This 1984 Pontiac Fiero Gained Popularity As An Indy 500 Pace Car: What's One Worth Today?

It's a little-known fact that, when the inaugural Indianapolis 500 was run in 1911, the pace car for that event was supplied by long defunct automaker Stoddard-Dayton. In the ensuing years, vehicles from dozens of automakers have held the honor, and on four of those occasions the pace car was supplied by U.S. manufacturer Pontiac.

The automaker's Bonneville was the first Pontiac to earn the honor, serving as pace car for the 1958 Indy 500. Meanwhile, Pontiac's beloved muscle car, the Trans-Am, did the job twice during its 1980s heyday. It was joined in 1984 by a surprising pick, with Pontiac tabbing its Fiero to lead the pack in the legendary race. Despite lagging severely behind the souped-up racers in horsepower and handling, the Fiero held its own pacing the race and even reached a top speed of 138 mph while circling the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, according to Car and Driver. 

The profile-raising exposure helped put the sporty, two-seat Fiero on the radar of the general public. While the '84 Fiero initially sold well-enough, the make was plagued by problems, not the least of which was its penchant for catching fire due to the perplexing decision to outfit it with an undersized oil pan. Though Pontiac continued to manufacture the Fiero for several years, the vehicle never outran the negative publicity, with the flashy 1988 build serving as its last. These days, you can pick up a Pace Car inspired '84 Fiero at a relatively modest price.  

It should be noted that in its initial production year of 1984, Pontiac actually manufactured 2,000 special edition Fiero's in the mold of its pace car build. They even equipped them with the "Official Pace Car" door decals and shiny Indianapolis Motor Speedway adornments found on the Fieros that paced the race. The company did not, however, put the same Super Duty 4 engine under the hood, outfitting them instead with Pontiac's Iron Duke.

As for what became of the three Fieros built for the '84 Indy 500, one fully restored model is enshrined in GM's Heritage Center collection, and one was displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum until Roger Penske took possession in 2022. The last eventually ended up in the personal collection of diehard Fiero enthusiast Fred Bartemeyer. With the Super Duty originals apparently off the market, those looking to pick up one of the 2,000 Iron Duke special edition Fieros might be happy to know they come up for sale pretty regularly, and won't cost you an arm and a leg.

In fact, according to Hagerty, a 1984 Pace Car Edition Fiero in good condition could set you back as little as $7,800. Alternately, per Classic.com, the average sale price for a Pace Car Fiero is just over $12,000, with J.D. Power estimates essentially backing those numbers up. Meanwhile, Classic.com tracked a recent sale at $19,000, and boasts two currently up for purchase at $5,800 and $13,000 respectively. So, prices clearly vary depending on factors like condition and mileage. Nonetheless, even on the high-end of the Pace Car Fiero market, the cost may be palatable to true fans of the build.