What Engine Did The Pontiac Tojan Come With And Could It Really Go Over 200 Mph?

Pontiac's esteem in the muscle car arena is pretty much unimpeachable, largely because the company produced several icons of the era, including the legendary Trans Am, and, of course, the aptly-named GTO. However, one name that typically does not come up in conversations concerning Pontiac muscle is the Tojan, because the build has long been relegated to overlooked status in the defunct manufacturer's legendary lineup of speedsters.

That overlooked status is in no small part because Pontiac only had the Tojan in production between 1985 and 1991, and even then, the vehicle was a "limited production" build, meaning they had to be specially ordered from a certified dealer. Due to the Tojan's limited nature, it's estimated that only 136 were ever built. While Tojans are rare, and largely overlooked in Pontiac's fabled muscle car lineup, the vehicle's design will no doubt look familiar, as its F-body Firebird frame was virtually identical to the one containing K.I.T.T. in the 80s hit action series "Knight Rider."

Pop culture clout aside, the Tojan was also one of the more powerful production cars Pontiac built in the '80s, with the vehicles coming standard with a 5.0-liter or 5.7-liter GM V8 engine that could hit 205 horsepower. While that sort of power might seem underwhelming to some, Pontiac also offered the Tojan with a B&M or a Paxton supercharger, which cranked the power output up to a reported 400 horsepower. Regardless, neither of those engines could match the Tojan prototype in terms of power or speed.

If you are one of the true-blue gearheads who is already acquainted with the Pontiac Tojan, you're no doubt aware of the prototype's speed feats. If not, you should know that the vehicle was an absolute monster when it came to horsepower and top speed. That's in large part because the Tojan prototype did not come with the standard V8 engine that was under the hood of the production models. Rather, for the prototype, Pontiac bosses commissioned a V8 engine equipped with a Gale Banks twin-turbocharging kit that could push the ponies all the way up to a staggering 800 horsepower.

Yes, that is essentially supercar territory when it comes to power, with Pontiac reportedly eyeing those sorts of numbers typically reserved for brands like Ferrari in the Tojan's early stages of production. Given the vehicle's massive power output, you'd be correct in assuming the Tojan was an absolute beast on the speed front, and reportedly topped out at a whopping 206 mph during closed road testing. For point of reference, that number made the Tojan a legit record breaker, with the Pontiac beating even Ferrari to the punch of becoming the first production vehicle to ever top 200 mph.

With that sort of speed and power, the Gale Banks-powered Tojan was hardly a practical option for your average driver, so Pontiac opted to ramp back on both for the production builds. As for the top speed on those Trojans, numbers are a little tougher to come by. However, odometers on the '87 model topped out at 140 mph, so make of that what you will.