In the ‘80s, General Motors built bland sedans designed by committees, right? Wrong. The Fiero was one of those times that GM actually took a chance and belted one out of the park. A mid-engined 2-seat sports car with a killer composite plastic body? That’s not the General Motors most of us know and love. Today, flawless Fieros are closing in on $20K at major auction houses, and the hunt is on for the best of the best. And the best might very well be this one, with a ton of options and showing just 4,345 miles on the clock.

Although it was originally billed as an economy car designed for commuting, by the time this ’88 GT was built, the Fiero was a serious performance machine with a ton of street cred. They are as balanced as many sports cars costing far more, and this car offers plenty of power from the V6, a smooth shifting automatic, BBS-style 15-inch alloy wheels, and a very cool aero body.

The Fiero started out as a mix of GM parts with a unique body and design. Sales took off in 1984 as the first American mid engine volume car ever released. A small number of (mostly four cylinder) Fieros had a “fire” problem, the result of faulty connecting rods and oil dipsticks which read full at a quart low! Poor car, though – this was a case of the media sensationalizing a rare occurrence. The NTHSA has a grand total of 148 reports of engine fires out of a build total of 370,168 cars. For those without a calculator handy that rounds up to 0.004% of production!

All 1984 cars were equipped with the 2.5L TBI four-cylinder engine. The number one complaint of 1984 owners was the lack of power. That changed for 1985 when the GT model was released. It sported the Chevrolet built, Pontiac tuned, multi-port fuel injected 2.8L V6 engine. This high-output version of GM’s regular 2.8 packed 140 BHP and a healthy 170 ft-lbs of torque. This new engine perfectly suited the Fiero – unlike most exotic sports cars it wasn’t “too much” power for the average owner but would still get you down the quarter mile in 15 seconds. The new V6 teamed up with a Muncie 4 speed transmission (the 5 speed Getrag unit would come in late ’86.) The four-cylinder remained basically the same for 1985, except for the 5-speed Isuzu-built transmission that became standard on all manual transmission cars.

For 1988 the Fiero received an entirely new independent suspension as well as much needed vented disc brakes. It was rumored that the new suspension was designed by Lotus, but it was just that: a rumor. The car simply got the suspension Pontiac designers wanted in the first place. Gone were the wimpy Chevette brakes and larger vented discs with bigger calipers went in at all four corners. The front suspension changed slightly, but the changes are evident in turn in. Steering remained manual with lighter inputs needed thanks to the redesigned geometry. The rear engine cradle received a host of changes from unique, stronger knuckles to specific struts to forward trailing links, solid mounts to the body and a rear sway bar on GT models. Bump steer in the rear was virtually eliminated, ending the car’s oversteering tendencies permanently. Even small things were tweaked, such as an improved shift linkage making the manual transmission a genuine pleasure.

Ready for a condition report? This car is just about perfect. Exterior panels are without scratches or paint aberrations (obviously a car with plastic panels will have no dents). Lights and lenses might as well be NOS and there isn’t a single scrape on the front bumper or rockers, thanks to a protective vinyl nose cover and subtle mud flaps. The original staggered 15×6 front and 15×7 rear wheels are perfect and carry 205/60/15 front and 215/60/15 rear Goodyear Eagle GT tires. The undercarriage is nearly perfect, as well.

Mechanically everything is in great order from the gauges to the A/C. Twist the key and the car fires instantly and idles cleanly. The transmission shifts flawlessly, the ride is smooth and sharp, and the car is as tight as it was when it left the assembly line.

Perfect, clean tan cloth seats await your entry. Sure the seating position is low but there’s ample room for larger drivers – Corvette drivers wish for this much room! Power accessories are everywhere: windows, locks, mirrors, cruise, tilt, this car is LOADED. The original owner’s manual, maintenance schedule and even the lug nut key are still with the car. And I hope you still have your old cassettes, since this car carries its factory AM/FM/cassette stereo.

In typical GM fashion, just about the time they got the car right, they killed it. Today, however, 1988 Fiero GTs are almost universally regarded as future collectibles. Only 6800 GT’s were made in ’88, making these last cars as rare as they are cool. Pocket-sized, a blast to drive, and very cool-looking, these cars are future stars, especially when they only have 4300 miles! If you are a Fiero collector or a smart investor looking for a good bet for solid future appreciation, this is the one you want.