I grew up in the early '80s, so this car is the quintessential Firebird to me. Made famous by the movie "Smoky and the Bandit", available with a huge (but emission-choked) V8... 10 times cooler than the similar Camaro...
I've got the car in at least 8 distinct castings, though depending how you count unique castings you can argue that I've got it in as many as 11 distinct castings, and more than 20 color variations (I found 20, but know that I've got a few more Firebirds in other colors stashed in various places).
The first casting I'll consider is the Lesney "Pontiac" casting, I had the olive green one shown as a kid, and eventually also acquired the same casting in white (though I couldn't find it for the photoshoot). As an adult I got the tan/bronze example. The silver and red cars are the same casting but with T-Tops cut into their roof (does this make it count as a unique casting...?), I'm missing the black T-Top version. This casting has been roundly critized by Firebird aficionados for having the incorrect non-wrap-around rear window of the earlier Firebird, because Matchbox was too cheap to create a new casting and instead simply slapped a new nose and hood onto the older No. 4 "Pontiac Firebird" blue casting... The positives of this casting is that it has a nice heft to it, and it includes detail such as silver headlights from the baseplate (an excellent trait that several of these castings share). However its got a bunch of negatives, including the big negative mentioned above, the fact that its a little big for its scale, and the boring metal baseplate with no detail on it. But the biggest negative is that I just don't like it very much... Ever since I was a kid, it never really felt like it adequately represented a late '70s Firebird to me... This Lesney Matchbox may be a well known casting, but it's not going to compare well to its competition...
The other well-known Firebird casting from my childhood, and one that I was always a bit jealous about since I didn't have it, is of course the entry from Hot Wheels, the "Hot Bird"... This again was best known as being available in black, but was also sold in other colors. This gold example is a beautiful car, though I actually prefer the gold wheels on the black car over the standard wheels on the gold car. The casting has T-Tops, which aren't deep enough, and its' rear light detail is a bit lame, but it's front lights are beautiful, silver in color and with amazing detail, another example of headlights created by having silver metal from the baseplates poking through the headlight holes. There is no real suspension to speak of, but the car still rolls well, and most importantly - it really looks like the real Firebird. This Hot Bird is a better casting than the Matchbox and so will be in contention for the best Firebird award....
Playing Mantis Johnny Lightning supplies the modern retro version. I liked this one so much I have it in 2 casting variations - the '78 in black, yellow, bronze and red, and the '79 (more attractive nose) in maroon, blue and silver. All are nice with beautiful paint colors, glassed in T-Tops, opening hoods (but that barely open...), and I have 6 different types of alloy wheels across my 7 colors. 3 have plastic tires, 4 (maroon, red, yellow and black) have rubber tires. The phoenix (firechicken?) hood decal is beautiful... My favorite of them all is the blue and then the silver, though none are losers. I should note however that the front headlights themselves are a bit of a let down relative to the silver metal baseplate driven detailed ones on the Hot Wheels and some of the other castings. Overall, it's a really nice casting - and a definite contender for best casting...The 4 remaining castings are rarer...
I recently showed the Yatming casting in a "Top 30 Yatmings of all time" posting... The Yatming is in my collection in red, blue and yellow, all with opening doors and cast t-tops, a metal base, a soft suspension, and again metal headlights showing through from the baseplate (but that aren't as nicely detailed as those on the Hot Wheels). Again, a definite contender... 
2 different black ERTLs make a showing. The left most car is the higher quality model, with opening doors and a metal baseplate, but like the blue Matchbox it is the earlier version of the Firebird with the alternate nose and non-wrap-around rear window. It's a bit large in scale, with oversize wheels. While it has opening doors and a metal baseplate, those factors aren't enough to put it into contention for the best casting award, instead it'll be close to the back of the pack... The right most model is the "Smoky and the Bandit" casting - but although its more of a correct model for this particular comparison, its just not as nice of a model. It feels like a cheap toy, with a plastic base and no opening features. I didn't find it until after I'd done most of the multi-car photos - so its not included in those photos. Again, it'll be close to the back of the pack...
Kidco makes an appearance (leftmost car in the below photo of 3 black cars) with another black Firebird with an opening hood and T-tops. The size is nice and small, but the baseplate is plastic, the standard Kidco wheels are cheaply, the headlights have NO detail, etc. Overall, this car is quickly determined to be the last place finisher, giving Matchbox and the 2 ERTLs the chance to battle it for 2nd to last... Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that I've got this casting, it just doesn't stand a chance of being the best... 
That leaves the last casting, by my favorite toymaker, Tomica (middle of the above 3 car photo, rightmost of the 7 car photo to the right)... ....And this is a REALLY nice Tomica. It's an F series, made for America, with a silky suspension, classic black color, opening doors, highly detailed headlights that are silver metal from the baseplate, etc. Definitely a contender for best Firebird... So which one wins?
Well, the Tomica, the Yatming, the Johnny Lightning and the Hot Wheels are all in contention for 1st place... Of the 4, the Johnny Lightning gets eliminated first. I love the casting and its colors, but there is just something special about vintage castings, that make them feel more authentic. Or maybe, its just that I remember the vintage ones from my childhood...? In addition, the lack of a suspension hurts the car. It ends up in a strong 4th place, feeling more like a display piece than a toy. 
The next to go is the Yatming. It's a nice casting, and feels Tomica-like in its execution, until it is compared to the real Tomica, when it suddenly feels like a copy vs. the authentic... It's a bit big, and just doesn't feel as jewel-like perfect as the Tomica. It's opening doors are a nice touch, and it has a metal base with mechanical detail, but headlights just aren't as nice as those of the Tomica and Hot Wheels... It goes home with its head held high in 3rd place. 
After that, the choice becomes easy. I can't believe that the simple and common Hot WHeels, without any opening pieces, and with a half done t-top, is even able to make it to 2nd place against such strong competition, but it does. The car is beautiful in either black or gold, and rolls great. And it's headlights are gorgeous! In short, a great toy, and a well-deserved 2nd place finish. And leaves the Tomica in 1st place, an easy win in the end, a beautiful casting and well deserving of the best Firebird title. It IS a bit ironic that a Japanese brand beat out all of the American brands for one of the most iconic American cars ever...
Regardless, Burt Reynolds would be proud....!
P.S. I realize that I didn't announce 5th - 7th place - the winner of the 2 ERTL / Matchbox fight... Obviously the newer (and cheaper) ERTL will take 7th - but what about 5th and 6th? I'm having a tough time picking, so I'm declaring it a tie!
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