Absolute Purity
The end of the Pontiac Firebird, and of Pontiac itself, was predictable. General Motors had subjected Pontiac to decades of badge engineering until a badge was all that was left. Well, a badge and a pointy nose and those nifty honeycombed taillights.
Firebirds and Camaros were always kissing cousins, but they at least had their own engines at the beginning. That changed when GM began phasing out Poncho V8s in the 1970s. The big-block 455 died in 1976. Oldsmobile’s 403 V8 (worth 185 horsepower) replaced Pontiac’s 400 (worth 220 horsepower) in 1979. In fact, the last Firebird to have an engine different from a Camaro was the 1989 20th Anniversary Edition – and that one came from Buick. When the LS1 became standard equipment in 1998 Firebird Formulas and Trans Ams (and Camaros and Corvettes and…), it was the beginning of the end. On fan forums, buyers weighing the merits of Ram Air versus SLP Firehawks or WS-6s, or the Camaro SS, were told “An LS1 is an LS1 is an LS1.”
GM tried to save a buck and ended up diluting the brand. It was predictable. One might imagine prospective Pontiac buyers saying, “If I wanted a Camaro, I’d buy a Camaro!” This dilution, or contamination, is exactly what God warned his people about as he delivered them from slavery into the Promised Land. They would be tempted to allow outside influence to come inside their ranks and contaminate their identity as chosen people of God. That’s exactly what happened, and 2 Kings 17 summarizes their backsliding:
“All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced… they followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless.” (2 Kings 17:7-8, 15a)
Israel always had a special designation. They were a chosen people, set apart by God for God’s purposes, and thus endowed with God’s power. So when God conquered other nations, and Israel responded by picking up those nations’ practices and essentially assuming their identity, Israel’s identity became lost. As they gave up their purity, they lost their identity. Now they themselves were the nation that was conquered.
It was like a Trans Am facing off against a Camaro SS at the drag strip; it didn’t really matter.
Today, God’s special designation of “chosen” extends to any person who receives Jesus into their heart. No one is expected to maintain absolute purity to retain their identity. God says there is “no condemnation” for you, because Jesus made you free from the effects of sin. He promises to completely recreate you through his grace as you live into your most complete identity. There’s some overlap, of course, as each person learns from each other and implements helpful practices for their faith walk. You can call that “parts sharing” in the purest sense. Sharing strengths makes everyone stronger while still maintaining each person’s special, chosen, beloved individuality.
By the late ‘90s, Pontiac magazine ads billed their F-bodies as “The Other Red Meat.” That’s underdog word choice, and it hinted at Pontiac’s unfortunate reality. Unsurprisingly, muscle car buyers didn’t respond well to that brand messaging, and the Firebird was dead within a few years. It’s a shame. Against today’s Mustangs and Challengers and yes, Camaros, Pontiac’s identity could have made a 2023 Firebird a real contender.
John V16 is the intersection of God and cars. Please support our work and donate a V16-powered 1940 Cadillac Series 90 Sixteen to John V16. Or share this article with a friend.
