I had a 1985 Fiero GT that the person before me had lowered... yeah, a Fiero, lowered. Also he cut out the catalytic convertor and muffler and replaced it with dual baffles - not sure what other mods he did but I think that's it. The car was so low you could sit in the drivers seat, upright, and stick your arm out an open door and touch the ground without leaning over or anything - it was fantastic, except for speed bumps of course, which took basically coming to a stock and having to drive over at an angle. But anywho that car was just so fantastically fun to drive. The car stayed nearly completely flat in the corners and you could do anything, you could be doing 60mphs and just cut the wheel all the way to the left or right and the car would skip sideways on its tires until it caught traction, then it would take off like a cartoon. I've owned some really nice sports cars over the years, Corvettes, a Camaro, a Mustang and sport coupes like Monte Carlo SS, Cadillac's and a BMW 4-series - and that Fiero was still the most fun to drive car I've ever owned - it just stayed stuck to the ground, completely stable and you could do anything in it. It wasn't what a modern driver would say is fast, but with the exhaust and CC gone, it was certainly quicker than stock - but the fun of that car was all in the turns, where again, you could do anything - it felt, exactly, like a big street legal go-kart.
Should have held out for the 88 version. With the Iron Puke and 3spd auto, I out maneuvered a Mitsubishi sports car in Glenwood Springs Canyon, Colo on I70. Just wish I had the Quad 4 and 5 spd in there. There would have been a LOT more victums.
Fiero is not a 'sports' car, but - I bought an 87 Fiero new, drove it about 15 years, put 250k on it before I gave it to my nephew. He drove it until he grew over 6' and needed something bigger. I put on one clutch, one alternator besides tires, brakes, bat, and he later changed wheel bearings and calipers. Only thing I paid to have done was the clutch. A lower percentage of these cars caught fire than the average car, but all right when the first production were sold so it made the news, defective batch of rods I think. Way nicer looking car than MR2. My 87 now has some fade on the original paint, but polished looks the same as the day I bought it. Got it back from my nephew and now my son is driving it. It is a nice looking, economical, fun car.
My sister gave me an 87 mr2 she changed the oil 2 times in 10 years. Normally aspirated.A beater. Fun as hell and got it to 140 mph and backed out got scared.Hard to kill
I had the 1988 Fiero, surprisingly a great car. The toyota supercharged engines are fast I know because I have one on a minivan, imagine on a MR2. But I really find the Fiero GT is so much better looking and it is not a slow car.
I had an 88 Fiero formula 5 speed and a 87 Porsche 944S at the same time. The 944S was more fun at the autocross course, but the Fiero was a better car in every other way. More comfortable to sit in and drive, quieter, more reliable and cheaper and easier to work on. Unfortunately, we sold both when the kids arrived. Nice memories, though.
As the proud owner of a '67 chevelle convertible and a c5 corvette convertible, I loved the mid to late 80's cars from GM. I bought more new cars from them than any other time in my life and I'm 63 now. here is the list: 1985 Pontiac trans am 1986 Chevrolet Z-28 1986 Pontiac sunbird turbo 1987 IROC-Z 1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula 1988 IROC-Z convertible. Lots of fond memories tooling around in those cars. The v8's were my cars, the others were the wifes
Mark A nice my dad also 63 bought a 88 fiero new in 1988 and had a 72 nova ss 73 charger 68 corvette 63 falcon 69 mustang etc he had so many cool cars before I was born.
@@garethcurtis7545 Totally get that. However, the pre-1972 GM was a helluva a company. So many iconic cars. After 1972, its all garbage and I wouldn't buy any of it. In fact, after 1972, I wouldn't take one if someone gave it to me for free. Take a look at the 57 Chevy Bel Air, the 58 Corvette. Iconic cars and badass. th-cam.com/video/v1_KdBr9TgM/w-d-xo.html
The Fiero was killed VERY late in 1988. because the '88 Fiero performed better on the track all around than the '88 Corvette. The redesign would have smoked the 89 Corvette with a 200 hp twin cam 3.4. Since a new corvette was more than 8 years away, GM killed the Fiero.
Nope. More chance the most ridiculous thing ever said, whas when donald Trump told the world that he was the least rascist person in the world. Sort of speak.
As opposed to what? Rockin' the right wing GOP (Greed Over People) extremist view? Such a broad "critical thinker" point of view that one is..... Say it people! YES WE KLAN!! Good for you! LMAO
The Fiero is a very beautiful car. Especially in its original 1984 model 2M4 guise. Any alterations to the original design unbalance the proportions. Consequently, 1984 Fiery looks like a Lotus, whereas any further Fiero alterations don't.
I remember borrowing a friend's MR2 back in the days, and getting in felt like sitting on the ground - not for me. That said, the shifting was buttery smooth. the acceleration was sprite and the handling was tight as hell. All in all, a fun little car...just a bit small for this 6-footer.
Was that music original? If so, I wonder how often they did that back then, wonder if copyright issues in regards to the songs has now kept them from being able to upload some of their older videos.
Have had both MR2s & fieros. Toyota reliability was way ahead of the fiero. GM was caught putting QC reject motors in them; had issues with head gaskets & engine compartment fires. There's a reason Toyota put a fan on the right side to blow fresh air over the exhaust manifold & they put the converter under the rear trunk; to keep under hood temps down. Toyota's 4AGE/4AZGE motors were far better than anything GM could ever build. You get what you paid for as far as build quality.
Road & Track made the exact same comparison, '88 Fiero Formula vs '88 MR2 Supercharged. Except over at R&T they declared 'The Toyota wins everything!'. Like different braking distances? Different noise levels? Cargo space ratings? It's like the only thing MW & R&T agree on are the sticker prices. Smells like bias somewhere to me, but I can't say who (I think it's R&T). Anyway, seems like sales figure determine the real winner. In the entire decade of the 80's (84-88 for Fiero & 85-89 for MR2), Pontiac sold 370k Fieros, and Toyota sold 89k MR2s. For every 1 MR2 that left a dealer lot, Pontiac sold over 4 Fieros. In the '88 model year, 26k Fieros vs 8k MR2s (a 3-to-1 ratio, so a market share improvement for Toyota). If the goal of a car company is to sell cars, then GM dominated, they had over 80% of the US cheapo mid-engine sports car market. Of course, profitability is even more important and "GM cited slumping and sales of the Fiero as the reason for its demise". A Fiero was my first car as a teenager. Some 20 years later I'm still in contact with the cars current owner. Link to the Road & Track article Fiero vs MR2: www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a29440/fiero-formula-vs-mr2-supercharger/
Siry to say even when the MR-2 super charged mk1 had cruel heat issues it handled w a y better than the Fiero Formula. I drove both but didn't buy one or the other cause the upcoming MX-5 Miata kicked both into their places with pitch point handling faster times lower wright and solid trans axle technology.
The Fiero lovers that considered the MR2 too scary near its limits need to grow some ovaries and learn how to drive. It's the far superior car, especially when it comes to inputs and dynamics. I get that the Fiero was cheaper, but this isn't a comparison as much as a massacre. The MR2 is lighter, faster, stiffer, more responsive, better handling, and ended up being more reliable, while also having super subjective aspects like cockpit placement, steering ratio/feedback, shifter feel, et cetera.
I had an '85 GT and it was the most fun to car drive I ever owned, the car had been lowered and the HP increased slightly, but that car stayed stuck to the ground like a vacuum - you could turn it any directly at any speed and the car just went that way, no body lean, no light front end being twitchy, it just turned insanely well. It was such a fantastically fun car to drive - it felt exactly like a big go-kart - in the best way. I test drove a 1990 MR2 (I think it was '90, it was a long time ago) and it didn't have that same joy - and I think it all came from the power steering. That '85 GT didn't have power steering and yeah, at very low speeds you had to put a little muscle into turning but it wasn't a big deal, but at speed you felt the road - directly - and that was fantastic. The MR2 didn't have that road fell at all and frankly the car was so refined it was kind of boring for a small 2-door sports car, sort of like a smaller slower version of a Corvette is probably the best way I could define it - it just wasn't what I expected, it felt kind of big for what should have been something small. I've owned a couple of Corvettes so the comparison there isn't an insult, it just wasn't what I was looking for, I was hoping for something that was more like the GT, a big go-kart that wouldn't break down and perhaps had a bit more power. It had more power but was clearly aimed at a different driver.
I had an AW11 and worked at a GM dealership - I drove a couple Fieros. I was not impressed. It looked and felt like a tacky yank tank. MR2 felt like a proper sports car. Lively handling is preferred in such a car, the Fiero for all it's advantages was set up for the typical American.
supersportimpalass Oh please, the AW11 is a far nicer looking car than the early Fieros. The later Fiero GT's were better, but then the SW20 is gorgeous and outranks it easily. Even then, the AW11 is a decent looking car. "Hideous" is a huge stretch. At least the proportions are correct.
I was driving my 1987 Fiero 2M6 SE Notchback Silver, sunroof, full body kit with large spoiler 2.8l v6 4 speed and 76k miles back in high school. I purchased it for $1,800 in 1993 and I sold it for the same $1,8000 to another student in 1998 after high school. It was AMAZING I LOVE IT STILL, now at 40 years old I have a Yellow 1988 GT T-Top, I just swapped my 56k mile 2.8l with a new crate 3.8l Supercharged making 475HP to a 6 speed transmission. It's not your mom's Fiero that's for sure, It is scary fast. Hello from Colorado
The Fiero could have been Americas version of a pure roadster much like the MX5 Miata is today. Pontiac/ GM just tried to fill to many shoes with one idea. The Fiero would still be here today if GM/Pontiac had just a bit more of common sense.
The music was the choice amongst a lot that bought the car then. Another thing of note was there was 2 speakers on the dash.. And both passenger and drive had another 2 speakers each in the headrest... You could make your ears ring for days.. and it was loud on the outside. The were like enourmous headphones.
Thank you for sharing! I’ve always wanted a Fiero GT ever since I saw them on the road as a child. The classic “driving gloves” at 5:23! 🧤I agree with a lot of the comments tho...(although classic 80s👍)...the dubbed in music is very loud & distracting.
I love older cars nowadays the car and truck industry is totally flooded with alot of different makes and models. Which does make some for some good excitement but I miss the good ole days!
Fieros were not too bad in their last couple yrs of production. But the damage of the early yrs was done, and it just didn't sell all that well. Originally it was supposed to be a commuter thrift mobile using cheap Chevette parts and an Iron Duke 4 rated 90 hp with a 4 speed, someone finally got the idea for a true sports car approach. While the 2.8 V6 never had enough power to do anything seriously, the later 5 speed had better gearing. I have never seen 1 with p/s. Did that ever happen?
1988s were the best. Better suspension & brakes. I had a 84 & an 88 Formula, no comparison. The Fiero was the sharpest car in its era. Not even close. It even looks good today.
I adore the sharp edges/shape of the MR2,....I love the 'plastic/fiberglass' body of the Feiro. The MR2 rusts a lot! But IF I could get an old one now. It would be the NON turbo Toyota of THAT design. It is just so crisp and Toyota quality cant be beat.
I guess the Japanees used British steel in the 80s because they basicual all have the same rust issues of the English cars. A shame really, mechanical they are all bulletproof. Even the turbos go forever.
Very true....but Japans cars made in Japan, and I think these were made in Japan, (like my very first Civic was) ,it was actually from Japan!! The cars FROM Japan lasted forever and not a spot of rust, or a repair!! But Jags. rust in the same spots it seems, all the worst expensive spots. It is a pity, all these nice old classic/fun cars are just rotting away. Unless they are in the dry states, and not up in the 'rust belt'! @@FrightfulAccountant
At 0:10 we see the two side by side..the Toyota is tall & narrow..the Fiero is much lower, the windshield more raked...at 3:36 we see at full cornering, we see the Toyota has unacceptable body roll...at 0:58 we see the Fiero isn't heeling over like the Toy...besides, the trunk of the Fiero could swallow the Toyota in its entirety. Having driven & owned both... as a career "mechanic" for over 20 yrs. the Toyota seemed cheap, gimmicky, " busy bodywork", an extension of the tall, narrow school of body design.. well before the Japanese made decent interiors. The Fiero by comparison is expansive inside, very low to the ground & much more solidly built.
Nick Auns Are you just going to restore it to factory specs, or do some mods...like an engine swap? Remember, any and all stuff you may do to it will not add any resale value to it...years from now. A "mild" well done engine swap will of course add to the thrill factor...if all other things are rather kept stock...but some just can't stop modding their Fieros...making them highly personalized, but unmarketable. Once bored & there isn't anything left to mod...they literally cannot sell them to anyone!
LOL back in 1989 when I was 23 I bought a new Firebird Formula 350 and it had the TPI 350 straight from the Corvette but put out a few hp less due the exhaust changes (obvious market ploy not to impact sales on the more expensive Corvette) and I raced a supercharged MR2 from a light and he beat me by a half car. You could get a manual on the Formula with the TPI 305 V8 but not on the 350 but the manual probably would have made it even. Up to the 80's I was 100% into American muscle cars but that MR2 and my buddies 1992 Civic SI converted me to Honda,Toyota, Porsche and BMW ever since then.
"A green light tells you when the supercharger is working". So if the engine is running and you don't see the light either the bulb burned out or the belt driving the supercharger is broken or the electromagnetic clutch is malfunctioning. Good to know.
I had an '85 GT and I wouldn't say it was ever fast, even with some mods I would say it was fairly quick by 1980s standards, but never fast. But to answer the question it's simply the weight - even though some say the Fiero was "heavy" - the thing weighted around 2600 pounds - and apparently if the MR2 weighed 300 pounds less, now you're talking 2300 pounds, which is insanely light by todays standards. So put a V6 or a supercharged 4 in a car that doesn't weigh that much, you get good performance. I never heard about a Fiero Turbo, but I know from the mod community that the Caddy Northstar V8 was an engine that fit perfectly into the Fiero engine bay and was a very popular upgrade in the 90s. I believe the Northstar V8 put out around 300hp, so you're talking a massive upgrade there. But to me, having owned a Fiero, the thing I loved about it was how fun it was drive. The Fiero I had was a bit modified by the prior owner and I'm not sure what all they did, but I do know they lowered the car along with upping the horsepower, and man, that car didn't have any issues staying stuck to the ground and going exactly where you pointed it. I've read the Fiero, and I'd assume the MR2 as well, have light front ends that would get scary if pushed and the cars would easily spin, but I never had that issue. But anyways these cars weren't really about speed, they were totally about the joy of driving, and at least the Fiero I owned had that.
Edgar Garcia Yeah I should have kept mine - it wasn't running as I cracked the engine manifold or something but for what I sold it for I should have kept it until I had more money then swapped out the engine, done a northstar V8 conversion or something. I don't really see these anymore - and I'm not sure 20 years later I would find the car as charming, but still, it was just a fantastically fun car to drive.
Typical of GM during the reign of Roger-I FUBARED GM-Smith. Kill the Fiero after only 4 Goddamn years, and after spending money on a whole new suspension. This car COULD have gotten some "power by Buick" in the form of the late lamented G-Body GN turbo or the coming 3800SC. What a dirty damn shame as to what happened to the Fiero- and GM as a whole.
Some people have done ls4 5.3 swaps from the Impala SS. That would make for a fast straight line car. I wouldn't mind a 2.8L 5 speed with a turbo. I'm sure you could get an honest 300hp out of that engine.
Michel Foshee Close but not quite: the S/C in the MR2 has a built in electromagnetic clutch that can disconnect when not needed - allowing for superior fuel economy.
The standard fiero S.E. had a cobbled together chevet suspension so the average one most people bought handled like dog sh*t. The Formula and G.T. were pontiac engineered. supposedly. So go figure the image was bad. Pontiac couldn't commit to a full line of decent cars. The (not exactly) italian styling of the S.E. didn't help either. Still, a really fun car.
I would have chosen the Fiero too. But in the last minute, the guy says that Pontiac has managed to lift up the quality/reliability up to "acceptable". Hmm.... That is not good. Especially not against a Japanese car....
Yeah I guess from the mid 70s on American car industry got in a negative circle. As much as I like the greatest of the american motor industry, there is no denaial in the fact that from the 80s on the Germans and the Japanees were beating the Americans as if it was WW2. A thing that continuous up to now, as there are very very little american cars we here in Europe even would consider to buy. The Pontiac Fiero is in my opinion among the best American designs of the day and, unlike most of its 80s and 90s counterparts, it was the sort of 'live in the fast line' glamish car that could put a smile on your face. Like a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado and very unlike a 1979 Ford LTD... It's pitty the Fiero came with so much initial problems, as this was one of the few cars that could had saved the american motor industry.
Yes it did, the '87 and '88 GT had it. Having owned a Fiero I loved not having power steering - sure you needed effort at low speeds to turn, but at speed the steering was fantastic, you felt everything, in a good way, as in the car felt like it was an extension of yourself.
David Robinson Wow, I owned a Fiero for years, a 85 GT, and I swore they added power steering to the options list in 87 and 88, but you're right - it was planned but never actually made it into production. I hated the idea of power steering in the Fiero as the road feel was so fantastically good in the car and even at very low speeds, or stopped, with no power steering the car didn't take a lot of effort to turn - even with wider tires installed on mine. Overboosted, or even lightly boosted, power steering always seemed like something just aimed at women. Anyways sorry about that, you're completely correct.
I have to disagree, my parents made me get a MR2 over the fiero, the MR2 handled dangerous bad at high speeds I redid the suspension and it still was a death trap.... my MR2 was suicidal”sold it out of frustration” and bought a fiero it was bad at first “not as bad as the suicidal MR2” Did a few suspension upgrades and the fiero handled well...I WILL NEVER GET ANOTHER MR2!
Love how GM finally got it right, then killed it. It received a 5-speed manual gearbox WAY too late.
+whoohaaXL Why GM and Pontiac are the forces they are in the industry today
Haha Pontiac hasn't been a force for over a decade
@@mkIIIsupras Pontiac hasn't existed in over a decade.
was the guy saying anything about the cars? I couldn't hear anything over ratt.
Ratt and aplhaville
surely Motorweek didn't originally have Ratt playing in the background on this video!
Intolerable!
Nah. No music at all.
When the music stopped a few times, you could tell it wasn't original. Maryland Public Television would never have done such a thing.
I think they must have lost this episode and had to resort to a home video recording or something. The video quality is worse than normal.
I had a 1985 Fiero GT that the person before me had lowered... yeah, a Fiero, lowered. Also he cut out the catalytic convertor and muffler and replaced it with dual baffles - not sure what other mods he did but I think that's it. The car was so low you could sit in the drivers seat, upright, and stick your arm out an open door and touch the ground without leaning over or anything - it was fantastic, except for speed bumps of course, which took basically coming to a stock and having to drive over at an angle. But anywho that car was just so fantastically fun to drive. The car stayed nearly completely flat in the corners and you could do anything, you could be doing 60mphs and just cut the wheel all the way to the left or right and the car would skip sideways on its tires until it caught traction, then it would take off like a cartoon. I've owned some really nice sports cars over the years, Corvettes, a Camaro, a Mustang and sport coupes like Monte Carlo SS, Cadillac's and a BMW 4-series - and that Fiero was still the most fun to drive car I've ever owned - it just stayed stuck to the ground, completely stable and you could do anything in it. It wasn't what a modern driver would say is fast, but with the exhaust and CC gone, it was certainly quicker than stock - but the fun of that car was all in the turns, where again, you could do anything - it felt, exactly, like a big street legal go-kart.
Should have held out for the 88 version. With the Iron Puke and 3spd auto, I out maneuvered a Mitsubishi sports car in Glenwood Springs Canyon, Colo on I70. Just wish I had the Quad 4 and 5 spd in there. There would have been a LOT more victums.
Was it underground?
So 80's! Loved every minute of this video.
Oh my God! Who's bright idea was it to dub "hair" rock music over the video? I can't hear the guy speak.
If you like a Fierro, you should like Ratt as well!
+FrightfulAccountant I loved the RATT music. Made the video.
@@FrightfulAccountantif only it wasn't louder than the announcer and drowning him out. Learn some sound mixing skills
Fiero is not a 'sports' car, but - I bought an 87 Fiero new, drove it about 15 years, put 250k on it before I gave it to my nephew. He drove it until he grew over 6' and needed something bigger. I put on one clutch, one alternator besides tires, brakes, bat, and he later changed wheel bearings and calipers. Only thing I paid to have done was the clutch. A lower percentage of these cars caught fire than the average car, but all right when the first production were sold so it made the news, defective batch of rods I think. Way nicer looking car than MR2. My 87 now has some fade on the original paint, but polished looks the same as the day I bought it. Got it back from my nephew and now my son is driving it. It is a nice looking, economical, fun car.
Ratt and Alphaville... I see you. Big in Japan for the Japanese car and Lay it Down for the American car LOL Love it
My sister gave me an 87 mr2 she changed the oil 2 times in 10 years. Normally aspirated.A beater. Fun as hell and got it to 140 mph and backed out got scared.Hard to kill
A non supercharged mr2 140 mph!!!! 🤨
Good GOD!!!! why did you dub that music in?! I cant hear Mr Davis!
My dad bought an 88 pontiac fiero brand-new in 1988.
RATT n fiero, classic 80s
"Lay It Down"!!!
Ratt n Roll
Invasion of Your Privacy one of the great album covers
I'd take either one and have a blast even 35 years later.
Had to abort watching this is as the dubbed in soundtrack was so annoying.
I LOVED IT!!! RATT lay it down. perfect with the car. Totally 80s
+Richard Herzog is a douche bag.
+Judge Dredd And because of what? That he was young in the 80s? That he likes Ratt? Or that he drives a Fiero?
Judge Dredd OK child with a small brain
Richard Herzog Good one buddy
What's with the distracting background music!?
Not a fan of "Lay it down" by Ratt, eh? Great Drop-D song to play on guitar.
+whoohaaXL The music rocks.
Yeah... would much rather hear the engine/exhaust...
Will you PLEASE turn off that kiddy music in the background!
I still want a Fiero
I had the 1988 Fiero, surprisingly a great car. The toyota supercharged engines are fast I know because I have one on a minivan, imagine on a MR2. But I really find the Fiero GT is so much better looking and it is not a slow car.
Nice touch with Alphaville "Big in Japan" during the segment for the MR2.
I had an 88 Fiero formula 5 speed and a 87 Porsche 944S at the same time. The 944S was more fun at the autocross course, but the Fiero was a better car in every other way. More comfortable to sit in and drive, quieter, more reliable and cheaper and easier to work on. Unfortunately, we sold both when the kids arrived. Nice memories, though.
As the proud owner of a '67 chevelle convertible and a c5 corvette convertible, I loved the mid to late 80's cars from GM. I bought more new cars from them than any other time in my life and I'm 63 now. here is the list:
1985 Pontiac trans am
1986 Chevrolet Z-28
1986 Pontiac sunbird turbo
1987 IROC-Z
1988 Pontiac Fiero Formula
1988 IROC-Z convertible.
Lots of fond memories tooling around in those cars. The v8's were my cars, the others were the wifes
Mark A nice my dad also 63 bought a 88 fiero new in 1988 and had a 72 nova ss 73 charger 68 corvette 63 falcon 69 mustang etc he had so many cool cars before I was born.
Try driving something decent mate, you'll probably crap yourself and wonder what on earth you were thinking.
@@garethcurtis7545 I will give him this. That 67 Chevelle is bad ass. Everything else though on his list is pure garbage.
@@christschool yeah it's OK. Still personally couldn't every purchase a GM product myself.
@@garethcurtis7545 Totally get that. However, the pre-1972 GM was a helluva a company. So many iconic cars. After 1972, its all garbage and I wouldn't buy any of it. In fact, after 1972, I wouldn't take one if someone gave it to me for free. Take a look at the 57 Chevy Bel Air, the 58 Corvette. Iconic cars and badass. th-cam.com/video/v1_KdBr9TgM/w-d-xo.html
Ratt are freakin' cool! But the music is just too high! :-(
Have an 88 Fiero that runs great. I have plans for it. I'm going to put on corvette brakes and a Cadillac V6. It should perform great.
Brakes my friend..
I hope that Corvette doesn't break too often lol
Cadillac v8 is what you mean. The allante engine is the best choice at 200hp and lightweight. Those fires fly with this mod!
@@stevesilvas9059 nope breaks is correct in regard to GM.. so how's that northstar swap gone? Badly I can assume.
Wow what a bunch of pricks ☝🏻
Must be nice to have a Fiero with power steering.
The Fiero was killed VERY late in 1988. because the '88 Fiero performed better on the track all around than the '88 Corvette. The redesign would have smoked the 89 Corvette with a 200 hp twin cam 3.4. Since a new corvette was more than 8 years away, GM killed the Fiero.
True...power to weight way better and mid-engine better at limits.
If they had used the supercharged 3.8 ltr Buick v6 from the GNX
PONTIAC would have killed the Corvette!
Yes.. 100% correct.
OMFG! Get rid of that crap music. I can't even hear the host!
People calling this music crap, shouldn't be bothered watching cars of this era...
In the history of all of man kind, that is the most ridiculous thing ever said!
Nope. More chance the most ridiculous thing ever said, whas when donald Trump told the world that he was the least rascist person in the world.
Sort of speak.
So not only are you ridiculous but a left wing extremist as well.
As opposed to what? Rockin' the right wing GOP (Greed Over People) extremist view? Such a broad "critical thinker" point of view that one is..... Say it people! YES WE KLAN!! Good for you! LMAO
The Fiero is a very beautiful car. Especially in its original 1984 model 2M4 guise. Any alterations to the original design unbalance the proportions. Consequently, 1984 Fiery looks like a Lotus, whereas any further Fiero alterations don't.
lol wut
Andrew Piatek, is true. Fiero is very beautifull and great car.
I remember borrowing a friend's MR2 back in the days, and getting in felt like sitting on the ground - not for me. That said, the shifting was buttery smooth. the acceleration was sprite and the handling was tight as hell. All in all, a fun little car...just a bit small for this 6-footer.
Was that music original? If so, I wonder how often they did that back then, wonder if copyright issues in regards to the songs has now kept them from being able to upload some of their older videos.
Have had both MR2s & fieros. Toyota reliability was way ahead of the fiero. GM was caught putting QC reject motors in them; had issues with head gaskets & engine compartment fires. There's a reason Toyota put a fan on the right side to blow fresh air over the exhaust manifold & they put the converter under the rear trunk; to keep under hood temps down. Toyota's 4AGE/4AZGE motors were far better than anything GM could ever build. You get what you paid for as far as build quality.
They should have put the high output quad 4 in the fiero.
Road & Track made the exact same comparison, '88 Fiero Formula vs '88 MR2 Supercharged. Except over at R&T they declared 'The Toyota wins everything!'. Like different braking distances? Different noise levels? Cargo space ratings? It's like the only thing MW & R&T agree on are the sticker prices. Smells like bias somewhere to me, but I can't say who (I think it's R&T).
Anyway, seems like sales figure determine the real winner. In the entire decade of the 80's (84-88 for Fiero & 85-89 for MR2), Pontiac sold 370k Fieros, and Toyota sold 89k MR2s. For every 1 MR2 that left a dealer lot, Pontiac sold over 4 Fieros. In the '88 model year, 26k Fieros vs 8k MR2s (a 3-to-1 ratio, so a market share improvement for Toyota). If the goal of a car company is to sell cars, then GM dominated, they had over 80% of the US cheapo mid-engine sports car market. Of course, profitability is even more important and "GM cited slumping and sales of the Fiero as the reason for its demise".
A Fiero was my first car as a teenager. Some 20 years later I'm still in contact with the cars current owner.
Link to the Road & Track article Fiero vs MR2:
www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a29440/fiero-formula-vs-mr2-supercharger/
had the fiero had gotten the turbo 3.8 from GN or it’s big bro the TA...geeeezuz!!!
Siry to say even when the MR-2 super charged mk1 had cruel heat issues it handled w a y better than the Fiero Formula.
I drove both but didn't buy one or the other cause the upcoming MX-5 Miata kicked both into their places with pitch point handling faster times lower wright and solid trans axle technology.
Did the Fiero have exposed screw holes in the dashboard ?
Those were hex head fasteners... a styling trend in the 80s.
The Fiero lovers that considered the MR2 too scary near its limits need to grow some ovaries and learn how to drive. It's the far superior car, especially when it comes to inputs and dynamics.
I get that the Fiero was cheaper, but this isn't a comparison as much as a massacre. The MR2 is lighter, faster, stiffer, more responsive, better handling, and ended up being more reliable, while also having super subjective aspects like cockpit placement, steering ratio/feedback, shifter feel, et cetera.
I had an '85 GT and it was the most fun to car drive I ever owned, the car had been lowered and the HP increased slightly, but that car stayed stuck to the ground like a vacuum - you could turn it any directly at any speed and the car just went that way, no body lean, no light front end being twitchy, it just turned insanely well. It was such a fantastically fun car to drive - it felt exactly like a big go-kart - in the best way. I test drove a 1990 MR2 (I think it was '90, it was a long time ago) and it didn't have that same joy - and I think it all came from the power steering. That '85 GT didn't have power steering and yeah, at very low speeds you had to put a little muscle into turning but it wasn't a big deal, but at speed you felt the road - directly - and that was fantastic. The MR2 didn't have that road fell at all and frankly the car was so refined it was kind of boring for a small 2-door sports car, sort of like a smaller slower version of a Corvette is probably the best way I could define it - it just wasn't what I expected, it felt kind of big for what should have been something small. I've owned a couple of Corvettes so the comparison there isn't an insult, it just wasn't what I was looking for, I was hoping for something that was more like the GT, a big go-kart that wouldn't break down and perhaps had a bit more power. It had more power but was clearly aimed at a different driver.
I'd pick the MR2 of course....
I had an AW11 and worked at a GM dealership - I drove a couple Fieros. I was not impressed. It looked and felt like a tacky yank tank. MR2 felt like a proper sports car. Lively handling is preferred in such a car, the Fiero for all it's advantages was set up for the typical American.
Lol and you forgot nobody in their right mind spent $19k in 1988 on a car that was as hideous as the MR2.
supersportimpalass Oh please, the AW11 is a far nicer looking car than the early Fieros. The later Fiero GT's were better, but then the SW20 is gorgeous and outranks it easily. Even then, the AW11 is a decent looking car. "Hideous" is a huge stretch. At least the proportions are correct.
Not a fan of the random hair metal. Can we have a non-glam version?
I was driving my 1987 Fiero 2M6 SE Notchback Silver, sunroof, full body kit with large spoiler 2.8l v6 4 speed and 76k miles back in high school. I purchased it for $1,800 in 1993 and I sold it for the same $1,8000 to another student in 1998 after high school. It was AMAZING I LOVE IT STILL, now at 40 years old I have a Yellow 1988 GT T-Top, I just swapped my 56k mile 2.8l with a new crate 3.8l Supercharged making 475HP to a 6 speed transmission. It's not your mom's Fiero that's for sure, It is scary fast. Hello from Colorado
Love the retro review!! Perhaps the music could be muted while they are talking lol.
The Fiero could have been Americas version of a pure roadster much like the MX5 Miata is today. Pontiac/ GM just tried to fill to many shoes with one idea. The Fiero would still be here today if GM/Pontiac had just a bit more of common sense.
That's a GREAT IDEA! If they brought back the fiero or the mr2 it would be a massive hit!
The music was the choice amongst a lot that bought the car then. Another thing of note was there was 2 speakers on the dash.. And both passenger and drive had another 2 speakers each in the headrest... You could make your ears ring for days.. and it was loud on the outside. The were like enourmous headphones.
Thank you for sharing! I’ve always wanted a Fiero GT ever since I saw them on the road as a child. The classic “driving gloves” at 5:23! 🧤I agree with a lot of the comments tho...(although classic 80s👍)...the dubbed in music is very loud & distracting.
Yeah the music is loud but still I would love to own either of these cars
GM should have continued production of Fieros.
I love older cars nowadays the car and truck industry is totally flooded with alot of different makes and models. Which does make some for some good excitement but I miss the good ole days!
Note to all TH-cam video creators: stop putting annoying and awful music in the background of videos. Just stop.
They totally left out the fact that the MR2 has T-Tops
Fieros were not too bad in their last couple yrs of production. But the damage of the early yrs was done, and it just didn't sell all that well. Originally it was supposed to be a commuter thrift mobile using cheap Chevette parts and an Iron Duke 4 rated 90 hp with a 4 speed, someone finally got the idea for a true sports car approach. While the 2.8 V6 never had enough power to do anything seriously, the later 5 speed had better gearing. I have never seen 1 with p/s. Did that ever happen?
Electropower steering was put into some 88s then recalled. There are 2 modules left known to exist.
1988s were the best. Better suspension & brakes. I had a 84 & an 88 Formula, no comparison.
The Fiero was the sharpest car in its era. Not even close. It even looks good today.
what he was trying to say is, the MR2 is better for people who aren't fat and can drive.
Here's a link to the video without the shitty music:
th-cam.com/video/5_fqWQzpzlU/w-d-xo.html
GP1138 Than you.
Thank you! You are God sent!
Thanks for the video, though music was too loud and distracting
What's with the music?
It was too late. One of over two dozen models fallen victim to GM's stellar 80s management. But at least that bad management gave us the '88.
What a roast, and then they killed it! RIP fiero
I adore the sharp edges/shape of the MR2,....I love the 'plastic/fiberglass' body of the Feiro. The MR2 rusts a lot! But IF I could get an old one now. It would be the NON turbo Toyota of THAT design. It is just so crisp and Toyota quality cant be beat.
I guess the Japanees used British steel in the 80s because they basicual all have the same rust issues of the English cars. A shame really, mechanical they are all bulletproof. Even the turbos go forever.
Very true....but Japans cars made in Japan, and I think these were made in Japan, (like my very first Civic was) ,it was actually from Japan!! The cars FROM Japan lasted forever and not a spot of rust, or a repair!! But Jags. rust in the same spots it seems, all the worst expensive spots.
It is a pity, all these nice old classic/fun cars are just rotting away. Unless they are in the dry states, and not up in the 'rust belt'! @@FrightfulAccountant
At 0:10 we see the two side by side..the Toyota is tall & narrow..the Fiero is much lower, the windshield more raked...at 3:36 we see at full cornering, we see the Toyota has unacceptable body roll...at 0:58 we see the Fiero isn't heeling over like the Toy...besides, the trunk of the Fiero could swallow the Toyota in its entirety. Having driven & owned both... as a career "mechanic" for over 20 yrs. the Toyota seemed cheap, gimmicky, " busy bodywork", an extension of the tall, narrow school of body design.. well before the Japanese made decent interiors. The Fiero by comparison is expansive inside, very low to the ground & much more solidly built.
Ricardo Ellison I have a 88 fiero formula that I’m gonna fix
Nick Auns Are you just going to restore it to factory specs, or do some mods...like an engine swap? Remember, any and all stuff you may do to it will not add any resale value to it...years from now. A "mild" well done engine swap will of course add to the thrill factor...if all other things are rather kept stock...but some just can't stop modding their Fieros...making them highly personalized, but unmarketable. Once bored & there isn't anything left to mod...they literally cannot sell them to anyone!
Ricardo Ellison just back to factory for now and in a few years maybe a engine swap
Agree...I HAD AN 85 V6 GT Fiero back then.
Oh man, this post 😂😂😂
LOL back in 1989 when I was 23 I bought a new Firebird Formula 350 and it had the TPI 350 straight from the Corvette but put out a few hp less due the exhaust changes (obvious market ploy not to impact sales on the more expensive Corvette) and I raced a supercharged MR2 from a light and he beat me by a half car. You could get a manual on the Formula with the TPI 305 V8 but not on the 350 but the manual probably would have made it even. Up to the 80's I was 100% into American muscle cars but that MR2 and my buddies 1992 Civic SI converted me to Honda,Toyota, Porsche and BMW ever since then.
respect folks 80s car then 80s rock
Would anyone know the paint code for the white gt fiero?
Don't know the paint code but it would be called GM 1988 "Bright White"
Does anybody like the Fiero in an automatic?
"A green light tells you when the supercharger is working". So if the engine is running and you don't see the light either the bulb burned out or the belt driving the supercharger is broken or the electromagnetic clutch is malfunctioning. Good to know.
Whats with the loud music ?
3:40 "and you hear every decibel" music gets LOUDER
The Toy costs 50% more than the Fiero. And only 3000 less than a Corvette back then. That's a lotta chedda yo!
That's pretty bad power for a V6. 135hp? The MR2 without a supercharger was a 130hp.1600cc 4 cyl.
I wonder how they got those cars to go that fast. I know that there were plans for Fiero to get a turbo, but it never got there.
I had an '85 GT and I wouldn't say it was ever fast, even with some mods I would say it was fairly quick by 1980s standards, but never fast. But to answer the question it's simply the weight - even though some say the Fiero was "heavy" - the thing weighted around 2600 pounds - and apparently if the MR2 weighed 300 pounds less, now you're talking 2300 pounds, which is insanely light by todays standards. So put a V6 or a supercharged 4 in a car that doesn't weigh that much, you get good performance. I never heard about a Fiero Turbo, but I know from the mod community that the Caddy Northstar V8 was an engine that fit perfectly into the Fiero engine bay and was a very popular upgrade in the 90s. I believe the Northstar V8 put out around 300hp, so you're talking a massive upgrade there. But to me, having owned a Fiero, the thing I loved about it was how fun it was drive. The Fiero I had was a bit modified by the prior owner and I'm not sure what all they did, but I do know they lowered the car along with upping the horsepower, and man, that car didn't have any issues staying stuck to the ground and going exactly where you pointed it. I've read the Fiero, and I'd assume the MR2 as well, have light front ends that would get scary if pushed and the cars would easily spin, but I never had that issue. But anyways these cars weren't really about speed, they were totally about the joy of driving, and at least the Fiero I owned had that.
I agree. I wish I never sold my 86. If it wasn't for the money and space I would still have that. I miss it.
Edgar Garcia
Yeah I should have kept mine - it wasn't running as I cracked the engine manifold or something but for what I sold it for I should have kept it until I had more money then swapped out the engine, done a northstar V8 conversion or something. I don't really see these anymore - and I'm not sure 20 years later I would find the car as charming, but still, it was just a fantastically fun car to drive.
Oh but it was to late for the fiero... and the mr2 lived on
what is the second song that is playing? It sounds familiar but I can't quite place it.
The synth tune is Alphaville - Big in Japan. The rock tune is RATT - Lay it down.
I Love the 80s ;-)
its hard to hear what john was saying, due to ratt too loud in the background.dont get me wrong.ratt was great, but this isnt a ratt video.
A full second slower to 60mph is a LOT slower,
There rocking out lay it down from Ratt. What an excellent song from back in the day
if only pontiac used the 4.3 of that era, 200hp , massive torque
Typical of GM during the reign of Roger-I FUBARED GM-Smith. Kill the Fiero after only 4 Goddamn years, and after spending money on a whole new suspension. This car COULD have gotten some "power by Buick" in the form of the late lamented G-Body GN turbo or the coming 3800SC. What a dirty damn shame as to what happened to the Fiero- and GM as a whole.
They hoped it wasn't too late, well it was.
When a mullet in a fiero was the shit in the 80s. Top gun looking
I lol'd when they turned on the radio XD
The MR 2 better win every catagory or Toyota needs to commit Hari Kari.
Had a Fierro GT While in college in the 80's... Fun, but not fast... liked it. Not even close to my GT86 as far-as Handling through.
Some people have done ls4 5.3 swaps from the Impala SS. That would make for a fast straight line car. I wouldn't mind a 2.8L 5 speed with a turbo. I'm sure you could get an honest 300hp out of that engine.
I think it's funny how the music is shitty edited in the video.
"Power steering is delayed until late spring"
Oh no....
Love the "Ratt" background music!!!
RATT,.. round and round. is my fave.
Music ruined it
Definitely see who the 80s kids are in the comments
the colors messed me up, im not used to seeing white Fieros
LMFAO, .....the MR2 has a light to let you know the supercharger is working. Umm, it's belt driven, sooooo if the engine is running, IT IS WORKING.
Michel Foshee Close but not quite: the S/C in the MR2 has a built in electromagnetic clutch that can disconnect when not needed - allowing for superior fuel economy.
Much the same way your ac works, but in truth, it’s just one more thing to break. Although I have no idea how often it did.
@@Domino81 Supposedly they were just as trouble free. Only catch is to check the oil for the charger.
The standard fiero S.E. had a cobbled together chevet suspension so the average one most people bought handled like dog sh*t. The Formula and G.T. were pontiac engineered. supposedly. So go figure the image was bad. Pontiac couldn't commit to a full line of decent cars. The (not exactly) italian styling of the S.E. didn't help either. Still, a really fun car.
Toyota embarrassed the Fiero to the point that Pontiac cancelled it and Toyota came out with an 2nd gen. It's not rocket science, GM sucks.
Just like that GEICO commercial, this video also has a ratt problem.
The toyota MR-2 is good cars no problem electronic.
I would have chosen the Fiero too. But in the last minute, the guy says that Pontiac has managed to lift up the quality/reliability up to "acceptable". Hmm.... That is not good. Especially not against a Japanese car....
Yeah I guess from the mid 70s on American car industry got in a negative circle. As much as I like the greatest of the american motor industry, there is no denaial in the fact that from the 80s on the Germans and the Japanees were beating the Americans as if it was WW2. A thing that continuous up to now, as there are very very little american cars we here in Europe even would consider to buy.
The Pontiac Fiero is in my opinion among the best American designs of the day and, unlike most of its 80s and 90s counterparts, it was the sort of 'live in the fast line' glamish car that could put a smile on your face. Like a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado and very unlike a 1979 Ford LTD...
It's pitty the Fiero came with so much initial problems, as this was one of the few cars that could had saved the american motor industry.
+Ronald de Rooij My 88 has apparently been very reliable. It still runs, and great.
+corvusala Lucky bastard! I am jealous.
+FrightfulAccountant I agree.
That background music is way too loud.
4:50 That's not was on that station that day. That was a disco station. I'm no trump. This review is fake.
The MR2 80s music was Alphaville, Big In Japan.
Thanks..i was wondering that!!!
I wonder if this has stupid music added at the worst possible times on the official motorweek channel
The formula was amazing to drive! Just a smaller Firebird with comparable speed and handling!
Fiero never came with power steering.
Yes it did, the '87 and '88 GT had it. Having owned a Fiero I loved not having power steering - sure you needed effort at low speeds to turn, but at speed the steering was fantastic, you felt everything, in a good way, as in the car felt like it was an extension of yourself.
Nope sorry, it was developed for the 89 which never made it to production.
David Robinson
Wow, I owned a Fiero for years, a 85 GT, and I swore they added power steering to the options list in 87 and 88, but you're right - it was planned but never actually made it into production. I hated the idea of power steering in the Fiero as the road feel was so fantastically good in the car and even at very low speeds, or stopped, with no power steering the car didn't take a lot of effort to turn - even with wider tires installed on mine. Overboosted, or even lightly boosted, power steering always seemed like something just aimed at women.
Anyways sorry about that, you're completely correct.
No problem, I wish they had continued production
Fiero ALL day!!!!
Fiero rocks
Fiero looks better but the mr2 is clearly the better car
I have to disagree, my parents made me get a MR2 over the fiero, the MR2 handled dangerous bad at high speeds I redid the suspension and it still was a death trap.... my MR2 was suicidal”sold it out of frustration” and bought a fiero it was bad at first “not as bad as the suicidal MR2”
Did a few suspension upgrades and the fiero handled well...I WILL NEVER GET ANOTHER MR2!