Sometimes, it takes a strange mashup of disparate influences to make something really shine. The Pontiac Pegasus concept vehicle is one good example. Melding the muscle car attitude of the Pontiac Firebird with the exotic lines and hardware of Ferrari, this thing is an utterly unique piece of General Motors history.
The story behind the Pontiac Pegasus goes back to the 60s and early 70s when, in the search for a new look for the Chevrolet Camaro, Chevy designer Jerry Palmer decided to sketch a Camaro with a Testa Rossa nose. After seeing the strange Detroit-Maranello lovechild, GM Design Vice President William L. Mitchell decided to do something radical. He promptly took the sketch down to Pontiac, where designers ran with the idea, eventually producing the Pontiac Pegasus design concept.
Based on a production 1970 Pontiac Firebird, the muscle car influences are obvious, while the front end, grille, and fender vents are distinctly Ferrari. The Pontiac Pegasus also sports bright red paint, as well as Borrani wire wheels and extra chrome trim.
Under the long, vented hood, the Pontiac Pegasus runs a Ferrari engine, which was added in order to determine what a high-revving V12 would feel like in the chassis, as opposed a torquey V8. The engine came direct from Enzo Ferrai, who plucked the ‘12 from the engine bay of a 365 GTB/4. The engine mates to Ferrari five-speed transmission and GM posi-traction rear axle.
Further Ferrari influences include the exhaust and instrument panel gauges. Lifting the hood, we see a series of velocity stacks, two of which were shortened to make room for the hood. Meanwhile, the Pontiac Pegasus stops on four-wheel disc brakes sourced from the Chevrolet Corvette.
Throughout its life, the concept made an appearance at various events and races, and between the wild exterior look and howling V12 sound, odds are it made quite an impression. It’s a strange combo, that much is for sure, but sometimes, weird can be very, very good.
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Source: GM Heritage Center
Comments
Just as Hummer made a great EV brand, Pontiac could do the same with EV sport cars. From a Pontiac Jolt, to, well, this.
This was the greatest part of non official GM history.
This car even built by GM was never shown or presented as an official GM show car back in the day, GM officials were not pleased with a Bill for installing the a Ferrari engine.
It became one of his cars he drove and it went with him to Florida till he passed away. It was returned to GM with a couple other of his show cars.
To be honest it may have been good Bill had it as it protected it from being destroyed. Once Bill left it may not have survived due to the engine.
GM also had a V12 Caprice too. It was a BMW 12 and it was used ATS a test to see what could be done. It was crushed years ago.
That vintage of the F-body remains a design tour-de-force; it’s simply stunning. I’m guessing if this concept was built in 1970, it previewed the wraparound rear backlight that latter was added to all production F-Body’s.
I have been a car enthusiast all my life but lately my interest has waned drastically. It’s all quite boring to me these days. I so wish the era of practical, sensible 2.5 liter I-4 CUVs all painted alike in shades of silver were over. Even I, an enthusiast, can hardly tell them apart.
A product like this Pegasus serves to remind us of how exciting cars once were. I can’t imagine the sea change and excitement that would’ve been generated when the 1970 F-Body made its debut with such a radical and beautiful new look. There’s just nothing like that happening today.
Amen to that. Was at a car show last week and felt the same way.
“Rear backlight” meaning back window? That’s the first thing that I noticed. My first car was a ’71 Firebird.
Hello CitoEye – I’ll see your nostalgia recollection and raise you this: If this paticular Firebird, just as described were available right now as an authentic build, I have no doubt whatsoever that people willing to spend $300,000 would step up to the plate and plunk their money down and buy one of these beauties. The limit would be 70 cars world wide or less. It would sell out before a single car were built. And what an investment! What a great car to drive (after you had it wrapped!). Thie car’s elements put it before its time. It’s styling is not that of today. So maybe it was out of time-and-out-of-place. I like the eye to eye reference. In this case the styling and the features are to rave about and to wish for.
I’d rather sell women’s shoes, then drive a Pontiac with a Fiat engine.
One can just imagine the issues that this design would have had especially with the V12 engine.
enzo was pissed at Ford so he gave the engine to GM, this car was given to Mitchell when he retired on the stipulation GM got it back when he died
Good way to ruin a perfectly good Pontiac Firebird!! Ugly, ugly!!
The interior is nice. The rest?.. How could it hope compete against the awesome cars that became the 70-73 Trans Am and Z28s.
Pontiac always had some wild concepts ahead of their time. The Banshee was another idea that never made it into production itself but, the overall looks carried over into future generation cars
I love this column. My mother ( may she rest in peace) had a 77 Firebird Skybird, now I have it, ugly baby blue with matching everything, all original, garaged over 42 years. Frankly it’s cosmetically perfect, only 5600 made, small V8, not worth a nickel