Trans Am Depot Unveils Trans Am “Bandit Edition”

‘Smokey and the Bandit’ star Burt Reynolds has partnered with Trans Am Depot to launch the Trans Am “Bandit Edition.” (Photo: Trans Am Depot)

My very first home stereo was a hand-me-down 8-track tape player, complete with simulated wood grain finish and two small speakers. I had a grand total of two 8-track tapes to play on this wonder of mid 1970s audio technology: The first was the original Star Wars film soundtrack, and the latter — much more relevant from an automotive sense — was the Smokey and the Bandit soundtrack, which featured the catchy (and unforgettable) main theme, Jerry Reed’s memorable Eastbound and Down.

While Burt Reynolds, Jerry Reed, Sally Field, and Jackie Gleason were the human stars of the show, the real star of the show was the black and gold 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am driven by Reynolds in the movie.

General Motors axed the Pontiac brand in 2009 and dashed the hopes of millions looking to eventually drive an updated version of BAN-ONE out of a Pontiac showroom, but now Trans Am Depot has come to the rescue by announcing that it has partnered with Burt Reynolds to produce a limited production run of 77 “Bandit Edition” Trans Ams that are custom vehicles based largely on the current GM Zeta architecture (Camaro) platform. Each one will cost in the ballpark of $100,000 — depending on power options — but that may prove to be a small obstacle for the most ardent fans of Burt Reynolds and Smokey and the Bandit.

The 77 vehicles will be offered in a variety of power levels, including 550, 650, and 720 horsepower models. An extreme performance package will offer a whopping 840 horsepower from a supercharged LSX 7.4 Liter GM Performance Engine and a host of the other performance upgrades. For more information, visit the Trans Am Depot Bandit Trans Am page.