1985 Pontiac Trans Am: How Much Horsepower Does It Have & What's It Worth Now?
The Trans Am variants of the iconic Pontiac Firebird went from a factory-available performance package into one of the most popular poster boys of the muscle car era. The first and second-generation Pontiac Firebird Trans Am went on sale in 1967 and 1970. The third-gen Trans Am debuted for the 1982 model year, and wore the same aero-optimized styling of its Camaro and Firebird brethren, including a rakish windshield, rounded bumpers, and those luscious pop-up headlights.
However, the 1985 Pontiac Trans Am debuted with a few more changes to its slippery design. It came with a louvered hood, integrated fog lights on the wraparound front bumpers, and commemorative badging. All Trans Ams are available with one of three V8 engines, the most potent being a 5.0-liter (305 cubic-inch) tuned port injection V8 with 210 horsepower.
On the other hand, lesser-endowed Firebirds came with a 2.5-liter, 88-horsepower "Iron Duke" four-cylinder engine, while the mid-tier Firebird S/E has a 2.8-liter, 135-horsepower fuel-injected V6.
How much horsepower does a 1985 Pontiac Trans Am have?
Since the range-topping 1985 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am came with three available V8 engines, the horsepower ratings will vary. There's a 5.0-liter four-barrel LG4 V8 with 165 horsepower, while the carbureted High-Output L69 5.0-liter V8 produces 190 horsepower. Both engines connect to a standard five-speed manual, or optional four-speed automatic transmission.
As mentioned above, the most powerful engine in a 1985 Pontiac Trans Am is a 210-horsepower 305 cid V8, but it only came with a four-speed automatic gearbox. It would have been great if it came with a five-speed manual, but that's the compromise you get with the Trans Am's most powerful V8 motor. The optional features include aero wheels and an aero rear spoiler that could lower the Trans Am's drag coefficient to 0.29.
If you want to add a 1985 Pontiac Trans Am to your vintage car collection, the average market price is $10,000 to $11,000 for a "good condition" unit. Meanwhile, fresher examples could fetch $14,000 to $26,000 or higher for Trans Ams in a fully-restored, Concours condition.