2000 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

2000 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 Ram Air Convertible — LS1 V8, Silver over Black

Why This Car Is Special

The 2000 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 Ram Air Convertible represents the final chapter of one of the longest-running performance nameplates in American automotive history. Pontiac discontinued the Firebird and Trans Am after the 2002 model year, making the last-generation cars — especially the WS6-equipped ones — increasingly sought after by collectors who understand what the platform delivered. This particular car checks the most desirable boxes: it carries the WS6 Performance Package, the functional Ram Air induction system, the LS1 5.7-liter V8, and the open-air convertible body. That is a combination that, even by today's performance standards, commands respect.

The fourth-generation F-body platform, which underpinned both the Trans Am and the Camaro from 1993 through 2002, reached its performance peak in the late 1990s when General Motors installed the all-aluminum LS1 V8. The engine came directly out of the C5 Corvette program and brought that car's technology — aluminum block and heads, composite intake manifold, returnless fuel system, and coil-near-plug ignition — into a Pontiac that sold for considerably less money. The WS6 package, which Pontiac offered on the Trans Am starting in 1996, layered on top of that a sport-tuned suspension, limited-slip differential, functional Ram Air hood, and a specific tire and wheel package. When the Ram Air induction system was paired with the LS1, Pontiac rated the combination at 325 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Independent testing by automotive publications at the time put the WS6 Trans Am in the low 13-second quarter-mile range at around 104 mph — figures that embarrassed cars costing significantly more.

The convertible body style adds another layer of desirability. Pontiac built far fewer Firebird and Trans Am convertibles than coupes in any given year, and pairing the open-top body with the WS6 package was a combination that not every buyer chose. The result is a car that offers the full performance specification of the WS6 coupe with the added appeal of open-air driving — and the structural reinforcements Pontiac built into the convertible platform to compensate for the absent roof.

Features List

- LS1 5.7L V8 with functional Ram Air induction
- WS6 Performance Package
- 4-Speed Automatic Transmission (4L60-E)
- Functional Ram Air Hood
- Black Convertible Soft Top
- WS6 5-Spoke Polished Alloy Wheels
- BFGoodrich G-Force Tires
- Dual Exhaust with Rear Outlets
- Black Leather Interior
- Center Console with Floor Shifter
- Tachometer
- Power Windows and Locks
- Air Conditioning
- Clean Undercarriage

Mechanical

The heart of this 2000 Pontiac Trans Am WS6 is the LS1 5.7-liter V8, an all-aluminum small-block that General Motors introduced with the 1997 C5 Corvette. On the WS6 Trans Am, this engine is paired with the functional Ram Air system, which uses a sealed airbox that draws outside air through the twin hood scoops directly into the intake. At speed, this creates a positive pressure effect that increases charge density beyond what a conventional open-element intake produces. Pontiac rated this combination at 325 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, though many enthusiasts and publications of the era noted the engine consistently outperformed those conservative factory figures on the dyno.

The transmission is the 4L60-E 4-speed automatic, a unit that was well-suited to the LS1's torque curve and capable of handling the power reliably when properly maintained. The WS6 package also included a Torsen-style limited-slip rear differential, which helps put the power down under hard acceleration without the tire-spinning drama of an open differential. The suspension tuning that comes with the WS6 package is noticeably firmer than the base Trans Am setup, with stiffer springs, recalibrated shock valving, and a larger rear stabilizer bar.

The undercarriage photos tell a