A one-of-a-kind Pontiac supercar became the stuff of legends by having a Ferrari engine under the hood
Published on Nov 01, 2025 at 8:12 AM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Oct 30, 2025 at 4:27 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
In 1970, a one-of-a-kind Pontiac supercar was built, mashing together a Ferrari engine with a Pontiac Firebird to create the stuff of legends.
Pontiac is best known for the Firebird muscle car, which has gone on to become one of the most popular cars on the classic car market.
But back in 1970, the company, along with General Motors legend Bill Mitchell, created a very special one-off supercar, combining American muscle with Italian flair.
The result was the Pontiac Firebird Pegasus, a car with Ferrari power under the hood but muscular American design work.
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How the Pontiac supercar came into existence
The design came about after Chevrolet’s stylist, Jerry Palmer, sketched a mashup of the Chevy Camaro and Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa.
This happened in 1970, and Mitchell then became quite intrigued by the concept.
However, he didn’t want the Bow Tie to be the first to make the concept a reality.
So he headed straight over to Pontiac and got them to work on the unusual supercar.
Mitchell wanted a high-revving, low-torque Trans Am.
He possibly felt let down by the overhead-cam-6 in the Firebird Sprint.
Incredibly, Enzo Ferrari offered a 352hp V12 to Mitchell, straight from a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona.
The car almost had a three-speed automatic transmission, which feels like blasphemy!
Thankfully, the car received a five-speed manual from a Ferrari 365 GTC/4.
How good was the Pontiac Firebird Pegasus?
Other than needing to extend the car’s firewall, the Pegasus still retained the looks of a Pontiac Firebird.
The V12 transformed the muscle car into a ferocious animal, with a total weight of 3,834lbs.
While Mitchell preferred automatic transmissions, he seemingly didn’t care that the Pegasus didn’t have one.
The one-off became his own personal car for years, and it was regularly taken to events to be shown off.
As you would expect, it caused a lot of intrigue when Mitchell popped open the hood!
A few little details, such as the Borrani wire wheels and Ferriar exhaust tips, gave it some Italian flair.
Thankfully, this remarkable car wasn’t forgotten about either.
It now resides in the GM Heritage Collection, and it is surely one of the coolest cars Pontiac ever made.
Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
