[Shotimes] Re: OT: Pontiac Fiero or is it Firero? :)

[Ron Porter]

I'm not on the V8 list, so this won't get there.....

Sigh......I guess these "conspiracy" stories will NEVER die. NO.....as in
NONE/ZERO/NADA that mfrs will kill a model because it takes sales away from
another model. Not ever true. Anytime anyone reads stuff like that, file it
in the BS receptacle.

Anyway, back to the Fiero. Died because of (1) low sales, and (2) insurance
for the intended audience was too high. For those that were around, you may
recall that insurance companies were lumping all 2-seater cars in the High
Insurance category, and cars like the MR2, Fiero, and even the Civic CRX
were getting nailed on rates. Fiero sales were high in '84, and just kept
dropping. Yes, they really got the car "right" in '88, but it was too late.

FWIW, any article that says "Rumors are because it outperformed the corvette
of the same year in everything but top speed" are absolutely clueless. That
was NEVER the "rumor", nor was it even close in performance......unless you
call 16-flat 1/4 miles and a 125-130 top-end "close" to low 14s and 150+ mph
top end.

Ron Porter

-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net
[mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Donald Mallinson
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2003 6:44 PM
To: v8sho-request@v8sho.com
Cc: v8sho@v8sho.com; SHOtimes Mailing List
Subject: [Shotimes] Re: OT: Pontiac Fiero or is it Firero? :)


I don't think there is much truth to the rumor that the
Fiero got "too close" to the vette, and was killed by Chevy
lobbying. The last year Fiero, WAS the best one ever, much
better suspension (earlier ones had CHEVETTE suspension for
God's sake) and more HP, better styling and it was finally
the car it really should have been from year one.

If that is the case (Killed by Chevy brass), then the Chevy
guys also killed the RX7, MR2, 350Z and the Supra.  All
specialty cars that died about the same time.  It was just a
horrible time for expensive (or even affordable) toys.

Yes, GM wants to keep the Vette the top dog, that is why you
  didn't see the new GTO get the 400 hp motor that Bob Lutz
kicked around.  I am sure he got the "word".  But awful
sales killed the Fiero, not Chevy.

I believe Ron Porter can back me up on this, he owns or has
owned a Fiero, and knows more about them than me.   How
about it Ron?

Don Mallinson


Ian Macoomb wrote:
> Any truth to these quotes:
>
>
> "The 1988's had superior suspension, superior engines, brakes, and wiring,
> so much so that they killed the line.  Rumours are because it outpreformed
> the corvette of the same year in everything but top speed.  Hmm 13G or 53G
> (I'm guessing, I have no idea what corvettes went for back then). "
>
> "Yes this is accurate.
>
> I have this article in Road and Track Magazine.  The car didn't outhandle
> the vette, but was more nimble because of its size.  Additionally, they
> reduced the output of the engine, and put a governer becasue it had a
higher
> top speed - bahaha - and also used half of the gas.  Out accelerated the
car
> in 1/4 times.  Not rocket science, car weighs almost nothing, RWD with
> R-engine setup = good weight distribution.  Becasue of this many people
have
> opted to go with an engine conversion, which makes these cars dengerously
> quick.
>
> THis same issue happened with the Grand National, Cyclone and Typhoon, and
> Camaro  All detuned to not beat the flagship car - Corvette. "
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------
> Ian Macoomb
> '97 ES/BS Taurus SHO
> Ottawa, Ontario
> 1 K&N panel filter,
> -2 passenger seats
> 14.966 @ 91.? mph
> Ontario SHO Club, www.shopower.com
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