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| TransAmHybrid |
It’s no
problem if your schedule won’t allow you to leave your 2017 Pontiac Trans
Am Hybrid tethered long enough for a full charge—about two-and-a-half hours on
a fast 240-volt circuit. In E-Charge mode, the gas engine can completely
recharge the battery on the fly in 19 to 23 miles of light cruising. The caveat
is that doing so too often will wreak havoc on overall fuel economy, as the
engine will be tasked with both spinning the generator and motivating the
4800-pound car. Official EPA estimates haven’t been released, but 2017 Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid maintains the hybrid model consumes 56-percent-less
fuel than its predecessor. For our part, we figure the new system will return
EPA ratings of 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, up from the 22/30 ratings of
last year’s 2017 Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid.
As for how
the 2017 Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid works, its electric motor has about twice
the capacity of the previous Trans Am hybrid’s, and 0-to-60 sprints feel a bit
stronger—we estimate it will hit benchmark speed in 5.2 seconds. That would
place it roughly midway between the performance of a base model Trans Am and
the new twin-turbo 2017 Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid model. But more important,
the 2017 Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid
retains Pontiac dynamic characteristics. True, the new hybrid doesn’t
excite with visceral pops, rumbles, and crackles as does the V-8–powered 2017 Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid, but the Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid’s
hydroelectric steering and generously sized 245/50-18 front and 275/45-18
rear tires convey Pontiac-worthy road feel. And the Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid ’s
brakes avoid most of the numbness and two-step annoyance of many regenerative
braking systems.
Pontiac is
anxious to discover if its premium customers will embrace the segment’s
first-ever 2017 Pontiac Trans Am plug-in hybrid, The price bracket can
easily afford the cost of premium unleaded fuel and might not always bother
with nightly plug-ins. But who knows? Slipping out to the garage to plug in
might be the perfect excuse to work in some quality time wrenching on your
air-cooled 2017 Pontiac Trans Am Hybrid.
