Pontiac Fiero
When GM announced in the early 1980s that it would be 
introducing a two-seat, mid-engined sports car under the Pontiac nameplate, the automotive world rejoiced. Trim two-seat, mid-engined cars have superior weight distribution for the best possible handling; a mid-engined layout is the configuration used in most serious race cars and supercars.
The consensus was that GM was going to build a younger brother for the Corvette; in fact, possibly a Corvette updated for the 1980s - light, trim, agile, and efficient. The name--Fiero--also implied a car with some of the performance pedigree of Pontiac's Firebird.
Danger signs first began to appear when GM insisted on calling the upcoming Fiero a "commuter car"--a laughable designation for a two-seat, mid-engined sports car. Red flags also popped up when GM revealed the Fiero would be based on an economy car front-wheel-drive chassis and would be initially available only with GM's antiquated, wheezing Iron Duke four-cylinder engine - a heavy hunk of low-horsepower boredom.
The Fiero debuted in 1984 to initial gasps of delight at the sexy, daring styling and comfortable interior, only for that delight to lapse into sobs of disappointment. The Fiero offered all the space, comfort, and practicality of a dedicated high-performance sports car--with the fun-to-drive quotient of a clunky Citation.
To add insult to injury, the kit car industry quickly found that the Fiero's fiberglass body panels and mid-engined layout made it a fabulous basis for a kit car. The Fiero, humiliatingly, found itself the most popular kit car base since the VW Beetle. If you see an ersatz Countach or a lumpy, misshapen Testarossa, it likely has a cringing, humiliated Fiero at its core. The well-publicized tendency of Fieros to combust didn't help either.
So why is this an object of Car Lust and not a Car Disgust?
Well, as the Fiero's good name continued to submerge under a flood of outcry, GM's long-suffering engineers were hard at work turning the pig's ear into a silk purse. Every year the Fiero improved a bit - first came a V-6, then subtle tweaks to the chassis.
The 1988 Fiero GT was a legitimate object of Car Lust. Over the previous few years, the original attractive, wedgy styling had given way on the 1988 GT to an even more saucy look--Lotus Esprit-like lines that more closely resembled an IMSA GTP race car than a contemporary Toyota MR2. The 2.8-liter V-6 wasn't a masterpiece of technology, but it offered great torque and a fun growl when flogged. And, most importantly in a light two-seater, the car was fun to drive. In corners where the original Fiero 2M4 was clunky and hamfisted, the 1988 Fiero GT was agile and light on its feet.
The '88 GT wasn't exactly the p
ocket Ferrari its styling promised, but it was finally a real sports car and a match for the best cars in its class. But, of course, the saddest part of the whole story came when GM celebrated the Fieros' ascent to legitimate sports car territory by unceremoniously canceling the whole project.
Today Fieros have a cult following; some enthusiasts restore their cars to their original glory, some customize their Fieros, and some turn them into wild kit cars. But the most interesting conversions are the engine transplants. Replace GM's mediocre 2.8-liter V-6 with a high-revving Quad 4 or ... wait for it ... a high-horsepower Northstar V-8, and all of a sudden the Fiero could be very interesting indeed.
I've included a great vintage Fiero commercial below. "Want to see something exciting?" Indeed.
As for the photos, the lovely silver GT at the top belongs to Dave DeVoe, a member of the Michigan Fiero Club. The vertical silver GT is for sale at Fiero Pride.com; I never thought I'd see a 22-year-old Fiero for $9,000, but I'm actually somewhat tempted. The Fiero-arri F40 belongs to Mark Gibson--not my style, Mark, but kudos on a custom Fiero nice enough to be invited into the Last Vegas Italian Auto Club--not something you'd normally expect from a Pontiac.
--Chris H.
William Loring on January 23, 2008 at 06:34 PM
Linked to my name below is a photo of an E-Modified SCCA Solo Fiero that runs at our local South Bend, Indiana Region, and has won several National Championships at the Tire Rack SCCA Solo Nationals.
The car is basically a tube-frame Formula Atlantic with a Fiero floor pan and heavily modified body. The engine is an Oldsmobile V8. And yes, it's extraordinarily fast.
Mochi Mochi on January 23, 2008 at 08:16 PM
With a few exceptions - very few - I've never had great things to say about the aesthetics of cars made in the US. The 67 Mustang fastback is at the top of my list. I've got a strange soft spot for the clean lines of the 66 Ford Falcon futura (sedan and station wagon) . There are a handful US cars that really catch my attention. The Fiero is one of them. It was a car that I wanted - but simultaneously did not want. I wanted the look and the layout. But the sad engine and suspension were just a killer. That did change in 88 - but that was when I started my love affair with the Civic (which spelled backwards is civiC).
It may be going to go out on a limb here but I think that from a purely aesthetic perspective the Fiero may be one of the nicest (possibly the best) pieces of car design that Detroit produced in the past 20-30 years.
Given that this car followed the gross excesses of 1970's US auto design - this was a real milestone. To think that detroit (and GM especially) would actually produce a mid-engine car with a sports car profile was ground breaking. The shape of the Fiero was really remarkably balanced and dynamic. It was a sexy looking car. The Fiero always looked to me like an awesome project car. Clearly it was.
We all know that by the time it hit the tarmac there were a lot of disappointing short falls. But the fact that this car ever made it to the showroom with something of the original design concept still intact is amazing. I'm guessing that the design team that created this car really loved it and fought for it. I'm guessing that the fight that they had with GM bureaucrats, bean counters, and short sighted wonks must have been a truly heroic struggle. They did a great job with the Fiero - they best they could. And the redesign was even closer to the original concept.
The Fiero could have been a complete killer. That E-Modified SCCA Solo Fiero sounds like it is. As it is though it stands as an example of some pretty exception design from Detroit. I just looked on craigslist and there are some nice 88's going for decent prices.
John on January 24, 2008 at 07:34 AM
A Black 1986 Fiero GT was my first brand new car purchased out of college. I owned the car for 9 years, and got rid of it after having to first replace the clutch, then the entire 4 speed manual transmission. I loved that car, it just started to have issues that I didn't want to deal with.
Cookie the Dog's Owner on January 24, 2008 at 04:50 PM
I remember hearing in 1984 or so that the reason that GM de-tuned the Fiero and put in the woeful Iron Duke was that the prototype Fiero, with a turbocharged V-6, outperformed the Corvette, and GM didn't want to tarnish the 'Vette.
In my irresponsible youth, I used to enjoy hunting early-model Fieros in my 1985 first-generation non-Si CRX.
Owen on January 25, 2008 at 04:26 PM
But the 2M4 really DID make an excellent commuter (Fullerton to Long Beach in 1987). Also, not a bad road tripper (WI to CA, 1986). Sooo comfortable.
I tried to keep mine, but after I got a Miata, I could no longer pretend not to cringe at the crappy, crappy shifter.
Mochi Mochi on January 25, 2008 at 09:31 PM
Cookie the Dog's Owner wrote: "In my irresponsible youth, I used to enjoy hunting early-model Fieros in my 1985 first-generation non-Si CRX."
Bad doggy! :)
The CRX, si or not, was the tiny surface to air missile of the automotive world. Taking down early model Fieros would have been nearly instinctive behavior - unavoidable.
I nearly bought a gen 1 CRX. I want a gen2 CRX si, but most have been snapped up and excessively slammed in over-modding juvenile hysteria.
Chris Hafner on January 29, 2008 at 11:51 PM
Mochi Mochi: "I'm guessing that the design team that created this car really loved it and fought for it. I'm guessing that the fight that they had with GM bureaucrats, bean counters, and short sighted wonks must have been a truly heroic struggle. They did a great job with the Fiero - they best they could. And the redesign was even closer to the original concept. "
You know, this is a great point. For all the much-publicized failures from GM in the 1980s, it's not that the broad strokes were uninspired. The problem is that they were so deeply compromised.
I'm guessing your theory has a lot of truth to it, which makes me feel awfully melancholy. How many of us have been in the situation where we pour our heart and soul into something special, only to have it relentlessly undermined, hopelessly compromised, and eventually killed? I certainly have, and it's soul-crushing.
Assuming you're right and the Fiero was born from and relentlessly advocated for by a bunch of true believers, not only did those zealots have to defend an extremely cool idea from corporate inertia and the forces of mediocrity, but they have since had to deal with the Fiero's stigma as a failure. Ugh.
Ralph L on February 02, 2008 at 01:55 PM
I nearly bought one in 1984, but I had to lean the seat back to keep my head off the ceiling. That made it hard to steer, since the original didn't have power steering. Another half-inch, and I would have wished I'd waited for the V6.
I bought a Turbo Sunbird instead, another underappreciated car, except for the clutch. Sporty, yet comfortable, even coming from an old Fleetwood.
M Decker on May 24, 2008 at 06:16 PM
I have a 1984 Pontiac Ferio that I would like to sell for $600. It needs a clutch and the paint is faded. The inside needs some work too. the guy that had it was rough on it. If you are interested please contact me and come and take a look.
The first $600 takes it.
M Decker
decker830@aol.com
antonio claiborne on September 16, 2008 at 09:21 AM
i have an 86 fiero gt it runs great, i have a 98 olds araua wiht a 4.0 engine and iwant to stick into my pontiac fiero gt, what all do i need to have done, how much will it cost.
Jason Carpp on December 03, 2008 at 12:34 AM
I loved the Pontiac Fiero better than the Toyota MR2. Why the MR2 sold better than the Fiero, I'll never know.
Hector C on December 17, 2008 at 08:24 PM
Great review Chris. I also think the excitement comes after you spend some cash on the car, but any car -if you are a gearhead- will empty your pockets. I am a Fiero owner with a website for the AZ club. You have a link from me.
Hector C on December 17, 2008 at 08:26 PM
Sorry I failed to mention; http://acfieros.blogspot.com is the site.
Chad S. on January 24, 2009 at 11:35 AM
I love the fiero in process of restoring an 86 gt auto. I want to know what i'd have to do to make the v6 very reliable or would i be better off with the 3800 sc swap? or another motor swap? email me at cjonnell88@aol.com with answers.
Chad S. on January 24, 2009 at 11:36 AM
I love the fiero in process of restoring an 86 gt auto. I want to know what i'd have to do to make the v6 very reliable or would i be better off with the 3800 sc swap? or another motor swap? email me at cjonnell88@aol.com with answers.
Aaron Duncan on April 15, 2009 at 10:14 PM
I just bought an 88 Formula GT, it is in great condition and I am trying to see what kind of experimentation I can do with it. I want to make it look more sporty but not to much from its originality. The Lambo kits do look good though but are to pricey so I might just try to put side panel rockers on the car change the front hood and call it a day. The engine I might change later next year to a v8 I am not sure right now but hey why not. I have always loved fieros and this is my second one.
That Car Guy on April 28, 2009 at 06:45 AM
The second best used car I ever had was a 4-year-old (1986) 2M4 with 40,000 miles when purchased. It fortunately had 4 brand new tires, was a 4-speed, 4-cylinder, and cost $4,000. I kept it for 4 years and put about 40,000 miles on it before getting a 1994 Ranger for the farm.
A lot of people thought it was a foreign car because of its form, even though it was not a Formula model. I wish I had had the foresight to keep it forever, but former experiences with older cars foretold that long-term maintenance would cost a fortune. We didn't have formal online Fiero forums back then, unfortunately.
Am I forgetting anything here?
kenny heggem on April 30, 2009 at 10:45 AM
I knew a lady with one she had since knew about 4 years ago. A white 84 model with the automatic.
She said it had over 210k miles.
Never had issues.
Just a tranny rebuild, but that is nothing really.
My cousin had a silver GT model. He was torn between a Supercharged MR2 or the Fiero GT 2.8.
I recall the car would have beat red engine after some serious rat racing around town.
it sounded awesome.
Hal on May 04, 2009 at 08:57 AM
I dated a girl in High School who had a V6 Fiero. Her father owned a garage and was a F1 nut, so this little Fiero got his special touch. He mated a 14PSI turbo to it, a sequential shift close ratio 6 speed, and an air adjustable suspension, and gave it to his 16 year old daughter on her birthday. I saw 145 for the first time driving that car. Hot little car that took off so fast it hurt, and didn't mind running hard all day. Sort of like the owner....
PapayaSF on May 08, 2009 at 12:52 PM
I believe the Fiero was also notable for being manufactured with an innovative, automated jig-welding system. But my memory is hazy, given that I read about it 25 years ago....
tio on May 09, 2009 at 01:24 PM
My best friend had a new "84 Fiero for about a year and a half, until it burnt to the ground. 1 in 4 '84 Fiero's burnt. We called them "FireOh's after that.
CoolBlue87GT on June 21, 2009 at 03:58 PM
Comment by tio
1 in 4 '84 Fiero's burnt. We called them "FireOh's after that.
That's BS, 1 in 4 burnt, where in the world did you come up with a number like that ?
Come over to www.fiero.com and place a comment like that, you'll see fire alright. - From over 14000 members that will see that comment and say BS.
What a idiot.
Cheddar on November 12, 2009 at 08:54 AM
CoolBlue, let the rumors go, that way they're cheaper for us to buy and mod.. :)
Yes, all fiero's are junk, and they all will burn your children. That is, if you can find one that isn't rusted, or being used as a mafia weapon.
Therefore, please sell all fieros at www.fiero.com, and people will be happy to take these horrible dangerous cars off your hands for $100.
Felicity on July 03, 2010 at 10:57 AM
Although “Fiero” sounds like “Firebird,” I believe it’s Spanish for “Pride.” That didn’t stop people from calling it the “Fire-o” though (probably because, as you and Tio said, it was combustible).
I think the first version pictured looks nicer.
Bill on October 13, 2010 at 08:44 AM
I would recommend that someone nost lust for one of these, yes they're cheap but they're also garbage.
I was at a dealership about a year or 2 ago and tried to start up a first generation Fiero, wouldn't turn over.
But what shows how bad these cars were is my mother had one back in the late 80's that was nearly new, the engine caught fire while it was COLD out, I think there was some kind of re-call for them but they are just junk.
Oh, and my Dad had a black over silver 90's Fiero (It had the bigger engine), I'm certain it broke down once and we had to push it somewhere.