A little car company in Nebraska embarked on a mission to provide America with a super car, one capable of holding its own against Ferrari in the mid-’80s. It resulted in the Pontiac Tojan, a heavily modified Firebird that reportedly produced 800 horsepower and a top speed of 206 mph. It’s very little known today among car aficionados. What is known about the Tojan, what was special about the prototype and why it had failed to produce to match it.
A Firebird with bigger plans
The Tojan’s origin dates from Knudsen Automotive in Omaha, Nebraska in 1984. The company remodeled the third-generation Pontiac Firebird into a low, wide supercar. The car was adorned with Pontiac logos and sold by a few Pontiac agencies.
Aimed at Ferrari
The concept was to provide Ferrari performance at a more affordable price. Knudsen modified the Firebird’s suspension an made the wheelsets bigger for all four corners with larger disc brakes. The changes were intended to ensure the car would cope with the horsepower of its engine.
The Gale Banks engine
The prototype’s turbo power was supplied by specialist Gale Banks. He provided a twin turbocharged version of the Chevrolet small block V8 5.7L engine. The engine was based on a design originally made for marine use and had forged internals and heavy-duty cooling.
The 800-hp figure
According to a report from a dyno test, the engine produced approximately 800 hp when run on pump gasoline. Full boost and higher-octane fuel could push output all the way up to 900 hp. This is what has made the Tojan an American Ferrari fighter.
The 206-mph claim
The prototype reportedly had been extensively tested and reached speeds of at least 206 mph (331 km/h). Several years before the Ferrari F40 gained renown for shooting past 200 mph. Very little records have been preserved and the number is based on reports rather than records.
A watered-down production car
Production Tojans were not to receive the Banks engine. The 350 or 305 cubic-inch Chevrolet small-block V8 used in the standard Firebird was paired with a 700R4 automatic transmission with the 705.The buyers got the 305 or 350 cubic inch Chevrolet ‘little block’ V8 engine mated to a 700R4 automatic transmission in the standard Firebird. A B&M or Paxton supercharger was available and increased the output to nearly 400 hp which was half of the prototype’s output.
Features and price
The prototype woodgrain trim and Recaro seats and digital gauges were retained on production cars. The rear spoiler was optional, in the style of a Lamborghini Countach. The price was between $36,000 and $62,000, a considerable sum for a vehicle that was based on the mechanicals of a Ford Firebird.
Limited numbers
The Tojan was built from 1985 to 1991. Reports put production at 136 cars: 120 coupes, 13 convertibles and three Knightmare special editions. The Knightmare body kits were offered in black and gold, and featured the rear spoiler as standard. They were sold in California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey.
Where the prototype is now
The original prototype was bought by an English collector in the mid-1980s. It is reported that British television host Paul Cowland is its owner, as of 2023. An earlier report indicates that some of Banks’ original components were not replaced during a previous rebuild of the engine, and that the old turbo system no longer delivers the same amount of thrust.
Why the Tojan was forgotten
The Tojan today has pretty much lost its legs, and autoevolution didn’t come across any fan pages or forums. Examples of recent production car auctions are cars that have sold for less than $10,000. The most that the outlet could get for a series production car was $13,500, which he paid for a Knightmare edition at a 2017 Mecum sale.
