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By the 1968 the Firebird production topped 50,000
units within three months of its introduction and finished off the partial model
year with sales of 83,000 units against 300,000 Camaro's. The Firebird mystique
had begun to grow. Road & Track, not always known for its praise of
domestic cars in this era, spoke highly of the Firebird. “Fortunately, for
variety's sake and for Pontiac's sake, the Firebird is different from the Camaro
in more respects than its appearance would indicate. In fact, it may be the
first step toward a true four-passenger GT car in the best European sense.”
That
little touch of class seemed to catch on with groups both inside and outside
Pontiac. Outside the corporation was former Mercedes-Benz and Corvette team
driver John Fitch, who had previously devoted himself to modifying Corvairs.  The
"Fitchbird," as his new Pontiac-based creation was called, meshed
Lotus Euro like vertical fins sprouting above the rear fenders with a series of
suspension modifications of Fitch’s own design. At the same time, enthusiasts
within Pontiac were wasting no time enhancing the Firebird's already solid
credentials. Working as a Skunkworks Special Projects group on both production
and competition vehicles, they would create some Firebirds that were special
indeed, including one named for the racing circuit in which it competed, the
Trans Am.
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