Enterra
Encyclopedia
Enterra Vipre is an out-of-production Canadian sports car
.
8 to 10 million loan guarantees and tax credits from the Canadian government's Scientific Research Council. This money was to be used to build a manufacturing facility in Burnaby, British Columbia
, to produce the Vipre.
Our research shows only 36 cars built in Canada. Of these, most were sold into the United States
. The Vipre was only to be sold through General Motors
(GM) dealership
s as an option known as the Enterra Style package on a Pontiac Fiero SE
. GM, in agreement with this plan, was then to cover the regular warranty, with an additional warranty for the body and interior through Enterra.
There are discrepancies in the numbers sold. Some evidence points towards several incomplete cars (the number eight has come up several times from former employees interviewed) being left over when the company folded in late 1987, so the total number of cars built is in question.
The car was offered only as an option on a new Fiero and never as a kit, for fear it would lose its advantage over kit car
s in the process.
The first set of body molds were used until late 1986. There were minor fitting problems with the first set so in late 1986 a new, better-fitting set of molds were created for the last year the company remained in business. The molds for the body were then sold to a Californian company which re-formed the molds and two more cars were built before that company also went out of business, after which the molds apparently disappeared.
, drivetrain
, braking system
, and cooling system
components remained stock Fiero.
Sports car
A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....
.
History
In the mid 1980s, Enterra Technologies Ltd. allegedly received C$Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
8 to 10 million loan guarantees and tax credits from the Canadian government's Scientific Research Council. This money was to be used to build a manufacturing facility in Burnaby, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, to produce the Vipre.
Our research shows only 36 cars built in Canada. Of these, most were sold into the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Vipre was only to be sold through General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
(GM) dealership
Dealership
A dealership is an authorized seller and may refer to:*Car dealership*Franchised dealership...
s as an option known as the Enterra Style package on a Pontiac Fiero SE
Pontiac Fiero
The Pontiac Fiero is a mid-engined sports car that was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1984 to 1988. The Fiero—meaning "proud" in Italian and "wild", "fierce", or "ferocious" in Spanish—was designed by George Milidrag and Hulki Aldikacti as a Pontiac sports car...
. GM, in agreement with this plan, was then to cover the regular warranty, with an additional warranty for the body and interior through Enterra.
There are discrepancies in the numbers sold. Some evidence points towards several incomplete cars (the number eight has come up several times from former employees interviewed) being left over when the company folded in late 1987, so the total number of cars built is in question.
The car was offered only as an option on a new Fiero and never as a kit, for fear it would lose its advantage over kit car
Kit car
A kit car, also known as a "component car", is an automobile that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf...
s in the process.
The first set of body molds were used until late 1986. There were minor fitting problems with the first set so in late 1986 a new, better-fitting set of molds were created for the last year the company remained in business. The molds for the body were then sold to a Californian company which re-formed the molds and two more cars were built before that company also went out of business, after which the molds apparently disappeared.
Installation
These cars were built on fully loaded V6-powered Fiero SEs. The cars were stripped of the bodies and interiors and the sleek body and custom interiors installed. They only came in 4 colours: red; black; gun metal gray; and white. The paint of choice was Sikens. All suspensionSuspension (vehicle)
Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. Suspension systems serve a dual purpose — contributing to the car's roadholding/handling and braking for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicle occupants...
, drivetrain
Powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the term powertrain or powerplant refers to the group of components that generate power and deliver it to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the engine, transmission, drive shafts, differentials, and the final drive...
, braking system
Brake
A brake is a mechanical device which inhibits motion. Its opposite component is a clutch. The rest of this article is dedicated to various types of vehicular brakes....
, and cooling system
Radiator (engine cooling)
Radiators are used for cooling internal combustion engines, mainly in automobiles but also in piston-engined aircraft, railway locomotives, motorcycles, stationary generating plant or any similar use of such an engine....
components remained stock Fiero.