Arguably, 1972 was the last year of the great ones. The ’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM, however, still delivered head-turning style, sporty car ride & handling, plus big-block performance!
Chrysler and Ford followed GM with a vengeance, not only reducing compression ratios but killing some great engines and models. This resulted in GM’s carryover vehicles, including the ’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM, powered by underrated engines, dominating the marketplace. Even though new SAE Net horsepower ratings made almost every new engine look wimpy, performance prevailed.
The 1972 model year saw minor cosmetic changes. A difference that differentiates a 1972 Firebird from the other 1970-‘73 Firebirds is the hexagonal honeycomb grille insert in the front fascia of the vehicle. During a 1972 strike, the Firebird and the similar F-body Camaro were nearly dropped. There was an industry-wide change to the way the engines were rated from the factory, with Gross horsepower ratings replaced by more accurate SAE Net information. Compression ratios were again lowered to comply with the regulation that mandates a more environmentally friendly, low- or no-leaded fuel, further reducing power ratings.
Engine options remained mostly unchanged. However, the L75 455 engine was dropped, but the standard Trans Am LS5 455 HO remained as an option for the Formula model. Pontiac rated the 1972 455 HO at 300 horsepower, but the engine was a carryover from 1971. Starting in 1972 and continuing until 1977, Firebirds were only produced at the Norwood, OH, facility.
Pontiac Formula and Trans Am Firebirds were Ponycar class leaders. With an available 455/300 H.O. engine, slick styling, and some of the best suspension tuning in the industry, you would have had difficulty finding a more potent Ponycar. We drove a unique ’72 Trans Am with a prototype louvered hood instead of the Ram Air Shaker hood at GM’s Milford Proving Ground that posted sub-14-second times at 102 mph!
Joe Oldham tested a 455/300 Trans Am with four-speed and 3.42 gears for the September 1972 issue of Hi-Performance CARS. Like the T/A we drove, it too had been “tuned.” Before tracking it, Oldham brought the T/A to Nunzi’s Automotive in Brooklyn, NY, for ignition and carburetor tuning. Oldham registered the best times of 103.22 mph in 14.04 seconds.
Check out the ’72 PONTIAC FIREBIRD, FORMULA & TRANS AM Fact Sheets with lengthy lists of powertrain and performance options, and links to sales brochures at Over-Drive magazine, https://over-drive-magazine.com/2025/08/18/1972-pontiac-firebird-fact-sheet/