The Dodge Custom Royal Lancer “La Femme” was an explicit attempt to sell automobiles to the fairer sex. Though unsuccessful, it would not be the only time Detroit targeted women with a special package. Our Pick of the Day was a more subtle attempt to pull women to the Pontiac fold. This 1980 Pontiac Firebird Esprit “Yellow Bird” is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Las Vegas.

To tell the story about the Yellow Bird, we must first look at the second-generation Firebird. Introduced on February 26, 1970, the dramatically redesigned F-body shared the same semi-fastback design that had Hot Rod magazine stating that “Pontiac and GM styling have successfully bridged a long open breach between European styling and U.S. functionality.”

With a shuffled roster, the Firebird continued to present itself in five configurations, some of them new:

• Firebird: Available power plants included a 250ci inline-six or two-barrel 350 with 255 horses.
• Firebird Esprit: A new model, the Esprit added a dose of luxury and richness to the base Firebird thanks to a fancier interior and touches of chrome outside. The 350 two-barrel was standard; making its first appearance in a Firebird was a 265-horse 400 two-barrel.
• Firebird Formula 400: This was the replacement for the Firebird 400. The forward-reaching scoops on the fiberglass hood were nonfunctional with the 400/330, but functional with the 400/345 Ram Air.
• Firebird Trans Am: Initially a mid-year package for the 1969 Firebird 400, the 1970 version became the car it was trying to be all along, now complete with functional spoilers and air dams all over.

Though the Firebird soon experienced lean years and was almost cancelled, General Motors persevered — lucky, as the performance-oriented Trans Am became a pop culture legend and sold 117,108 examples in its best year (1979), which was a whopping 55 percent of Firebird production.

For 1977, Pontiac introduced a special package (code W60) for the Firebird Esprit called the Sky Bird. Aimed at female buyers — though never explicitly advertised as such — the package included Lombard Blue paint with blue-tinted bird decals, color-keyed interior trim, “Snowflake” wheels, Formula steering wheel, and Deluxe interior appointments. The Sky Bird would continue into 1978, but it was replaced mid-year with the W68 Red Bird. It followed a similar formula: Bright red exterior with gold accent striping and bird graphics, and everything else listed above. A facelift came for 1979, with a refined Red Bird returning for one final time.

Nineteen-eighty brought a new W73 Yellow Bird package. Painted yellow with a lower darker yellow, special graphics, yellow Snowflake wheels, and gold trim, it is the subject of our Pick of the Day. Not only is this 1980 Pontiac Firebird Esprit equipped with the W74 package, but it also received a transplant via a “robust” 6.0-liter LS V-8 and 4L80 automatic transmission. Features include air conditioning, AM/FM radio, power brakes and steering, and cloth interior. “This 1980 Pontiac Firebird Yellow Bird is a remarkable blend of classic design and modern engineering, offering an exceptional driving experience that is sure to delight enthusiasts and collectors alike,” says the seller.

Only 3,850 Firebird Esprit models were built as Yellow Birds, but none were ever as fast as this. Though the implicit nature of the Yellow Bird continues, your ownership and care can create a new mystique after you lay down $27,000.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com