This is what I am talking about... I am talking stock form, not aftermarket.

You can make just about anything fast after it leaves the factory if you want to put the money and time into it...

I'm not ripping Fiero or anything, I like them actually... I am just saying that I had never heard it was ever meant as a Corvette competitor from Pontiac.

 

Darth I get where you are coming from but I just want to make my point clear. Even though the car was designed as a commuter car it would still run with or beat corvettes on the road courses. Which is pretty damn impressive for a car based off of the Citation's suspension.

 

I'll have to go through my old mags to find the story, but I do remember reading about how some intended for it to compete with Corvette. That shouldn't come as too much of a shock as many within GM had long wanted to go mid-engine with the Corvette.

Ultimately, yes it started as being pitched as a commuter car, but wound up a very respectable sports car. While the V6 may seem humble by today's standards, it was certainly on par with other sporty cars of that period--the lowly '80s. The handling is still exceptional.

Had it received the turbo as planned for '89/90, it would be clear just how special of a car it was. As it is, it is a unique sports car that set sales mildstones and retains a very strong following to this day.

 

It's sort of ironic that the Fiero was killed at least partially due to high insurance premiums when it had not yet come close to its performance potential. It was really just coming into its own when it was canned. I remember an article in High Performance Pontiac back in 1987 or so about the "next" Fiero before it was cancelled and it could have been the closest thing to a domestic exotic on the market at the time had it come to fruition.

As it is, Jerry has the best of the breed - the 1988 Fiero Formula. By far my favorite Fiero they ever made.

 

Actually the Fiero was intended as a high performance car from the start.

Chevrolet was ready to veto the car via it's influence on the predecessor of GM's strategy board (if I'm not mistaken, it was voted down at one point), and Pontiac re-submitted it as a economy-commuter car.

I'll dig it up later if I get enough time, but there is an interview where the people responsible for Fiero came out and said this. Their intention was to get the car out first, then add performance to it as it was in production.

 

That'd be an interesting read.

Everything I have read about Fiero has stated the opposite...

 

Not the articles I was looking for (gotta get back to work) but still...

"The main engineers involved in the project were Hulki Aldikacti and Edward Falardeau. Hulki, who has worked on many Pontiac prototypes in he past, had been previously unsuccessful in launching a mid-engine car. He just could not get the support of the corporate V.I.P’s. Finally, when Pontiac proposed a mid-engine sports car in 1978, he saw his opportunity."

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/T...487/early.html


"Enthusiasts were hoping for this to be a rip-roaring sports car, but due to tight purse strings in the early '80s, Pontiac would never fund such a project unless it was a commuter car. On the other hand, if off-the-shelf components (like Citation and Chevette suspensions) were used, the car's looks would promise things it couldn't possibly deliver. The only hope was to introduce it as a commuter vehicle and refine the basic package as time went on"

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconVall...127/fiero.html
Fiero information....much of it sounds like it was a sports car to me:
http://www.classicfiero.com/history.html
http://members.rogers.com/ottawafiero/fhistory.html

1993 Fiero Spy pictures....yes spy pictures:
http://www.fiero.org/1990.html

And about those engine fire stories:
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/3487/fire.html

Fiero safety:
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/T...87/safety.html

 

I'm no Fiero expert either, but I do remember reading that the 89-90 era Fiero GTA prototype that was circulating around fiero.nl a few months ago was never built partly because it was perceived as a threat to the Corvette.

I don't have the pics handy but a lot of you guys remember which one I'm talking about, with a sort of reddish paint job, 4th gen -type gauge cluster, GTA type wheels, bigger than the 84-88 Fiero.. totally unique car.

Just making a point. The 64 Banshee, the 82-84 T/A, this Fiero GTA, and a handful of others I'm probably forgetting; Pontiac has had numerous cars that could've risen to the level of the Vette that either were never built at all, or were built with lesser specs, all at least partly due to Chevy's politics.

great references from guion, as usual

gt

 

I have a lot of faith in future Pontiac performance, Most of the GXP models should be out in the next couple years. By this fall Pontiac will have a 300HP V8 Bonneville and 340-360HP GTO.

06 or 07 Grand Prix will be RWD so they will finally be able to put in a trans that can handle over 280tq

05 grand am might be getting AWD and S/C V6

 

Only the 84-87 models had the chevette and citation suspension. The 88 models had all new brakes and susp- highlighted by a tri-link IRS which was similar is design to those of Lotus. Rear sway bar also was added. Upgrade costed 30 million. Could have been used on 84 models but was cut since it would have increased project cost by 10%. The 88 formula or gt can equal or beat the slalom time of a 03 base vette. Zo6 is only 2-3 mph faster. Pontiac wanted to continue production, it was GM board which cancelled the car.

If the turbo model fiero made it to market Pontiac was considering requiring a drivers school be taken as part of purchase. They even considered extending fiero warranties or subsidizing insurance costs. Further along alum chassis was considered for production. (Eventually used to make ev1).


The car had world class potential. The 88 which is the heaviest model weighs 275 lbs LESS than the 03 Zo6. An alum chassis would make fiero almost 500 pounds lighter!! The technology of the fiero isnt outdated even today. Fiero had door reinforcement bars to protect against t-bone accidents in 1984, Corvette didnt get them until 1997.

 

I wouldn't be so quick on that 2006 RWD Grand Prix assumption.

Everything else I think you're dead on.