Since my spare time this summer has been consumed with all things PPG Pace Car, I figured why not continue sharing with our readers. In past articles, I have mentioned that PPG confirmed that they used eight Fieros, seven for the Precision Driving Team and one for the Pace Car Show Fleet. Through word of mouth and a moderate amount of research, I was lucky enough to find that there was another car in development. In the early spring of 1988, PPG was planning to build another Fiero, but this time it was going to be an entirely new concept build that did not resemble any production Fiero. In this era of the PPG Pace Car Program, several radical concept cars were built with some of them costing in the million dollar range. Unfortunately, with the cancellation of the Fiero in March of 1988, this project received the cancellation order also. The car was to be built by Special Projects Inc. of Plymouth, Michigan. Special Projects Inc. was a sub-supplier performing concept and experimental work for clients including the major auto manufacturers. They were responsible in conjunction with numerous other engineering and design sources for several, but not all, of the PPG Pace Cars designs and builds.

The Pace Car program provided an atmosphere where the engineering design teams had a free hand to show off their capabilities without the corporate restrictions normally associated with production cars. Talking with one of the persons that participated in the build up of the car, this Fiero would have several modifications to the structure of the frame. The frame was lengthened in the passenger compartment module and sectioned at the belt line from the cowl to the rear of the car providing a much lower and longer profile than a stock Fiero. The frame used initially started as a 1988 production chassis. Experimental structure bracing was incorporated into the modified frame to provide the same rigidity of the standard steel space frame. Some of the frame development technology was used in later production cars. The design intent was to provide an open air speedster theme with performance capabilities that match the full space frame design. One of the main reasons for the stretch in the frame was to eliminate the center hump in the floor where the gas tank would normally be packaged in to a production Fiero. There is no clear information as to where they were going to place the fuel tank. With the open floor design, this Fiero would have received a completely unique concept interior with the reporting source indicating that they were working on a concept liquid crystal gauge pod and dash control lay out. The exterior styling is completely unique hinting at the next generation of Fiero styling with out duplicating any concept that Pontiac might have already considered for production.

The information source also indicated that the car would be powered by an experimental turbo charged version of the Pontiac Overhead Four Cam Super duty 4-cylinder mated to an all new Superduty Getrag 5-speed gearbox. An intercooler was to be placed into the rear section of the engine cover integrated into the body formed rear aerodynamics. The suspension would be of a fully adjustable tubular link configuration with an experimental electronic active air ride control. Ironically, the clay mock-up used the same wheels that are currently displayed on the Precision Driving Team Cars. The picture that I have provided is the only record of evidence available that the car existed. The picture was used in a trade brochure that was used to sell the company’s available services. Included in the images of the brochure are several of the shop facilities and PPG Pace Cars including a concept Camaro, the infamous Wraith Chrysler 4MS, a Dodge Dakota, and the well known Penske Indy Car Hauler.

Fred Bartemeyer,