By Robert Tate, Award-Winning Automotive Historian and Researcher
Images Courtesy of General Motors Heritage Archives
Published 3.5.2025
Pontiac Fiero illustrations (GM Heritage Archives)
General Motor’s Pontiac brand produced many great-looking and successful automotive designs over the years. One of the most iconic automobiles introduced during the 1980s was the Pontiac Fiero.
A Pontiac Fiero magazine ad (GM Heritage Archives)
In 1984, Pontiac advertising exclaimed “We Build Excitement!” That same year, the great-looking Fiero was introduced. The Fiero was manufactured with an innovative space frame to which the body panels were simply bolted on. The body panels were made from Enduraflex, which was a form of a rustproof plastic material. I remember driving a Fiero at the time and noticing how easy it was to drive and turn corners.
The Fiero was a mid-engine sports car made by Pontiac from 1984 to 1988. The word Fiero means “very proud.” From 1984 to 1988, Pontiac sold a total of 370,168 Fiero models.
A poster from a Pontiac Fiero sponsorship (GM Heritage Archives)
The first engine offered for the Fiero was called the “Iron Duke,” with only 92 horsepower and a three-speed automatic transmission. During the days following its introduction, drivers complained that the Fiero was very slow.
The Fiero models were designed under the direction of Bill Hoglund, who became Pontiac’s vice president. He wanted a two-seat sporty commuter car to introduce people to the Pontiac brand. Other members of the Fiero development team were Hulki Aldikacti (October 12, 1933 - March 4, 2013) and George Milidrag (April 29, 1931 - May 17, 2009).
The Pontiac Fiero 1984 Indy 500 pace car (GM Heritage Archives)
For many years, automotive historians have reported that the Fiero design was in direct competition with the Toyota MR2. Historians also said that GM marketed the vehicle as a commuter type of car, however, the Fiero also featured a sports car design theme. The exterior with its wedge shape design featured an appealing style with pop-up headlights. In the beginning, GM leadership did not want the Fiero design to compete with Chevrolet’s popular Corvette.
A rear view of the Pontiac Fiero GT (GM Heritage Archives)
For 1985, Pontiac introduced a more dynamic Fiero GT trim package that made some alterations to the car’s body. The new model changes also included an aero nose trim design, along with a great-looking wing added to the body which most consumers thoroughly enjoyed.
I always thought that the 1986 Fiero GT was a great design concept that represented the Pontiac brand during the 1980s. The engine was finally upgraded to a V-6 with a better performance suspension, which was welcomed by drivers. For 1986, the Pontiac design team elected to change the Fiero body to a very stylish fastback design. This model was introduced to the public during midyear.
The 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT (Mavink.com)
Unfortunately, Pontiac had some production issues with some 1984 Fiero models where a small fire would occur, leading to negative perceptions of the vehicle. The fire began with the connecting rods and a wiring harness that was mounted too close to the exhaust manifolds. GM issued a recall in 1988 for the 1984 Fiero models to fix the problem, then a second recall affecting all Fieros was issued in 1990 to correct a problem causing engine fires.
The Next Generation Pontiac Fiero design, which never went into production (GM Heritage Archives)
In conclusion, the Fiero was a great-looking model which created a buzz among Pontiac enthusiasts. The Fiero was marketed as a “Commuter Car” and was made with manual steering. The next generation Fiero was designed and developed, however, the project was cancelled before it was ready for introduction.
Bibliography
Ruggieri, Lou. “Pontiac Fiero History and FAQ: GM’s most famous failure?” Motor Trend, February 2, 2023.
Bonsall, Thomas E. “Pontiac: The Complete History 1926-1986.” Bookman Publishing, 1985.
Pontiac Fiero, 1984-1988. Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos. Generation 1. Autoevolution/cars, March 2, 2021.