The Pontiac Firebird is stylized more aggressively than the Ford Mustang and demonstrates a stronger character of the car, although the Mustang is better suited for everyday driving.The rear-wheel drive hatchback Pontiac Firebird arrived in the guise of Base, Formula and Trans Am. The wheelbase was the same as the previous generation, but the new Firebird was two inches wider, two inches taller and half an inch longer. Dual airbags were installed and an anti-lock braking system was standard. Rust/dent resistant composite was used for most of the exterior body panels. The base engine was a 3.4-liter V6 with 160 horsepower. The Formula and Trans Am models had a 5.7-liter V8 with 275 horsepower. A 5-speed manual transmission was standard with the base model; the V8 got a 6-speed. A four-speed automatic was optional on both.The top Trans Am GT appeared in 1994. This year, as a fuel-saving measure, a system was added to the 6-speed manual transmission that forced the gear shift from first gear directly to fourth with light acceleration. Later, in the 1994 model year, a convertible debuted with a standard electric top and a glass rear window. Convertibles come in all three levels: Basic, Formula and Trans Am.