Great Moments in Challenge History: Pontiac Firefly Turbo

Staff
By Staff Writer
Sep 25, 2018 | $2000 Challenge, Pontiac | Posted in News and Notes | From the May 2016 issue | Never miss an article


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Photo by Mark Langello

How do you make a turbo car faster? Yep, more boost.

Ontario resident Mike Cove applied that popular formula to the 1987 Pontiac Firefly Turbo that he brought all the way to our $2003 Challenge.

“Pontiac Firefly Turbo?” you ask. Yes, it’s a real car. The Suzuki Cultus, sold in the U.S. as the Chevrolet Sprint, entered Canada as the Pontiac Firefly. For a short while, North Americans could buy a hotrod version packing a three-cylinder, 993cc engine force-fed by an equally cute turbo.

Mike cranked up his Firefly’s boost to 22 psi, almost three times more than stock. That extra boost, combined with some sticky (and used) BFGoodrich Comp T/A R1 tires, shot him down the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds, about a second quicker than Car and Driver’s original reported time for the car from back in the day.

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Comments
Suprf1y
Suprf1y UltimaDork
9/26/18 7:48 a.m.

It's coming back to the challenge.

I promise.

Byrneon27
Byrneon27 New Reader
9/26/18 8:02 a.m.

^ Best news ever

CrustyRedXpress
CrustyRedXpress GRM+ Memberand New Reader
9/29/18 8:58 p.m.

Don't toy with my emotions.

This might be a good year for it... 

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