While it can be hard to consider a newer model vehicle to be a “collector car”, there are some special editions and limited production models that are considered collectible right from the start. The F-body Firebird is one such example when you find it with exceedingly low mileage and in the upgraded Firehawk trim, with lots of tasty enhancements courtesy of SLP. The Firehawk shown here is a convertible equipped with the rare and preferred manual transmission, which will prove useful when firing up all 345 horsepower, courtesy of the 5.7L LS1 V8 that was under the hood and upgraded to dish out more power than the standard-issue Trans Am. Find the Firehawk here on eBay with a suggested opening bid of $25,000 and no action yet.

A friend of mine had one of these many years ago, and if I recall correctly, it was purple. It always struck me as the kind of car you’d want to find decades later, just like a vintage ‘Cuda painted in a similar color scheme known as Plum Crazy. Right now, I don’t think too many collectors are looking to pick up the lowest mileage example of this era of Camaro and Firebird, but give it time and I’ll bet the years will be kind to a car like this Firehawk. That being said, the seller may find he’s a few years ahead of the market and interest may not be as high as he’d like for his time-warp example. At the very least, potential buyers may be wary of matching the opening bid, let alone the Buy-It-Now of $38,500.

Still, there’s no denying this Firehawk is in exemplar condition. The black leather interior is absolutely mint, and this is likely a very desirable color combination among potential shoppers of this model. Jet black paint with a black leather cockpit is about as mean as you can get in one of these, and it’s obvious the backseat has never been used. I often forget that for all of the performance that came standard with this upgraded model, you still got a relatively usable backseat and loads of standard features, from the upgraded stereo to full power options. While stripped-down performance cars desirable, there’s something to be said for having some creature comforts as well.

The upgraded LS1 found its extra horsepower courtesy of a few choice upgrades. For starters, it got the same intake manifold as found in the Corvette Z06, and additional intake and exhaust upgrades helped push it even higher. The Firehawk also had revised suspension and other tweaks, making it a very healthy package for a car you could buy direct from your dealer. A pristine Firehawk is worth the price of admission here, but it will take the right buyer to come along who truly understands how special this car is. If you had the choice, would you buy this or a driver-quality Z06?