The image of each has mutated over the years. I go with the true to the times, 70-73 image of each.
Image today among the general "musclecar set" (and the magazines):
Trans Am: The hottest one, the all out muscle car. (and with RAIV, yes technically it was king in 70, in 71-73 no matter)
Formula: Sort of a Trans Am junior, or lil bro.
Images in 1972 say, when I was starting senior year of high school:
Trans Am: Cool Road Car styled after sports car racing, a car a 30-40's gentleman would buy.
Formula: what you would buy if you were going to assemble a street racer. Bad looks, no frills, no extra body parts, and absolutely no sporty car image. You did the engine and wheels like you wanted anyway so that was no concern as long as you had a 400 or 455 in there, modding it was what it was anyway....
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72 Bird
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