Why does this myth seem to continue with the Lotus suspension in the Fiero? I saw this on Craigslist...
http://chicago.craigslist.o.../cto/1750005717.html

Here is the ad in the event it gets deleted/removed:

quote Real clean 88 Fiero GT. Last year they were made. Only year they were made with famous Lotus suspension that outhandled Ferrari. Highly sought after and getting rarer. 134k miles 2.8L V6 Automatic. leather seats, power windows, power locks, power mirrors very reliable sporty daily driver. Mostly looking for trades. I am looking for a older Fierbird or Trans Am (or your 69 GTO haha). If you don't have something to trade make cash offer and I will consider it. Trades must be V8 and reliable auto or stick doesn't matter. Only reason I want to get rid of it is because I am bored and miss cars from the 70's. No calls before 3PM please text anytime. 6-3-0-2-0-5-3-3-4-4. 630-205-3344. Thanks for your time. Keywords: Pontiac, Fiero, GT, Trans Am, Firebird, GTA, GTO, muscle car, sports car, fast car. PICTURES ARE OFF MY PHONE AND DO NOT DO THE CAR JUSTICE COME AND SEE IN PERSON!!!!!

At least his is an 88... I've seen people trying to sell 86and87 GTs around here talking about the "Amazing Lotus suspension and body designed by Ferrari" ... When I try to correct them, they tell me to self-fornicate with a large wooden object of unknown origin.

Can't handle being corrected these people - even wikipedia says its horsecrap.

Yeah, I'm fighting the same thing on another car forum I am a member of. Idiot insists that Lotus designed the 88 suspension.

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Found a Red 84 4speed, Waiting to get a house so I can re-home it
There are Two kinds of Fiero's : Notchies and Donors!

I heard it was actually Porsche

Yeah... I heard Porsche engineers were present during the 88 front suspension testing as well. That actually sounds plausible.

I heard it was alien technology that was reversed engineered by the CIA and sold to GM knowing that in the future, the government would own GM.

At least its not one of the various "bad" Fiero rumors we have to put up with on a regular basis.

There's a guy on the Chevy Cobalt forum who I've tried to correct (nicely) about the Lotus story, but he won't hear none of it. His "proof"? He says the fact that the Fiero has an independent rear suspension with all-wheel discs proves it. Of course, they all have that!

He's also the same guy who insists the Formula came standard with a 305 V8, and he even went so far as to ridicule the guy who corrected him on it ("Please tell me you just didn't look that up on wikipedia.... Trust me, I know Fieros...").

quote Originally posted by DLCLK87GT: I heard it was alien technology that was reversed engineered by the CIA and sold to GM knowing that in the future, the government would own GM.

That's what I heard too! - It was designed after the landing gear on a "weather ballon" they found in Rosswell New Mexico!

As GM did own Lotus, I'm inclined to believe that Lotus did indeed help with what became the '88 Fiero rear suspension, only I think they did it in '82-'83

Oh for sure! Lotus DID design it! But only on the 78' through 80' model - and those particular years were only sold off world.

Ummmm.... wait... I think I've already said too much....

quote Originally posted by Isolde: As GM did own Lotus, I'm inclined to believe that Lotus did indeed help with what became the '88 Fiero rear suspension, only I think they did it in '82-'83

I thought GM's involvement in Lotus came later, like actually IN 1988, long after the 1988 parts had been designed?

The ad writer may be a used car salesman. If you don't know the facts, it sounds real good. If you
know the facts, ads are intended to get attention and phone calls.

This is interesting because I saw a history of lotus site that credited lotus with "tuning" suspensions on a lot of cars including the fiero, and the MR2. This site also states GM acquired Lotus in 86. So maybe not just a coincidence that the 88 Fiero and STEs share brakes components with Lotus.

quote Originally posted by Scottzilla79: This is interesting because I saw a history of lotus site that credited lotus with "tuning" suspensions on a lot of cars including the fiero, and the MR2. This site also states GM acquired Lotus in 86. So maybe not just a coincidence that the 88 Fiero and STEs share brakes components with Lotus.

Lotus had nothing to do with the Fiero- this is well documented here on the forum by various sources. HyperV6 here on the forum, who is quite the Fiero historian, says he has some info that suggests that Porsche may have been involved in TUNING the '88 front suspension- that's about as exotic as it gets though.

The '88 suspension was designed in-house by GM according to more than one article I've personally read in magazines.

I posted a thread about where the "myth" likely started myself at one time: https://www.fiero.nl/forum/A...100421-1-075068.html

[This message has been edited by FieroFanatic13 (edited 05-20-2010).]

quote Originally posted by fiamma: The ad writer may be a used car salesman. If you don't know the facts, it sounds real good. If you know the facts, ads are intended to get attention and phone calls.

This Lotus story has been around for an awfully long time. Decades.

I beleive this whole myth about the Fiero suspension being designed by Lotus came about after an automotive writer described the 88 suspension as similar to Lotus with equally good handling. The only thing that the foreigners contributed on a design for the Fiero was the Getrag which was still built in the Muncie factory. .

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" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

quote Originally posted by Scottzilla79: This is interesting because I saw a history of lotus site that credited lotus with "tuning" suspensions on a lot of cars including the fiero, and the MR2. This site also states GM acquired Lotus in 86. So maybe not just a coincidence that the 88 Fiero and STEs share brakes components with Lotus.

88 up to early 90s Esprits had Toyota front brakes and Bendix rears. The Toyota brakes just SUCK. Never heard of any involvement in the Fiero (but it's possible) but there was considerable involvement in the LAST iteration of the MR2.
FYI
Heres pics of the last Esprit ever built, a 2004, while it was being built.
Lotus used this basic layout from the early 80s to the end.
Notice a real live tubular spaceframe around the rear suspension and engine area, with a backbone chassis from the firewall area fwd..
Also notice it doesn't look like the Fiero "spaceframe chassis" because the Fiero DOESN'T USE a spaceframe chassis. Sorry about that.
The shiny silver on the chassis is the fresh galvanising (zinc plating).

Front suspension.

Rear suspension.

Everybody knows that the '88 suspension was designed by Lamborghini. Duuuhhhh....

So what about the rear disc brakes on the 84-87s?

134K on the clock and he wants a cash offer? I'll give him a couple of grand for it, if it looks like it's been kept in a Seal-O-Meal bag. Less if it doesn't.

Good luck getting a "collectible" 70's era Firebird or TransAm for that price.

Well, I hate to contradict everyone here, but the truth is:

Lotus did design and build each and every suspension part made in ALL the '88s. I have testiment of British assemblers who are willing to show their callouses of such labor.

Enzo did design the body. The diagrams are lost, much like many of famous paintings of Roman times, but they do exist. (I believe they are still hidden in the crypts of the Egyptian Kings.

Lambourghini did NOT help out at all. They were too busy helping the Miata crew come up with a "less girlie design", which was their only failure in my opinion.

Now, for a fact that not many know... YUGO did help out.... with the exterior door handle design. Does it show????.... NAWWWW!!!!!

Hope this helps!

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Phil
Always trying to create something new!
'88 SE
'86 GT
'87 GT Extreme body mod and 2.8L Turbo Propane powered (in the garage and getting closer to being completed)

quote Originally posted by Gokart Mozart: So what about the rear disc brakes on the 84-87s?

Designed by the "Forward Thinking Engineers" that brought us the Citation, Phoenix, Skylark, and whatever Buick called it. Can't actually remember whether Buick had an X car platform or not. That was 31 years ago.

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Marko.

'85 SE 2M6
Original White paint, with Sunroof
3.65 M17 4 speed = F.U.N. in the Sun.
Whoo hoo, Spring has sprung

The most deluded part is someone might buy it and believe it too.

quote Originally posted by Marko: Designed by the "Forward Thinking Engineers" that brought us the Citation, Phoenix, Skylark, and whatever Buick called it. Can't actually remember whether Buick had an X car platform or not. That was 31 years ago.

* 1980-1985 Buick Skylark
* 1980-1985 Chevrolet Citation
* 1980-1984 Oldsmobile Omega
* 1980-1984 Pontiac Phoenix

and you missed the point. If the Fiero had disc brakes on the rear of 88s because of Lotus, how did the earlier ones get them? flawed logic again