Auction Pick of the Week: 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT
After automotive styling and performance slipped into the 1970s Malaise Era, Pontiac engineers offered a mid-engine, mid-’80s ray of hope: the Fiero. Marketed as an economy car—a claim that didn’t jibe with its sports-car good looks—it took several years before the two-seater’s performance matched its appearance. By then, however, General Motors deemed it too expensive to continue production. That’s unfortunate, because there’s a lot to like about the 1984–88 Fiero, especially the later versions.
As our own Jason Cammisa explains in Episode 27 of his popular Revelations YouTube series, GM’s brass gave Fiero the green light based on the assumption that it would be a gas-sipping commuter. As a result, Pontiac borrowed heavily from GM’s parts bin to keep costs low. Most notably, its front suspension came from GM’s compact rear-wheel-drive Chevette, and the front suspension of GM’s front-drive Chevy Citation/Pontiac Phoenix was repurposed for the rear. The car was compact, rigid, and relatively lightweight; it featured Enduroflex body panels over a steel space frame and weighed around 2600 pounds.
At its launch, the four-speed Fiero—Italian for “proud”—was powered by the 2.5-liter Iron Duke four-cylinder engine, which produced only 92 horses and fit its econo-car label. While Pontiac made tweaks every year to incrementally improve the car, the public yearned for performance to match its styling, and that upgrade arrived in 1985, when the GT model received a 140-hp 2.8-liter V-6 and wider tires. A five-speed manual transmission arrived the following year.
Dogged by a series of early engine fires, the Fiero’s reputation is forever tarnished in the minds of some enthusiasts, but the sports car (econo coupe?) has plenty of fans, too. In fact, the Fiero, the first and only mid-engine production car offered by General Motors until the launch of the C8 Corvette in 2020, has seen its values rise in recent months.
That brings us to this 1986 Fiero GT, which Cammisa drove in his entertaining and insightful Revelations episode. Located in Novato, California, VIN 1G2PG9795GP281348 is finished in black paint with silver accents over a gray cloth interior. Its 2.8-liter V-6 has been upgraded with Hypertech Street Runner tune, Accel 15-pound fuel injectors, and an MSD coil, cap, and wires. It also has upgraded Ravetti 18-inch wheels (originals are included with the purchase of the vehicle).
Purchased in Texas by its current owner in August 2021, the Fiero is equipped with a new air-conditioning compressor, lines, hoses, shocks, struts, steering damper, and cruise control components. It also received a 7-inch Garmin GPS unit with a backup camera, as well as a Delco radio with AM/FM/CD and hands-free Bluetooth capabilities in place of the original radio.
Features include: A/C, rear spoiler, fog lights, pop-up headlights, four-wheel power disc brakes, cruise control, power windows, power door locks, tilt steering wheel, electric rear window defroster, intermittent wipers, and carpeted cargo area.
While a 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT in #2 (Excellent) condition has an average value of just over $10,000, bidding for this one on Hagerty Marketplace has reached $6000 with less than a week remaining.
Will Pontiac’s “We Build Excitement” marketing slogan also describe the auction? We’ll soon find out, as bidding ends Wednesday, September 13 at 3:50 p.m. Eastern Time.
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I always wanted a Fiero in my younger days until I started working on cars and realized what a nightmare they are likely to be to work on
To be honest they are easier to work on than most FWD sedans.
I have worked on a good number of them and they are very easy to work on if you know what you are doing.
Now I have had FWD cars that needed the engine mount removed to replace the belts.
On a car the size of a Fiero, those “upgraded Ravetti 18-inch wheels” look like Conestoga wagon wheels with rubber bands stretched around them.
I really enjoyed Jason Cammisa’s video, and learned quite a bit about the Fiero from it.
I like the look of everything but the wheels. But I’m fond of the original look. I have my mom’s 1986 GT v6 five speed. 90,000 original miles. She bought new in 86. I plan on teaching my girls to drive a stick in that car.
Ah yes those wee buggers can be fun. A close friend learned of 3 – purchased all and had them shipped from Philadelphia to California. I was tempted, but not willing. Within the month I thought I was punished for letting it pass. A woman driving a Fiero made a U turn across four lanes of moving traffic. I was riding a motorcycle. The bike did fairly well. Between it and the Fiero it was messy but close to ridable. Troopers and Medics insisted on a hospital visit.