Behind the Wheel: Building excitement: Fans celebrate the Pontiac Fiero’s 40th anniversary

PONTIAC — Forty years ago, the Pontiac Fiero drove off the lot for the first time and found its niche in the sports car community.

Although the two-seater car was only in production for five years, from 1983 to 1988, there are still Pontiac Fiero owners nationwide.

To acknowledge the 40-year anniversary of the Pontiac Fiero this year, a celebration will be held July 12-16 in Pontiac. Presented by M1 Concourse, the celebration will bring home the last Pontiacs made in Pontiac, including the very last car ever produced there — a 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT.

Other cars that will be on-site include PPG Pace Cars, the 2+2 Fiero prototype, other Fiero prototypes and special cars from the GM Heritage Center collection.

There will be a collection of Fiero vehicles on display. Members of the Pontiac Motorsports Division, Pontiac Design Studio and Pontiac Engineering are expected to attend.

The Pontiac Transportation Museum, also a sponsor of the event, will collect oral history testimonies to document individual stories. The three original 1984 Indy Pace Cars are confirmed to be at the event, marking the first time all three cars have been together since race day nearly 40 years ago.

Event organizers have set aside July 15 to hold a special reunion for all the employees who once worked on the Fiero. The Fiero Project Reunion will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Auburn Hills Marriott in Pontiac.

The Midwest Fiero Clubs Region of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) is reaching out to all past workers — from plant workers to project engineers — to attend. Former employees are welcome to attend the Distinguished Speaker event at the Crofoot Ballroom Hall on July 13.

 

‘We share our interests, passions and friendships.’
Jennifer Goss and Fred Bartemeyer are co-chairing the anniversary celebration.

“We’d like to get the word out about the event,” said Goss, who resides in Staunton, Virginia. “The reunion is to gather and to reminisce.”

So far, 25 people — including people from Washington state, New England and Arizona — have responded, but organizers hope to attract many more.

Goss, who will be in attendance, grew up in a family of Fiero enthusiasts.

“It’s always been a fun sports car that has a great community,” Goss said.

Her dad, Jim Gilbert, even won his own black Fiero after participating in a contest.

“He was very excited,” Goss remembered of her dad, who died in 2020. “He loved the car.”

Her dad’s winning car is now a keepsake.

“I still have it,” Goss said.

There are still Fiero buffs in the U.S. and around the world who have hung onto their cars from the ’80s and are collectors like Goss and her husband, who have eight Fieros.

“It brings back memories of earlier times in their lives,” Goss said. “The young people, they know how timeless they are. The Fiero has aged well.”

The Midwest Fiero Clubs Region AACA current members include Heartland Fiero Club; Michigan Fiero Club; Wisconsin Fiero Fanatics; Mid-Atlantic Fiero Owners Association; Northern Illinois Fiero Enthusiasts; Kansas City Fiero Owners Group; Minnesota Fieros Forever; Midwest Fieros; North Texas Fiero Club; and Mid-America Fieros. The 10 clubs collaborate to promote and preserve the Pontiac Fiero and the Fiero Community.

“We share our interests, passions and friendships,” said Bartemeyer, Midwest Fiero Clubs Region AACA president. “It’s to bring everyone together to have a central resource. We’re a small, close-knit community.”

Members don’t have to own a Fiero to join.

“You just have to have the interest,” said Bartemeyer, of Davenport, Iowa. “A lot of people join our club to help find them a good car, specifically the Pontiac Fiero.”

Bartemeyer bought his first Fiero for $12,000 when he graduated from high school in 1985 at age 18. He saved enough money over the years shoveling snow and mowing lawns. He also took out a small loan to help with the purchase.

“I’ve been into cars my entire life. As a young kid with a brand-new car, it was very exciting. It was an incredible experience,” Bartemeyer said. “I took people for rides. It got a lot of use. It was a lot of fun.”

One year later, Bartemeyer traded in his ’85 model for a new 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT when they came on the market.

“I had to have one,” he said.

To date, Bartemeyer owns 26 Fieros, including the 1986 GT model. He’ll bring eight of them to display at next month’s anniversary celebration.

To register for the reunion and for more information on all the 40-year celebrations, visit fiero40th.com. T-shirts are guaranteed only to attendees who register before July 1.