The Pontiac Banshee was introduced in 1988 to provide a glimpse at the high-performance sports car of the future. The Banshee name first appeared in the ’60s as a code name for the forthcoming ’67 Pontiac Firebird, companion to the ’67 Chevrolet Camaro.
The Pontiac Banshee was a styling study for a future Firebird. According to legend, a Banshee is a fairy-elf who foretells the demise of a person by screams and wails. A 230 horsepower,4.0-liter V-8 teamed with a 5-speed manual gearbox allowed the concept to scream off the line. An all-fiberglass body and tube frame with a very low center of gravity and flush glass reduced aerodynamic drag. Some of the styling elements of the 1993 Firebird can be seen in the Banshee, especially the twin low-mounted nostrils and the spade-like nose.
Source: www.autospeed.com; www.chicagoautoshow.com