Smokey and the Bandit Car Recently Sold for $450,000

The ‘77 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am Burt Reynolds drove Smokey and the Bandit helped breathe new life into American muscle car culture.
Written by Andrew Koole
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Smokey and the Bandit remains one of the most
classic car
movies of all time. If you want proof, look no further than the $450,000 selling price the main character’s car reached at the Scottsdale Auction on Feburary 22, 2022
The 1977 Firebird Pontiac Trans Am owned by the Bandit himself, Burt Reynolds, was no ordinary car. The special edition gifted to Reynolds came with a 180-hp V8 engine and the custom trimming designed for the film.
Jerry
dug around to see what could be discovered about the car that stole the show from both Reynolds and his costars Sally Fields and Jackie Gleason.

How Smokey and the Bandit reinvigorated muscle car culture

Smokey and the Bandit came out in 1977, the same year as its star, the Bandit’s Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. The movie’s hodge podge of comedy, modern country music, and trucker culture managed to bump Star Wars off the number-one spot at the box office. 
At the time, the automotive industry was struggling. A worldwide oil crisis had hit automakers and drivers hard. Sales for gas guzzlers like the Ford Mustang, Dodge Charger, and Chevy Camaro dropped while manufacturers introduced compact cars like the AMC Gremlin.
But after Smokey and the Bandit hit screens, a new muscle car craze began. It didn’t start out with the same gusto as the initial craze of the ‘60s and early ‘70s, but it would go on to inspire the reintroduction of some amazing cars.
 MORE: Smokin' Sports Cars from the '70s
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1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am: the ‘Smokey and the Bandit’ car

The 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am didn’t offer near the same amount of power as its predecessors from the early ‘70s, but it still offered more umph than the other production cars that year. 
Maximum power of 220 horsepower meant cars eight years older could leave the Trans Am in the dust. But its aggressive styling and the stunts pulled in it in the movie were enough to make it many muscle
car enthusiasts
’ favorite car.
Every ‘77 Trans Am came with its iconic wheel flairs and t-top, but drivers could also buy the car as it was styled for the movie, with its black and gold color scheme, huge eagle hood degal, and even a CB radio. Pontiac sold thousands of them.

Getting your hands on a Smokey and the Bandit car

The three Trans Ams used in the filming of Smokey and the Bandit are long gone, and Burt Reynold’s personal car likely isn’t back on the market, but it’s not that hard to find another ‘77 Firebird. 
Depending on the edition and engine, a 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in good condition can go for about $17,000 to $37,000. You can find one to restore for much less.
Once you find your Trans Am, shop with Jerry to save on
classic car coverage
. A licensed broker, Jerry does all the hard work of finding cheap quotes from the top name-brand insurance companies and buying new car insurance. The average Jerry user saves $887 a year on car insurance.
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