TransAm Depot Gives Camaro The Pontiac Treatment: Ad Break
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You may have already heard of TransAm Depot, which converts fifth-generation Chevy Camaros into modern-day interpretations of the Pontiac TransAm. And it just so happens that the outfit has just released its new commercial that seems to hit all the right notes — girls, fast cars, girls driving fast cars, the beach, and envy.
The ad starts out with two salesmen discussing the “new” GTO, which supposedly offers twin turbos; just then, a girl walks in and introduces herself to Brian, one of the salesmen, as Ashley. She’s interested in the new TransAm.
So Brian shows her the two Hurst TransAms: one is a black T/A with 600 horsepower, HID headlamps, Smokey the Bandit-style wheels, and T-Tops; the other is a Pearl White one. Ashley gets into the white one, and the good times roll from there: as she’s driving, she gets some exploratory looks from some bikers, picks up her girlfriends, passes by a few awed, amazed, bewildered, and horny (yes?!) construction workers, classily drives by the country club (while setting the music via Chevy MyLink), drives on the beach, and gets some ice cream. Then reality strikes, and brings everything back to Brian at the dealership… but the Ashley that emerges from the T/A is a whole different woman. She’ll take it:
In case you’re interested in what the TransAm Depot’s standard Hurst conversion consists of, here’s the list:
- Eibach 1″ Drop Spring Kit #38144.140
- Eibach Anti-Roll Kit #38144.320 – Anti-Roll Sway Bar
- Forged T6 6061 Hurst Deep Dish 5-Spoke Wheels 20″x10″ Front
- Forged T6 6061 Hurst Deep Dish 5-Spoke Wheels 20″x11″ Rear
- Pirelli Pzero 275/40/ZR20 Front Tires
- Pirelli Pzero 315/35/ZR20 Front Tires
- RTM OE Style Shaker Hood
- Functional Air Intake Shaker Scoop
- Flanged Drop Fender Extractors
- Custom Front Fascia
- Custom Rear Fascia
- 3-Piece Rear Spoiler
- Side Skirt Ground Effects
- Xenon HID Quad Head Lamps
- New Fog Lamps & Front Running Lights
- LED Tail & Brake Lights
- LED Custom Turn Signals & Parking Lights
- Hurst Shifter
- Custom Sill Plates
- Hurst Decal Package
In addition, there are also the following interior elements:
- Hurst Dash Plaque
- Embroidered Console Lid, Head Rest & Floor Mats
- Carbon Fiber Dash, Door Insert, Wheel & Gauge Cluster
- Hurst T/A Logo Stitching in Head Rest & Console Lid
- 78 Style Two Tone Leather Seats
- Hurst Embroidered Floor Mats
- Refaced ’78 Style Gauges
Additional options include:
- T-Tops
- Supercharger
- Twin Turbo
- Long Tube Stainless Steel Headers
- 2.5″ Stainless Steel Exhaust
- Coil-Over Suspension
The GM Authority Take
Pontiac fans have yet another reason to… be Pontiac fans. But it would’ve been nice to hear an exhaust note as Ashley is tooling around town…
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Does it come with the Pontiac Intellilink entertainment system?
Wonderful commercial.
However GM could never show it!
Pretty good commercial! And once again, I’m reminded why if given the choice, I’d never pick a Camaro over a Firebird; especially a Trans Am!
I love it Alex, thanks for posting it. Imagine what we could have had if Pontiac wouldn’t have been killed.
I wonder if you guys realize that Camaro is still a Holden underneath just as I bet Transam was…(IDK for fact or not) Either way neat commercial, i’d still go Camaro.
The architecture is Holden-developed Zeta… significantly customized by GM NA.
Well when the f-body twins were still being produced, the Camaro and Firebird were both homegrown American platforms. Yes the 5th gen Camaro is related to the Commadore platform, but it’s been so extensively modified that except for the rear diff, and some suspension components, may as well be a different chassis.
Yea as I thought but i hadn’t done that much research on it so I didn’t know for sure of anything. I assuemd lots of changes were made considering the size difference with the vehicles. I know just to me if I wanted a Firebird, i’d want to look like a firebird, not a renovated Camaro unlike previous generations.
Mikey likey…
How is it this company is able to use the Trans Am name and Pontiac arrowhead on this car?
I would have thought there’d be some sort of trademark issues at play.
Good question, @camval1. I believe that GM furnished them with some kind of a blanket permission to do this, although haven’t seen anything official on the matter.
Real pretty car and ladies, I’ll keep my SS, maybe get one for my new hot wife LOL
The Trans Am name is owned by SCCA and can be paid per unit for use just as GM did for many years.
The Pontiac emblem more than likely was through licensing rights with GM or they just did it and will be in court soon.
I am a long time Pontiac owner and still own one yet today but I am the first person to say let it go.
This car is not a Pontiac nor is it a Trans Am or will ever be. God knows at many Pontiac meets some long time Pontiac people have a difficult time accepting owners on anything post 1979 as it is.
For the money this cost there are many other better cars out there that could be had. I would rather take the money here and invest it into a Real GTO or Real 2nd gen TA and enjoy it as the value increases.
Always liked the Formula better than T/A. Less gingerbread on ‘em. No screaming chicken either. Miss Pontiac, though.
“God knows at many Pontiac meets some long time Pontiac people have a difficult time accepting owners on anything post 1979 as it is.”
Well no wonder the brand is dead; with idiots like that for a fan base, why would anyone buying a used Pontiac want to hang out with those…..dicks.
You being a regular at a GM site I’m pretty sure you know the real reason Pontiac was shuttered.
Either way, I’m a pretty hardcore Poncho head and short of claiming your 89 Sunbird, or Azteck is a classic most post 79 T/As, Formulas, newer G8 and GTO owners do just fine at Pontiac meets. Heck even the Grand Prix GTPs are respected. If its quick and got an arrow head it’s good to go.
In truth, you are right; I can’t pin the closure of Pontiac on fans that reject cars built after a certain year.
I’ve heard of such people in automotive circles and they almost always sound exclusionary. Many of them seem to hold this view of an “era of purity” in which their cars were the “truest expression of the brand” and that all cars produced afterwards were somehow inferior; badging notwitstanding.
Never mind all the advances in engineering, safety, technology that come with time, but with fans like that, it’s like a hangnail of annoyance to anyone that wants to feel included with the fanbase.
Pretty good commercial! And once again, I’m reminded why if given the choice, I’d never pick a Firebird over a Camaro; especially a Trans Am!
Neither would I…
So if I drove up in an 88 Fiero I would be a piece of crap on a stick; have to agree with graw daddy, not everyone grew up in the Era of rolling V8 Land Yachts… We have other reasons we like pontiac… Styling… Ect…
Fieros have a pretty loyal following as well – particularly the GTs.
Lets be real, Pontiac and GM as a whole made some real sh#t through the late 70s-to even the present. Lets not act obtuse and fault devotees of the Pontiac brand because they are willing to call a spade a spade. A POS is a POS no matter what brand made it or how many cylinders it has. If you happen to have a soft spot for a turd, cool. We’ve all been partial to a plain Jane or ugly Betty from time to time. But don’t try an pass off a turd as a diamond.
That’s like taking your 1976 Super Beetle to a Porsche meet and getting mad because you keep getting asked why you brought a Bug to a Porsche show.
Speaking of which, a super Beetle doesn’t even get love among Type I and II VW heads, never mind the Air cooled vs liquid rivalry in the VW enthusiast crowd.
88 fiero GT was the one to get.
Someone said 88′ GT.
I’m about the lose myself in a subsequent google image search while crying softly.