MX-5 Miata

Make
Mazda
Segment
Compact

The Pontiac Fiero has long solidified its place in General Motors history. On paper, the Fiero had a lot going for it thanks to the mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup, and its lightweight, cool design. Its composite body panels and integrated speakers in the driver and passenger headrests were pretty radical for the time. Unfortunately, it almost immediately became synonymous with potential engine fires and poor reliability.

Launched for the 1984 model year, Pontiac made almost yearly improvements until it was discontinued in 1988. But the one thing it never did was deviate away from the coupe body style. Why did a Fiero roadster never happen? It's a good question that may never get an answer.

If Pontiac had pursued such a variant then it would've beaten the first-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata to the punch by at least five years. Who knows what could have been. Over the years since its death, the Fiero has become the go-to donor car for a seemingly endless number of home-built supercar replicas. Strangely enough, few considered (let alone carried out) constructing the Fiero roadster Pontiac never did by ripping off the roof.

We found someone who did and now they're selling the car on Cars And Bids. This 1984 Pontiac Fiero only has 68,200 miles on it and has never been involved in an accident. Like all first-year Fieros, this one is powered by the 2.3-liter inline-four with 92 horsepower and 134 lb-ft of torque and is paired to a three-speed automatic instead of the standard manual.

GM added a 140-hp 2.8-liter V6 option the following year because everyone rightly complained about the lack of oomph. Now finished in black with a gray cloth interior (and a fire extinguisher), the builder removed the factory roof and rear supporting structure. A tonneau cover was also added. The frame has been reinforced for obvious reasons and an aftermarket exhaust system was added. Two other nice touches are the addition of a rear spoiler taken from a Fiero GT and gold wheels.

It's an extremely clean and classy job and it's truly a shame something like this never reached series production. This one-off example currently has a top bid of $2,084 and the auction ends on June 7.