Much to my surprise while reading the Pontiac 75th Anniversary www.pontiac75.com website, they do admit they made the Fiero! Although not much is said about later years except for the V6 intro in 1985, they do give it a decent amount of space. There is even a picture of an 84 2m4!
In another kind move they make no mention of the car's decline in sales or cancelation in 1988. Its nice to see them not ignore the car or trash it!
------------------ John AOLIM: Fformula88 1988 Fiero Formula 1985 Fiero SE 2M6
IP: Logged
09:19 PM
PFF
System Bot
Oreif Member
Posts: 16460 From: Schaumburg, IL Registered: Jan 2000
I'm not suprised at all. Now if it was a GM historical website, I could see them not mentioning or putting the Fiero down.
Looking in the their motorsports section, I thought it was funy to hear the phrases "1981 Grand Prix and "Superior aerodynamics" in the same sentance. They also take credit for the Grand prix 2+2 that Richard Petty designed. They also mentioned "Pontiac also became the first American car to win the IMSA GTU competition when Clay Young's Fiero won." ... "In hydroplane racing, a highly modified Feister & Naber, hydroplane called the “Hot Shot” took a second APBA championship. It was powered by a 2.5-liter Fiero engine and capable of 130 mph." ... "A retooled Fiero GTP-L was victorious on the IMSA GTP Camel Light circuit, clinching the Manufacturer's Championship for Pontiac. The division kept the title in '88..." They even have a picture of the Camel Light Series car. Not bad, not bad at all.
IP: Logged
12:25 AM
Gumball Member
Posts: 31 From: san diego CA USA Registered: May 2001
Just in the bookstore the other day "Borders" and they have a history of Pontiac book 75 years.In it they have a section devoted to the fiero.I was a little surprised.I thought Pontiac disowned the Fiero and ostracized it from the flock.
------------------ 88 Formula T-top-Sold 85 GT Turbo-project car
HEHEHE do a photo search for "Fiero" what bone heads! Not only do they have it as a ZM4 but also an SM4. Jeaz man does it ever end? the pain. the PAIN!
Pontiaddict,I was bieng sarcastic.Pontiac is a division of GM.Specifically it was Chevrolet who disliked the Fiero.It was starting to take the glory away from the Vette.Especially the '89 '90 models.I do think that Pontiac should have had the power in determining whether it stayed or went.If it did,then they failed us and it.The press was largely to blame for the reputation of the car's image.I have heard that they did a lot to keep it alive to that point "88",but I'll take that with a grain of salt.
------------------ 88 Formula T-top-Sold 85 GT Turbo-project car
IP: Logged
11:54 AM
May 19th, 2001
Songman Member
Posts: 12496 From: Nashville, TN Registered: Aug 2000
By the end of the Fiero's run, Pontiac had been stripped of the execs that wanted to see it stay. The divisions biggest supporter, Bill Hoglund was gone to Saturn, and GM had a very anti-Fiero man at the helm. It all spelled doom. Its too bad that Hoglund couldn't take the Fiero over to Saturn along with the mill and drill presses.
IP: Logged
10:52 PM
sjp777 Member
Posts: 613 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Apr 2001
Now from what I heard about the Fiero kill and Chevy was that after the 84 year when Chevy saw how well the Fiero sold, they wanted to build their own version, much like the Firebird/Camaro crossover. Pontiac refused to share, even though the powertrain was Chevy. This pissed Chevy off and they became a very vocal opponent to the Fiero within the GM hierarchy.
Now I make no claims as to how true this is, but it certainly could have gone down that way.
