89 Fiero Prototypes... NOT the GTP one... (Page 1/3)
82-T/A [At Work] APR 10, 03:32 PM
Hey guys, remember the Fieros we saw at the 40th Anniversary?

What about the other Fieros?

I have several pictures that I saved from like decades ago... I'll upload them:










... basically, there are three prototypes that were made that were sort of different than the fancy GTP prototype that we all know. These are the only pictures I have of these cars... they were taken at one of GM's junkyards where their cars waiting to be scrapped are. I got it from somewhere like almost 15 years ago. My understanding is all the cars in the picture (including the GMC motorhome) were all crushed. These were all rolling and driving cars from my understanding.

Here's a better picture that I found of a similar car, but a red one... I don't know if this was maybe just a clay model...




So... just a couple of questions. Did any of this version of prototype survive? They made several of them from what I understand.

Second question... anyone have any better pictures of this particular prototype model?

Thanks!!!
82-T/A [At Work] APR 10, 03:40 PM
Ok, from what I've found... the ones above are the 1989 Prototypes... while the nice one we all know about from the 40th (etc.)... is the 1990 prototype.

Here's another picture I found in the Googles...
cartercarbaficionado APR 10, 04:55 PM

quote
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]:

Ok, from what I've found... the ones above are the 1989 Prototypes... while the nice one we all know about from the 40th (etc.)... is the 1990 prototype.

Here's another picture I found in the Googles...



that kind of looks like a reatta to me. it would make sense if they used that as a base to get the engineering concepts out the door
jonrev APR 11, 02:08 AM
I recall the base coupe and Formula variants shown were crushed back in the mid-aughts.
hyperv6 APR 11, 02:33 AM
This is an 1989 coupe and Formula same year as the GTP that was going to really be a GT.

The car shown outside were crushed years ago. They were going to come with Quad 4 engines. Not sure if the Formula name was going to be used at the time the car died.

There are some studio Clay mock up photos around.

I do have a number of the nose emblems from this car. They were raised 3D emblems. They had several colors tested.
Dennis LaGrua APR 11, 08:10 AM

quote
Originally posted by jonrev:

I recall the base coupe and Formula variants shown were crushed back in the mid-aughts.



I believe this to be the case on all of the prototype GM Fiero's except for the 4 seater and the 1990 version that still survives today . The 4 seater is on the car show circuit and I've seen it at Carlisle. It is in showroom shape, not roadworthy but its a great piece of history. Its a darrn shame that the red notchback (1990?) shown in 87-T/A's post wasn't saved. That design would look good even today.

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1985 Fiero GT APR 11, 09:12 AM

quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua:


I believe this to be the case on all of the prototype GM Fiero's except for the 4 seater and the 1990 version that still survives today . The 4 seater is on the car show circuit and I've seen it at Carlisle. It is in showroom shape, not roadworthy but its a great piece of history. Its a darrn shame that the red notchback (1990?) shown in 87-T/A's post wasn't saved. That design would look good even today.




From what I've read the early turbo prototypes are still around, the black one somewhere in a museum or something in Europe, and I don't know about the red one.
jonrev APR 11, 12:20 PM
The black widebody turbo, known as the GTP, is at the Mobilia Museum in Kangasala, Finland.

The red GT Turbo that was at the 20th and 25th was allegedly still in the GM Heritage Collection. However I recall more recent chatter (salt grains) about it being crushed, the fact it wasn't at the 40th leads me to believe, but not confirm so... just as easily could've been a cost factor. This might be a MWFC/Fred question.


quote
Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua:
I believe this to be the case on all of the prototype GM Fiero's except for the 4 seater and the 1990 version that still survives today . The 4 seater is on the car show circuit and I've seen it at Carlisle. It is in showroom shape, not roadworthy but its a great piece of history.



The 2+2 was at the Pontiac Oakland Auto Museum in Pontiac, IL for a while until the 40th, when it moved to the Pontiac Transportation Museum in Michigan. As of late last year it was still there.

[This message has been edited by jonrev (edited 04-12-2025).]

Raydar APR 11, 04:46 PM
As much as I like the red fastback GTP (or GT, if you prefer), I really don't like the coupe/Formula variant. The flat line where the beltline molding crosses the rear wheel opening just doesn't look right. And the flying buttress behind the rear window just looks... bloated?
RWDPLZ APR 11, 05:15 PM
Always wondered what the heck the story was with the Reatta, one of the reasons given for getting rid of the Fiero was an anticipated decline in 2 door personal car sales, and then they immediately launch the Reatta, that was likely to sell MAYBE 10k units a year (ended up being just over 20k units in 4 years)