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When the two-seater Fiero bowed in 1984, Pontiac had a sporty looking car that drove like a Chevette.

Don`t fault Pontiac. The original design and engineering intent as dictated by General Motors Corp. was to come up with a high-mileage commuter car that looked more like a Firebird than a Chevette.

Things have gotten better for 1988 as refinements are catching up with the Fiero. But can a new name, color and suspension system breathe life back into the line?

Model year `87 sales reached only 40,000 units midway through July, a 14,000-unit shortfall from a year earlier and a far cry from `84, when almost 100,000 were sold.

In 1987, Fiero is offered in base coupe, dressed up SE and performance- oriented GT versions.

Trouble here is that the SE got loaded with options and the price got up in the GT neighborhood. Fiero often has been burdened by incentives to help sell stockpiles of cars. As one Pontiac source said: “SE`s account for more than their share“ of those unsold cars.

For `88 the SE will be replaced by a familiar Pontiac name–Formula. It still will be the midlevel model, an option package added to the base coupe. But price is the main concern, along with keeping options to a desirable (and still profitable) minimum to stop chasing away buyers who see the sticker and think they`ve come across a Porsche 924S.

“The idea is to keep the car spirited, but affordable,“ one source said.

Another noticeable improvement for `88 is a fully independent suspension. Except for the GT sports version, most Fieros are cumbersome with stiff steering and harsh suspension. Turning radius can be measured in blocks, not feet.

Ever see a Fiero owner place one digit on the wheel, spin it quickly to one side and whip from a parking space? More than likely the motorist had both hands on the wheel and eased back and forth before leaving the curb.

We test drove the `88 GT, Formula and base coupe with the new suspension system on what could best be described as a media caravan through Michigan`s countryside this spring.

The GT had the added advantage of the WS6 performance suspension package with special shocks, spring rates, bushings, stabilizer bar and Eagle GT tires. It also was equipped with a new power steering system that hasn`t been given the production go-ahead at Pontiac. If approved, the power steering would become an option at midyear.

Considering the bends and twists and hills through Michigan farmland, the GT was nimble and agile. The power steering system provides more assist at low speeds for in and around town maneuvers such as turning and parking than it does at high speeds for passing. But it still means less effort than you`ve become used to in the Pontiac two-seater.

The Formula had the new suspension and the WS6 upgrade but not the power steering. Less jostling and road harshness than a `87 SE model, but the power steering makes a difference in road manners.

Even before you get in the Formula you`ll be impressed by a new color for `88 that Pontiac calls bright yellow. It looked more like a dark yellow or almost a yellow-gold. The new color won`t be added until after midyear, probably for spring. Looks nice.

The base coupe with the new suspension was somewhat better than in the past, but having driven the cars in descending order, from the GT down to the base, the base coupe suffered by comparison with its fellow Fieros.

Though the suspension overall is an improvement, Pontiac has a job on its hands trying to promote a feature that isn`t visible when passing the showroom. One official admitted engineering is a harder sell than styling.

“The only way to do it is get people in the cars and have them spread the word,“ he said. Based on `87 sales, getting them in the cars may be the biggest chore. Pontiac plans a “relaunch“ of the Fiero inO tober to promote the car.

The base coupe we drove was equipped with the 2.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine. The Formula and GT came with the 2.8-liter V-6, which is standard. All had 5-speed manual transmissions.

There have been some engine changes for 1988. Without getting into piston skirt revisions, the 2.5 focus is on a slight weight savings for improved engine efficiency. It was difficult to determine how the 2.5 was better.

With the 2.8-liter V-6, there has been a change in the fuel injectors for quicker action, better fuel atomization and spray control, improved cold/hot starting and less plugging from fuel impurities. A one-day trip through the countryside in the spring couldn`t test the cold/hot start improvements or injector clogging. But it`s encouraging that Pontiac is aware of such problems and is taking some measures to ward off trouble.

Other changes in the `88 Fiero line include AM/FM stereo as standard on the base coupe and Formula, upgraded cloth trim levels on all models and “soft“ leather seats available on the GT.