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The Fiero was a noble attempt to help Pontiac stand out from its General Motors brethren, but it flamed out (no pun intended) after just a few years. Could V8 power have saved this small sports car? At least one Fiero owner thought so.
Now up for auction on Cars & Bids, this 1984 Pontiac Fiero has a 4.6-liter Northstar V8 behind its seats, which sends power to the rear wheels through a Porsche five-speed manual transaxle. The recycling doesn’t stop there, though, because the Fiero also features Corvette brakes and rear suspension components, as well as staggered Corvette wheels (17-inch front and 18-inch rear) and HID headlights with strong C5.R vibes.
Cars & Bids
Cars & Bids
Cars & Bids
The Northstar engine was initially used by Cadillac in transverse, front-wheel drive applications. But instead of simply keeping that orientation while mounting the engine at the back of the car instead of the front, the Fiero’s builder installed it longitudinally. That necessitated a foot-long chassis stretch and a reworked rear end that incorporates parts from a third-generation Pontiac Firebird. And while factory-installed Northstar engines were fuel-injected, this is a crate engine fitted with carburetors.
This Fiero is a Canadian-spec car that the seller purchased in October 2022, according to the listing. It’s currently titled in Maryland with unknown mileage owing to a nonfunctional odometer; the seller reports adding approximately 2,000 miles since purchase. The current V8 was installed in 2024, according to the seller. While some items, including spark plugs, carburetor gaskets, and a shift selector cable, have been replaced, outstanding maintenance items include a nonfunctional oil pressure gauge and power mirrors.
Cars & Bids
Cars & Bids
Cars & Bids
Pontiac launched the Fiero for the 1984 model year, initially powered by GM’s Iron Duke four-cylinder engine. A V6 arrived for 1985, and the Fiero received a thorough restyling for 1986, but that wasn’t enough to keep customers interested. Production ended after the 1988 model year. Pontiac would return to the two-seat sports car concept in the early 2000s with the front-engine Solstice, which also received its share of V8 conversions.
While it wasn’t a success, it’s remarkable that the Fiero made it to production at all. Pontiac had tried for a two-seat sports car in the 1960s with the Banshee, but GM brass nixed it for fear of stealing the Corvette’s thunder. A 1980s attempt to revive the GTO also came to naught. Pontiac would get more leeway in the 2000s, only for GM to discontinue the brand as it worked to recover from bankruptcy.
Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he’s not covering all things tech for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.
