Fellas,
I know GM uses a set of letters to describe each of their models. Forinstance, the Fiero is a 'P'. Does anybody know the reason, and can explain why, GM use this system? And can explain how each letter describes the individual chassis/engine combination?

Cordially,
Kevin

It's just a letter used to designate a platform. You have to call it something. They used letters for a while. New platforms, like Kappa, are moving to names (Greek letters, but they use the name and not the letter).

The ones I know of the top of my head are:
A: [RWD] Tempest, Cutlass, Chevelle
A: [FWD] Ciera, 6000
B: Catalina, Bonneville, Caprice, Roadmaster, etc.
F: Firebird / Camaro
G: Lemans, Monte Carlo, GTO (basically a stretched A-body)
J: Sunbird, Cavalier
N: 99+ Grand Am, Alero, Malibu
W: [FWD] Grand Prix, Monte Carlo
X: Citation, Phoenix, Skylark, Omega
Y: Corvette

Kappa: Solstice / Sky

Here's a more comprehensive list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_GM_platforms
Zeta:

Formula88,
Thank's a whole bunch Formula This is what I am looking for. Now, the final question: Does the letter GM uses actually mean something? Forinstance, the 'Vette is a "Y", the Sunbird is a "J" and the Caprice is a "B", etc. Is it just arbitory? Why? For that matter, why did they give the Fiero a "P". (I think I know the answer to this one...)

Cordially,
Kevin

[This message has been edited by kevin (edited 12-19-2008).]

quote Originally posted by kevin: Formula88, Thank's a whole bunch Formula This is what I am looking for. Now, the final question: Does the letter GM uses actually mean something? Forinstance, the 'Vette is a "Y", the Sunbird is a "J" and the Caprice is a "B", etc. Is it just arbitory? Why? For that matter, why did they give the Fiero a "P". (I think I know the answer to this one...) Cordially, Kevin

AFAIK, 'P' = 'Plastic Body'

...but I don't have valid research to back that up... as far as the others,

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Journal of a concept: http://southeastfieros.com >>> Build Thread >>> Parts thread (for project funding)

These letter designations don't change over the years?
What do they call an 07 4 dr Malibu, is it still an A body as it was in the Chevelle days?

Fellas,
I believe the 'P-car' was the desingnation standing for posterior. In other words, it is a factory designation for a rear-engined car, as opposed to the (noramal) front engined car. I am sure I am correct, or am I?

Cordially,
Kevin

Whether the letters initially meant anything is hard to say.
B body was the Big car line, so it could have meant that.
F body for Firebird? (Why not call it C-body then?)
Fiero was originally going to be called Pegasus, so the P may have come from that. (Maybe you've noticed the Fiero emblem is a Pegasus)

[This message has been edited by Formula88 (edited 12-19-2008).]

OK, OK...

Who or where can I find the definitive answer? Anybody know...?

Cordially,
Kein

I asked my uncle this years back before he retired from the GM plant in Missouri. It's just an identifier which in some cases indicates what family of cars are made the same but cosmetically different. Lumina is a w-body and the Nova was X with it's canadian version called Acadian, the Chevelle's, Skylarks, Tempest, and Buemonte's were all A-body's. Now I'm wondering what why both a FWD and a RWD would have the same letter code unless they just kept the code the same from it changing from RWD to FWD.

i know in the haynes manuals it has the listings. or is it the chiltons? one of the two. this is old news in my views.
EDIT: here is a list of all the gm car body types well up to 1980 http://www.nastyz28.com/bodytype.html
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First LX9 Fiero GT, 1987
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem
Fiero's are people too. We pay just as much attention to them, if not more than our loved ones
My Fiero Fuel Economy
Videos of My GT
Google Videos of My GT

[This message has been edited by americasfuture2k (edited 12-19-2008).]

There isn't any logic to the body designations for the most part. Many are reused over and over like X and A.

FWIW GTO is a V body.

X was also the pre-FWD cars like the Nova.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: The ones I know of the top of my head are: A: [RWD] Tempest, Cutlass, Chevelle A: [FWD] Ciera, 6000 B: Catalina, Bonneville, Caprice, Roadmaster, etc. F: Firebird / Camaro G: Lemans, Monte Carlo, GTO (basically a stretched A-body) J: Sunbird, Cavalier N: 99+ Grand Am, Alero, Malibu W: [FWD] Grand Prix, Monte Carlo X: Citation, Phoenix, Skylark, Omega Y: Corvette Kappa: Solstice / Sky

This isnt 100% true, you see. It depends on the year of the car as well. For instance, I had an 85 Cutlass RWD that was a G body along with the Monte Carlo, Buick Regal and Pontiac Gran Prix (I believe). The Letter represents the platform of the car. The car itself may have been used on multiple other platforms used by other makes of cars, so those platforms already have a designation. The Corvette has had its own platform designation since new, hence the Y body, but the Monte Carlo for instance, has been used on several different platforms.

-Joe

[This message has been edited by joesfiero (edited 12-20-2008).]

The 70' through mid 80's Grand Prix, Regal etc were designated G special platform based on a streched G body. Pontiac pegged the Fiero platform the "P" body for Pontiac and the fact it was built there in Pontiac at the home plant.

Late Corvair (65-69) was Z body

Kinda makes me a little sad to realize that these two are related.

The current Malibu is an Epsilon platform, not an A body.

quote Originally posted by joesfiero: This isnt 100% true, you see.

Yes. I was lying to you all.

quote Originally posted by Formula88: Yes. I was lying to you all.

The Bonneville had used the B-body prior to 1981, then the G-body (RWD) from 1982-1986, later the H-body from 1987-1999, and finally the G-body (FWD) from 2000-2005.

Original Sunbirds were H body. The J platform came around in 82, and they used it up to the demise of Sunfire/Cavalier in 2005. J platforms were Chevrolet Cavaliers, Pontiac Sunbirds/Sunfires, Cadillac Cimmarons, Buick Skyhawks, J2000s, and Oldsmobile Firenzas.

Who knows how the platforms received the letters they did, but they're simply used to designate a specific platform. A model doesn't have to stay on that platform for it's entire running; note the Sunbird mentioned above, and other models mentioned in previous posts.

The Delta platform is now used by G5s and Cobalts. This new naming system has already been mentioned above as well.

[This message has been edited by sadie goad (edited 12-21-2008).]

I wasnt calling anyone a liar, just saying a statement wasnt 100% correct.

I looked through the wikipedia catalog and that is nowhere near complete either.

Like sadie goad said, the letters are simply used to designate a specific PLATFORM, not a model. Several of GMs models have had multiple platforms throughout the years.

-Joe

quote Originally posted by joesfiero: Like sadie goad said, the letters are simply used to designate a specific PLATFORM, not a model. Several of GMs models have had multiple platforms throughout the years. -Joe

After reading everyones comments, it seems I am correct afterall since the Fiero was a PLATFORM, or rathter, a rear engined GM car. After all, the Fiero was (and is) the only mass produced 2 seater GM ever mass produced. Th 'P' designates is a posterior engine placement. Since GM has several models with multiple platforms within different divisions, all front engined, they logically set up a chronologially name calling system to assist the engineers differentiate model per division and thereafter offering the marketing division to handle the various trim and model naming rights.The only time GM used the 'P', before and since, was the Fiero. If the 'P' would be undrstood as a plastic designation, then it would be used again when the Saturn (also plastic) was intorduced a few years later. Anyone care to differ?

Cordially,
Kevin

I have onver the years never heard anyone at GM say there was a reason for the letter names on any of the cars. I know people try to attach names but I have yet to see anything other than that GM just applied a letter in the same way Boeing used the 700 series to name planes.

The letter names have for the most part been done away with and GM now used the Greek names for new platforms. They are even going to things like Delta 2 when that platform is updated.

The Impala is the last W and few other letter cars are left.

Gamma - subcompact FWD
Delta - compact FWD
Epsilon - midsize FWD
Kappa - compact RWD
W - midsize FWD
Alpha - smaller midsize RWD
Sigma - midsize RWD
G/K - fullsize FWD
Theta - crossover SUV AWD
U - minivan FWD
Lambda - crossover FWD/AWD
Zeta - midsize/fullsize RWD
Y - sports cars RWD
GMT - trucks RWD
E-Flex - fuel cell-based

Saturn was really a Z platform along with the Corvair.

c/h mid size sedans in 80s&90s, d was cadilllac e/k was eldorado & seville, 95-99 g riviera&aurora L - beretta/corsica n- grand-am t- chevette f-firebird & camaro a- 6000

From what I have read the letters do not mean anything. It was just chance that the Fiero got P for a chassis designation. It didn't stand for plastic or Pegasus or posterior. It is just a letter in the alphabet that wasn’t being used.