If you’re a Pontiac fan you’d already have cried your tears about the brand’s death. But today there’s something to smile about, as a new to market classic Pontiac GTO, Firebird, Trans Am, and a Holden Commodore HSV GTS-R are all on sale.

These enviable selection of cars comes from the personal collection of Jim Wangers, who was Pontiac’s chief marketing manager during the brand’s glory days of muscle cars, sportscars and a favourable position right behind Chevrolet in General Motors’ brand line-up. With that history the 10 machines for sale are expected to be excellent examples of the breed.

First car up is a 1965 GTO Sport Coupe, this car represents the second year of the model’s existence and stands as a tribute to the early muscle car. If you’re after drop-top motoring there’s a 1966 Goat also for sale. Also available are two Carousel Red GTO Judges from 1969.

If you prefer the F-body you can choose from a first-year 1967 Firebird, a very rare 1969 Trans Am, a 1979 Trans Am 10th Anniversary car with less than 100 miles on the odometer, a 20th Anniversary Trans Am with the turbocharged V6 engine from the Buick Grand National from 1989 and finally, a white and blue 30th Anniversary Trans Am convertible.

Finally, hiding away in Wangers collection is some Aussie muscle in the form of a 2000 Holden Commodore HSV GTS-R, which Wangers has described as “the very car that inspired Bob Lutz to seek from Holden a car for U.S. buyers — the ’04 Pontiac GTO.”

To find out more click here to visit the Jim Wangers Collection website. Check out images of the cars in the gallery below.

GT1 Jaguar Trans-Am, a 427ci (7-litre) Ford Brute ute takes to Hampton Downs, new Dodge Challenger vs 1972 Dodge Challenger, Walkinshaw Group A Holden Commodore, and a big-block Chrysler VG Valiant.

GT1 Jaguar Trans-Am, a 427ci (7-litre) Ford Brute ute takes to Hampton Downs, new Dodge Challenger vs 1972 Dodge Challenger, Walkinshaw Group A Holden Commodore, and a big-block Chrysler VG Valiant.

For those who really get a kick out of driving

1969 Tran American Road Racing Series promotional film

Excerpt of the 1968 SCCA Trans Am racing season from The History of the Trans Am Series 1966-1995 DVD

Recently restored footage of a film called Trans Am Countdown made in 1970 showcasing the Javelin AMC race team with Mark Donohue and Rodger Penske.

On Track: Kevin Bovey’s Trans Am spec Jaguar XKR GT1 car, as seen in NZV8 Issue 41. Kevin built the car from the ground up, and although we aren’t usually too fond of Euros the car has to be seen to be believed. Speaking of Euros, we found a V8 powered Mercedes doing laps with the Production Muscle Cars class at Pukekohe. It’s low, loud, tubbed and blown¦ it’s Tony Etheridge’s Camaro. The word extreme doesn’t really describe this car. Without doubt the Camaro is one of the wildest street cars the country has ever seen. Kandy My Car: The founder of House Of Kolor paint is on his way to NZ and while he’s here he’s going to custom paint a car.

On Track: Kevin Bovey’s Trans Am spec Jaguar XKR GT1 car, as seen in NZV8 Issue 41. Kevin built the car from the ground up, and although we aren’t usually too fond of Euros the car has to be seen to be believed. Speaking of Euros, we found a V8 powered Mercedes doing laps with the Production Muscle Cars class at Pukekohe. It’s low, loud, tubbed and blown¦ it’s Tony Etheridge’s Camaro. The word extreme doesn’t really describe this car. Without doubt the Camaro is one of the wildest street cars the country has ever seen. Kandy My Car: The founder of House Of Kolor paint is on his way to NZ and while he’s here he’s going to custom paint a car.

On The Track: GT1 is an anything goes race class. We were at Taupo for the final round of the 2008/09 season to check out some of the insane machinery. One car of interest was Grant Brennans Corvette. With its self-made engine block and heads, Grant’s car epitomises the term custom. Equally as cool, but far less wild is the XC Falcon Coupe of Mike Oldham. Mikes coupe is one of the better presented vehicles we found at Pukekohe while watching the Production Muscle Car Series. Lessons From a Pro: You should all known the name Ewen Gilmour, or Westy as hes commonly known. But did you know he isnt as good as you would expect at doing skids? NZV8 Touring Car Driver Dean Perkins takes him to Meremere for a bit of schooling. Looking Back: ¨Remember the AMC Javelin of Craig Stacy on the show a couple of weeks ago? Weve got film of the 1970 American Trans Am racing series where a very young Roger Penske and driver Mark Donnahue run their AMC Javelin against the Mustangs and American muscle car makes that created legend. Feature Car: We saw a few glimpses of Graeme Metcalfes immaculate 69 Chev Nova a few weeks back, this week we get the full scoop on this stunning 10-second street carowned by a Ford lover

On The Track: GT1 is an anything goes race class. We were at Taupo for the final round of the 2008/09 season to check out some of the insane machinery. One car of interest was Grant Brennans Corvette. With its self-made engine block and heads, Grant’s car epitomises the term custom. Equally as cool, but far less wild is the XC Falcon Coupe of Mike Oldham. Mikes coupe is one of the better presented vehicles we found at Pukekohe while watching the Production Muscle Car Series. Lessons From a Pro: You should all known the name Ewen Gilmour, or Westy as hes commonly known. But did you know he isnt as good as you would expect at doing skids? NZV8 Touring Car Driver Dean Perkins takes him to Meremere for a bit of schooling. Looking Back: ¨Remember the AMC Javelin of Craig Stacy on the show a couple of weeks ago? Weve got film of the 1970 American Trans Am racing series where a very young Roger Penske and driver Mark Donnahue run their AMC Javelin against the Mustangs and American muscle car makes that created legend. Feature Car: We saw a few glimpses of Graeme Metcalfes immaculate 69 Chev Nova a few weeks back, this week we get the full scoop on this stunning 10-second street carowned by a Ford lover

Vintage Trans Am racing

Trailer from the film Smokey and the Bandit, featuring the Bandit’s Trans Am

1998 commercial for the Trans Am

Leaving the commies behind

1998 commercial for the Firebird Trans Am

The 1969 Firebird had an identity all its own, especially when equipped with the new Trans Am Performance and Appearance Package, which included the Ram Air III 400ci HO engine. Finished only in Polar White with Blue stripes and accents, the T/A employed a special Ram Air hood, sculpted air extractor vents on the front fenders and an integrated rear spoiler. Of 697 Trans Ams built that year, only 114 of them came with the Turbo 400 automatic. This award-winning ’69 Ram Air III automatic is the recipient of an eighteen month concours-quality restoration, completed in spring 2005 by Aloha Automotive Services of Port Washington, Wisconsin.

From January 1, 2010, Pontiac is dead and gone. However it’s going to take something more than death to stop hard core Trans Am fanatics from creating a 2010 Pontiac Trans Am or Firebird. Why is this really necessary when the Trans Am wasn’t really anything other than a Chevy Camaro with different sheet metal? No one knows, but there are Trans Am enthusiasts out there who won’t be stopped.

Keeping that in mind, Trans Am Depot will be offering body kits that will transform plain Camaros into full-on Trans Ams. Based off Kevin Morgan’s original designs, the Phoenix Trans Am kits will be unveiled at the 2009 Trans Am Nationals in the states. It’s there that enthusiasts will have the chance to own a Trans Am that costs more than a Camaro but is just as fast.

Pontiac is on its way out just as the new 2010 Chevy Camaro has arrived coincidence perhaps, but muscle car tuner ASC sees it as an opportunity. Had a new Camaro been released a decade or two earlier, it would most certainly be accompanied by an equally sick Pontiac version, namely the Trans-Am. But even before Pontiac ate it, General Motors had no intention of developing a new Trans-Am based off the Camaro. Someone had to do something. ASC, otherwise known as American Specialty Cars, usually a sub-contractor responsible for building convertible versions of road cars stepped up. ASC also has experience building whole specialty cars for manufacturers.

Now, ASC will be taking stock 2010 Camaros and transforming them into modern-day Trans-Ams. Details are scarce at this stage except for these few renderings, but the Pontiac-ification of the Camaro looks awesome from the front and the duck tail spoiler is sharp. The overall treatment evokes Pontiac’s past in much the same way that Chevy’s new muscle car draws styling cues from past Camaros without copying them outright.

More should be revealed soon about this modern Trans Am reincarnation.

The black-and-gold Special Edition Pontiac Trans Am will forever hold a special place in the minds and hearts of any fan of the Smokey and the Bandit movies. In the late 1970′s the Trans Am stood as the final beacon of raw ruthless V8 power with a staunch refusal to give up its link to the near dead muscle car era.

Many point to the Smokey and the Bandit movie franchise for igniting sales of Pontiac’s wild child. Now, film and muscle car fans seeking the ultimate expression of Burt Reynolds adoration have the chance to bid on the star’s own personal 1978 Pontiac Trans Am Special Edition as it goes up for auction May 2nd in Huston, USA. According to the car’s description, it wears the full black and gold paint scheme, snowflake rims and body ground effects with flairs and spoilers. The interior has been fully restored and features unique embroidered Bandit portrait headrests and for recreating scenes from the movie a period-correct Cobra CB radio.

If you grew up in the 1980s you would have to agree that ‘Knight Rider’ was one of the the coolest shows on T.V. I’m sure even the boys who prefer force-fed imports to V8s and use ‘product’ in their hair would agree.

Well, up for grabs on U.S ebay is a special Trans Am ‘KITT’ that was used in the TV movie and the fourth season of the TV program. This car was the specially equiped 300mph, rocket-powered version that put hair on Hasselhoff’s chest.

This known celebrity car is a 1978 Special Edition Y/82 Pontiac Trans Am, all matching numbers, with 6.6 (400) 220hp engine matched to the Borg Warner Super T-10 4 Speed transmission.

This car has been autographed by a true legend, Burt Reynolds. This is the actual car that was loaned to the YearOne Company in Georgia for Burt Reynolds to drive while he was there helping YearOne design the new “Burt Builds a Bandit” car. This car has been featured in two editions of Hot Rod magazine (August 2007 and January 2008) as well as various TV credits (with Burt Reynolds driving it).

As well as that, it’s been in various shows, the 2007 Trans Am calendar and more.

It’s possibly the only autographed 1978 Trans Am – for more information about the car, its history and specifications, and a lot more pictures of the documentation and other parts of the car, click here.