Fuego
A Retrospective
The Fuego
In a 1983 comparison test Road and Track magazine asserted: "The
Fuego is a distinctive car that appeals to some people very
much...some drivers love it and take great delight in its uniqueness
and unusual features, while others won't give it a second
glance"(R&T April, 1983). Indeed, one might say the same about
many classic French cars. However, with a motorcar of such sporting
demeanor and striking looks as the Fuego the effect was greatly
magnified. I remember seeing a Fuego for the first time. It was on a
turntable at an American Motors dealer surrounded by Jeeps. The
prosaic vehicles that were its neighbors accentuated the
avant-garde audaciousness of the Fuego. Today, 13 years later,
I still feel the same aesthetic thrill when I view my own Fuego ( the
silver one in the picture below). Aesthetics was what the Fuego was
all about. From the flowing bodylines to the carressing seats to the
liquid avidity of the steering the vehicle conveyed ( and continues
to convey) the douceur de vivre. The great automotive writer
LJK Setright once summed up the Fuego: " It is blessed with a
body which is not only roomy and aerodynamically efficient but is
also beautiful." Today, in a world of melted soap cars trying to
mimic the art of the "French Curve" the Fuego remains distinctive and
striking. The Fuego evolved under the guidance of
Robert Opron, a gentleman who earlier had been involved with the
superb Citroen SM. If one keeps the Opron connection in mind, the
kinship between the SM and Fuego becomes apparent. One only has took
at them together to see the family resemblance. The similitude was
more than just skin deep. The Fuego may be viewed as a smaller, more
efficient SM for a post fuel-crisis world. Mechanically, the Fuego
has much in common with that other great car of the sixties and early
seventies, the Alpine A110. With, what R&T called "thoroughbred
credentials", the Fuego was certainly no sports coupe
poseur.
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There was little fundamental change in the Fuego during its lifespan. The major differences were mechanical. There were 3 separate basic engine types used in the Fuego: the 1.4 "Sierra" engine; the alloy hemi-head R16 and the ohc. These engines ran the gamut of capacities from 1.4 to 2.2 litres. The introduction of the Turbo, of course, was a major event. The Fuego achieved a good deal of sales success in Europe, Australia, South America and even the US. There were designs for a Mark II Fuego incorporating all-wheel drive, larger turbocharged engines and a revised body. Unfortunately, the Fuego fell victim to the decline in interest in sport coupes in the mid-eighties. The hot-hatch craze stole the thunder from coupes such as the Fuego, Manta, Alfa GTV and Scirocco. Is it presumptuous to say that many of the ideas for the second generation Fuego were incorporated in the Alpine GTA? The Fuego remained in production in Argentina until 1993, several years after production ended in France. Notable Fuegos of this later period were the Formula Fuego 2.2 litre: named in honour of Renault's F1 victories, which was built in Venezeula and the GTA Max built in Argentina. I have tried to be accurate about my facts and figures, but, as anyone who has done automotive history knows, precision is often an unapproachable goal. I welcome your contributions and corrections. David K. Knox, Athens, Georgia, USA
Send me pictures of your Fuego for inclusion in the Gallery!
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This site has been up for over 10 years now! It was the first Fuego site and one of the first automotive sites on the WWW. Over the years it has had hundreds of thousands of hits. I thank all the people who have sent photos and given support over the years. Fuego forever!
