This discussion never seems to die , even when the OP didn't ask the question. I guess urban myths go on forever.

In terms of styling, I prefer the 1960s decade where we had streamlined cars like the Jag XKE and the Ferrari Daytona. The change in idiom really came with the early 1970s. In Lamborghini (which I am familiar with as I own a 1969) they went to a totally outre edgy styling with the Countach, something no one had done before.

That was toned down to more conventional lines with the Jalpa and later cars and the pointy nosed idiom with some angled drop behind the driver position became de rigeur - Porsche, Pontiac, Fiat, Isuzu, everyone was doing the same sort of pointy snouted car with mid engine styling, even when they were front engined. Even the British got into the act with the late but unlamented Triumph TR-7 which looked like a rubber snouted flying doorstop, despite the front engine location.

I don't know that one can say that the Fiero, for instance, came from any single car's styling when so many went the same way.

Take a look at an analysis of the Goertz influenced Datsun 240Z, for instance (one of the handful of really good looking bodies to have come from Japan). You can see elements from a half dozen different cars, stuck in a blender and the result worked for a change.

quote Originally posted by IIKool: Well been reading this thread for a couple of days, I have a 1995 issue of High Performance Pontiac mag. that a friend lent me and in there is a article on the Fiero. It state and I quote, A 30 million, fully independent Lotus-designed suspension graced the 1988 Fiero chassis, which finally let the car live up to its performance promise. Shorter spindles, smaller scrub radius, reduction of king pin angle, longer A arm and a 28mm anti-roll bar replaced the Chevette pieces at the nose. A new subframe with different attaching points, a three- link design, lower springs rates and a 22mm anti-roll bar did away with haggard old X car pieces out back

Maybe the Lotus owner attending the car show I was at, read the same article. This was concerning the link to Lotus. Lotus did not have anything to do with the 88 suspension redesign. According to factory press releases, Pontiac spent $20 million redesigning the Fiero suspension for the 88 models. Whether it was $20 or $30 million, it was a poor invenstment since the car was cancelled just a few short months later.

[This message has been edited by Rick 88 (edited 10-26-2011).]

I have always been a big James Bond fan from Goldfinger on and liked the Bond Lotus Espirit cars. Especially the sub Lotus from The Spy Who Loved Me. I never associated the styling design of the first notch back Fieros with a Lotus. For me Fieros were more wedge shaped like the Fiat X 1/9 or the Triumph TR7 Wedge of the late 1970’s. Remember the shape of things to come?

One of the appeals to me styling wise was V8 Archie’s chop-top” Stinger”. Archie’s #007 chop-top. From the front it reminds me a lot of a Lotus. A lot of people have commented that they thought it was a Lotus. The best one was a Lotus owner at a gas station. He couldn’t figure out why I would put a Corvette V8 in my Lotus. I frequently go to Cars & Coffee. Best one was when they tried to direct me to the Lotus parking area. Sorry it’s a Pontiac! The look on their faces was priceless.

Jeff

In my humble opinion if Lotus was owned by GM at the time of the 88 redesign who is to say that there was not some form of collaboration. We will never truly know. If someone wants to place a handling by, designed by, or any other by Lotus on their car let them do it. They might be right.

As for me I will be placing a decal on my car.

Paul

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1988 Fiero
3800SC Series 1 w/5spd Getrag
Lowering Springs
Konis
18's w/Pirellis
Corvette Dash Mod
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum3/HTML/000099.html

1985 GT
1986 Notchie
1987 Notchie