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Pontiac Firebird Versus Ford Mustang
Everyday I get in my white, 2001 Pontiac Firebird to drive to my destinations. I cannot resist the urge to stomp on the gas pedal and watch my speed odometer rise until it is time to slow down. My Firebird has a 3.8 liter 200 horsepower V6 engine. I have the premium sports package added to mine, which comes with ground effects, chrome rims, a premium monsoon sound system, and leather seats. It has power windows, locks, seats, mirrors, cruise control, dual exhaust, and probably anything else you can think of. With a few additions of my own, such as tinted windows, a few decals, a subwoofer, and a modified air intake which adds about 15 horsepower, I look forward to the weekends at the Tractor Supply parking lot in Newberry, South Carolina. This is where most of all the sport car owners of Newberry get together. I enjoy being around other car enthusiasts to hear their opinions and to talk about the Camaros, Firebirds, Trans Am’s, Probes, Talons, and Mustangs that are also at the parking lot. Every now and then, my friends and I are confronted by a group of Mexican-Americans who all drive Ford Mustangs. They claim their Mustangs are better than our Firebird and two Trans Am’s. I began to wonder if this was true. As of 2002, there will be no more new Pontiac Firebirds, mainly because of the popularity of Mustangs and the demand for sport utility vehicles. This has caused sales to decrease for Pontiac, a division of GM Motors. Does this make Mustangs better than Firebirds?
The Ford Mustang made its debut on April 17, 1964. It was said to be the “world’s first American affordable sports car” (History of the Ford Mustang). Ford Motor Company created the Mustang because it was believed that people needed something sporty, affordable, and that had good style (The Legend is Born). I have had the opportunity to ride in a 1965 Mustang. The older cars are certainly different from new cars, but for a 36 year old car, it ran pretty good after being restored. I have also driven a 1999 Mustang with a 3.8 liter 190 horsepower V6 engine, and rode in another car just like this one. They drive and ride well, but there is a difference in horsepower between a Firebird and a Mustang, and I was able to notice the difference. Ford makes a good car, but Pontiac just “feels better.”
The Firebird came out with high hopes of top sales and popularity. Pontiac’s main motivation for producing the Firebird was to compete with Ford. Ford Motor Company had just come out with the Mustang a few years earlier, and Pontiac wanted their customers (Brown & Associates). The Pontiac Firebird made its first appearance to the public in January of 1967. It was released to specifically compete with the Chevrolet Camaro and the Ford Mustang as a “come back” to prove to the vehicle producing industry that Pontiac can produce a sufficient and accepted sports car (Firebird History). From 1967 to the present day there have been four generations created. The first generation came out in 1967, the second generation in 1970, the third generation began in 1981, and the current fourth generation in 1993 (Classic Pontiac Firebird). The body styles have changed, as well as horsepower, engines, and customer comfort options. As a Firebird owner I find this car to be fun, fast, and good-looking.
If you were out shopping for a new car, and were choosing between a new Firebird V6 and a new Mustang V6, of course I would recommend the Firebird, but there are a few things to consider. The price range of a Mustang is between $17,220-28,185 to where as the Firebird is a little bit more expensive at $19,715-31,760. The safety features vary, such as in the Anti-Lock Breaking System (ABS Brakes). The Firebird comes standard with ABS brakes, but is optional on the Mustang. They both have driver and passenger airbags, but no side door airbags. Convenience for the driver is also different. The Firebird has standard cruise control and optional leather and power seats. The Mustang has cruise control as an option, and leather and power seats are not available on the V6 model at all. They both have a 3.8 liter V6 engines, but the Firebird has 200 horsepower, and the Mustang has 190 horsepower. The torque in a Firebird is at 225 pounds per foot which is more than the Mustang’s 220 pounds per foot. Just like horsepower, the more torque means more power. Both cars are reported to get the same gas mileage driving in a city setting. On the highway the Firebird gets slightly higher gas mileage at 31 miles per gallon, versus the Mustang’s 29 miles per gallon. The Mustang has more room in the inside than the Firebird. The Mustang’s interior is at 83 cubic feet, and the Firebird has 81. 9 cubic feet of inside space. I have noticed the 1.1 cubic feet of difference in the two cars, there seems to be more leg room in the back seat of the Mustang. As a result of the research I conducted, I believe the Firebird and the Mustang are pretty close in comparison, but through personal experiences with the two cars I still am a firm believer that the Firebird is the better car. The Firebird comes with more standard equipment, but the Mustang is less expensive. It depends on the buyer’s needs, but in my opinion and what I believe is obvious, the Firebird is better equipped, faster, better looking, and the better car. All of this information was found at MSN CarPoint, a website located at www.carpoint.com. This is an excellent website to get information on any car you want, and to get questions you might have answered.
Firebirds and Mustangs are two different cars, with the same goal and hopes of being the best sports car on the road of its class. Comparing the two cars, there is not much difference. One might have something the other one does not, but in all they are both good cars. You really cannot say which one is better unless you are experienced and knowledgeable with both cars. Some people might believe the Mustang is better, and other people might think the Firebird is better, and the rest of the world probably does not care. For those who do, and want my opinion after exploring each car, I think the Firebird is the better car, and the better buy. They are faster, have more standard and optional equipment, and in my opinion they have a more appealing design than the Mustangs. As the year 2002 rapidly approaches, the Firebird will take its “last flight,” after 35 years of blessing the roads with unparalleled *“Pontiac Excitement.”
*GM Motors use the slogan “Pontiac Excitement” as their theme to all the cars that Pontiac makes.
Works Cited
Brown & Associates. “Pontiac Muscle Cars.” 1999-2000 http://www.geocities.com/pontiac_cjb/2.html“Classical Pontiac Firebird.” http://www.classicalpontiac.com/firebird/index.html
“Firebird History: The First 2 Generations.” History Page. http://www.geocities.com/classicbird/historypage.htm
“History of the Ford Mustang.” http://members.home.net/dcl3/1mustang.htm
MSN CarPoint. “Mustangs and Firebirds, Side-by-side compare.” http://www.carpoint.msn.com
“Mustang-The Legend is Born.” http://members.tripod.com/fast_wheels/hostmust.htm
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