Copyright jalopnik
The Beretta sold decently for the first few years, and a convertible version even served as the pace car for the Indy 500. In 1988, GM produced 275,098 of them. But, like the Pontiac Fiero before it, excitement died down quickly. In 1989, Beretta production dropped to 180,242 units. It was the last time the model's annual production numbers crested 100,000. The Beretta was discontinued in 1996. Unlike the Fiero, the Beretta didn't improve with age. The most powerful engine, the Quad 4, went from 180 hp in '92 to 170 hp in '94. The V6 was only available with an automatic transmission, and it lost 5 hp in '95 and never got it back. Berettas aren't exactly collectors' items, either. A yellow, 52-mile, manual transmission 1990 Chevrolet Beretta GT came up for sale in 2025, arguably the nicest in existence, and it wasn't even asking $30,000. Conversely, Beretta's 92 handgun is still in production and enjoying a modern renaissance. The Beretta 92/M9 is a common sight in movies, TV shows, and video games, but the most interesting version is its rare, 3-round burst-capable sibling the 93R (R standing for "raffica," or "burst" in English). The 93R is probably most famous as Robocop's sidearm of choice. The gun's extended trigger guard was needed to fit the robot suit's fat fingers. Speaking of pop culture, maybe GM could have avoided a lawsuit if it had changed the spelling and gone with something like "Baretta." Oh, wait, that name was used for the show "Baretta" starring actor-turned-accused murderer Robert Blake. Never mind.
