird Trans Am muscle cars based on the Chevrolet Camaro.
The top model from the company wears the 455 Super Duty name, which has been sold out, being limited to only 50 vehicles. However, it appears that the company plans on re-opening the books, as evident from a special gold 455 Super Duty that was recently teased for the 2019 SEMA Show, along with a Trans Am-branded motorcycle. The company likes to fit modern Trans Am muscle cars with special throwback paint and themes, such as the recent Bandit Edition, with its black/gold livery and wheels baring striking resemblance to the classic movie starring the late great Burt Reynolds.
Under the hood of the Trans Am 455 Super Duty is a four-figure beast of an engine. Based on a GM small block engine, the 455 Super Duty features an appropriate throwback displacement of 455 cubic inches (7.45 liters) fitted with a Magnuson supercharger, with a total output of 1,000 horsepower and 1,046 lb-ft of torque. Crank horsepower is mated to a manual transmission with a Hurst short-throw shifter.
What’s sure to make the Trans Am faithful happy is the inclusion of T-Tops, which the Camaro hasn’t offered since the fourth-generation model. These modern Trans Am T-Tops are made of carbon fiber with tinted polycarbonate windows. Also fitted with carbon fiber are several interior components, such as the steering wheel and dashboard.
