• Pontiac had been making the Firebird for 11 years when it released its 1978 version. The 1978 Firebirds, part of the second generation of Pontiac Firebirds, became classics in their own right, in part because of the '77 Firebird Trans-Am featured in one of the year's biggest films, "Smokey and the Bandit." 1978 Firebirds came in Trans-Am, Esprit and Formula models.
  
  

Body

• The Firebird was a two-door 2+2 coupe, with room for a driver and passenger in the front and two passengers in the back. Passenger and legroom in the back of 2+2 coupes was usually not as large as that of more family-friendly sedans. The 1978 Firebird had a unibody with a partial frame and weighed 3,250 pounds. According to the website Motorera, the base Firebird, the Formula, the Esprit and the Trans-Am all had an overall length of 196.8 inches and a width of 73.4 inches. Heights varied slightly, though, with the Firebird and the Esprit measuring at 49.3 inches and the Formula and Trans-Am at 49.5.
  
  The body featured the iconic "firebird" design on the hood and the Endura plastic nose that gave the car the appearance of having no bumpers. The 1978 Firebird had two horns, bucket seats and three-row tail lamps. The Firebird Esprit added some custom trim and sports mirrors, while the Trans-Am had a rear spoiler, black grille and rally instrument panel with a tachometer.
  
  

Engine

• The '78 Firebird generally came with a six-cylinder V engine and a Rochester 2-barrel carburetor. The Firebird Formula and Trans-Am differed from other models in that they came with a V-8 engine rather than the V-6. All models had rear-wheel drive and came standard with a three-speed manual transmission. Powering the engine was a gas tank with a fuel capacity of a little more than 20 gallons.
  
  

Options

• 1978 Firebirds had a number of options. Buyers could add power brakes, four-speed manual transmission and an engine block heater for a few dollars more. One option for the Esprit was the "Skybird" appearance package, which replaced the firebird hood design with a more delicate, rounded bird meant to appeal to female drivers. The skybird package also included pin-striping; an accent color on the grilles, lower body and tail; and a color-coordinated steering wheel.