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Looking back at 50 years of Camaro
Posted by hpayne on August 18, 2016
Forged in the hot oven of Big Three competition, Camaro was Chevy’s response to Ford’s wildly popular sports coupe, the Mustang. Affordably priced but bearing the sexy lines of a more expensive European sports car, Ford’s rear-wheel-drive “pony car” took the world by storm in 1965, selling a staggering 680,995 copies in its first model year.
Reports of a long-hooded, two-door Chevy competitor to the Mustang surfaced in April 1965. Codename: Panther. Legend has it that the name Camaro was loosely based on the French word “camarade” from which the English term “comrade” is derived. The Camaro was unveiled in September 1966 for the 1967 model year. Its base price, $2,466, undercut the cheapest Mustang, which cost $2,510.
An epic, five-decade, cross-town rivalry with Ford was on.
Here’s a drive down memory lane, looking back at the notable years of Camaro for its 50th anniversary.
Forged in the hot oven of Big Three competition, the Camaro was Chevy’s response to Ford’s wildly popular sports coupe, the Mustang, which took the world by storm in 1965. Legend has it that the name Camaro was loosely based on the French word “camarade,” from which the English term “comrade” is derived. Fifty years ago, in 1967, an epic, cross-town rivalry with Ford was on. Here’s a look at how the Camaro has evolved.
1970: The base engine was upgraded to a 4.1-liter while the SS was stuffed with a fire-breathing, 350-horse, 6.5-liter enginel. Produced for over a decade, the second-generation Camaro would not feature a convertible (what were they thinking?).
1971: A move to unleaded gasoline brought lower compression ratios and less horsepower. The 6.5-liter SS engine, for example, saw power decline from 350 horses to 300. The Camaro’s mug changed with a full, chrome bumper — compliments of government regulation.
1972: Due to a strike, Camaro would only produce 68,651 units in 1972 — half of 1970 totals. For the first time, GM thought of discontinuing the Camaro as a flood of emissions and safety regulations made pony cars difficult to produce. Horsepower ratings continued to drop — to 240 horsepower for the SS’s big block, 6.5-liter V-8 in what would be its last production year.
1973: Camaro sales rebounded somewhat to nearly 100,000 units even as Camaro dropped its SS trim. A more posh LT model was offered in addition to the RS and Z28. The LT boasted a lush interior, hidden windshield wipers, full instrumentation, and sport mirrors.
1974: Camaro grew by seven inches — and so did sales. The former was due to more stringent federal bumper mandates, the latter courtesy of Mustang, which downsized to the Pinto platform with a base, 4-cylinder engine), and Dodge Challenger, Plymouth Barracuda, and AMC Javelin all exiting the pony car market. As a consequence, Camaro –and related Pontiac Firebird — were the only true muscle cars in the market. Despite the oil crisis, Camaro sales soared to over 150,000.
1975: Tightening emissions regs doomed the Z28 and its 5.7-liter V-8. Sales remained stable, however, thanks to the Camaro/Firebird pony-car market monopoly. Mild cosmetic changes distinguished the new model, including a wrap-around rear window for better visibility, new Camaro badge, and the migration of the logo from grille to hood.
1976: Sales for the Camaro climbed over 182,000 — a trend that would continue to the car’s 282,571 record in 1979. Under the hood, Camaro’s base V-6 stayed the same. Two V-8s were available – a new, 5.0-liter and the old, 5.7-liter, its output down to just 165 ponies.
1977: The Z28 was back as Camaro (and Firebird) sales soared. The 5.7-liter V-8 gained 20 horsepower and its quarter-mile performance nearly replicated the heyday of the big block, 1960s Camaros. Other notable changes? Intermittent windshield wipers debuted.
1978: Camaro designers embraced new bumper aesthetics, covering the aluminum eyesores with a more attractive, body-colored, polyurethane coating. A T-Top also appeared on the Camaro for the first time.
1979: The posh LT trim was replaced by the even more luxurious “Berlinetta” option. Camaro also gained modern conveniences like an electrically-heated rear windshield defroster. The Z28 (pictured) rocked on with a fresh front-air dam and side badging.
1980: Sales fell off a cliff as the economy and engines downsized. The base V-6 shrank from 4.1 liters to 3.8. Yet another federal rule mandated that speedometers could only read up to 85 mph — which didn’t deter Z28 owners from exploring the limits of their 185 horses. In 1981 Computer Command Control modules were introduced, bringing with them more federal emissions controls — but also the ability to aid engine diagnostics.
1982: A major chassis redesign put the next, third-gen Camaro on a diet. It lost 500 pounds while gaining a sippier four-cylinder engine option. A V-6 and V-8 were available as well. Scalloped front headlights dominated the front fascia and the rear got a hatchback. Camaro was named Motor Trend’s 1982 Car of the Year.
1984: Transmissions were upgraded to a 5-speed manual and 4-speed auto. Digital Age controls transformed the 1984 car’s interior, including an instrument cluster with electronic readouts like a bar-graph tachometer and digital speedometer.
1987: Inspired by the International Race of Champions series with Camaros driven by pro drivers from every corner of motorsports, Camaro introduced an IROC-Z version from 1985-1990. The Z got performance tweaks like lowered ride height, special shocks, and more horsepower. In 1986 Camaro said goodbye to its 4-banger, restoring the V-6 as Camaro’s base engine. And in 1987 a convertible returned to the lineup for the first time since 1970.
1992: As sales waned, Camaro celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1992 with a heritage badge on all cars.
1994: Resisting the industry trend toward front-wheel drive models, the fourth generation Camaro debuted on the familiar, solid-rear axle F-body platform. The push-rod V-8 was now shared with Corvette Ð the 5.7-liter, 275-horse LT1 Ð propelling the Z28 model from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. Visual cues carried over from Gen 3 with the Camaro getting a more streamlined body shape. Production moved out of the U.S. to Quebec.
1995: The base V-6 engine made 200 horsepower for the 1996 model year while the SS badge returned after a long hiatus. Two manual trannies were available — 5- and 6-speed — as well as a 4-gear auto. Options included 16-inch tires.
1997: A 30th anniversary model with orange stripes on a white body was offered in SS and Z28 trims. The LT4 V-8 pumped out 330 horses. A loaded SS with 17-inch wheels cost $38 grand — or $57,068 in today’s dollars.
1998: A new front fascia with flush, rounded headlights replaced the inset, square headlights of previous Gen-4 models. Sales had tailed off to just 54,032 a year.
2010: After teasing Camaro coupe and convertible concepts at the 2006 and 2007 Detroit auto shows, Chevy brought back its iconic muscle car as a 2010 production model. Once again Mustang was the catalyst, Ford having jump-started pony car interest with its gorgeous, retro-styled Gen-5 model in 2005.
2010: The fifth-generation Camaro was a stunner with a Gen 1-inspired design from menacing front cowl to “coke bottle” hips. Built on the all-new Zeta platform, the Camaro featured a modern, independent rear suspension to counter the Mustang’s antiquated, solid rear axle. Camaro outsold Mustang with a buffet of trims from LS to LT to SS.
2011: Camaro’s star turn in “Transformers” made it an international movie star. Chevy built on the car’s popularity by rolling out a convertible version (seen here as the Indy 500 pace car). A V-6 engine pumped out 312 horsepower while the SS’s 6.2-liter V-8 monster generated 425.
2012: The arms race for pony-car hegemony was on against Mustang and Dodge’s Challenger. Camaro introduced a 3.6-liter V-6 producing 323 horsepower. The SS coupe got a new suspension package, 20-inch wheels, and revised instruments. And for the first time, Camaro launched the ZL1 — a Mustang GT500 fighter with a 580-horsepower, 6.2 liter engine. It was the most powerful Camaro ever.
2013: This model would showcase Chevy’s new MyLink console navigation system, leather seats, and electric power steering, making the Camaro a comfortable cruiser as well as a Woodward drag racer.
2014: Camaro received significant cosmetic changes, including a slit cowl, bigger lower air intake, narrower greenhouse, and a wider stance. The Z28 nameplate retuned with a serious, track-focused car boasting a 427-cubic inch motor, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, and stiffened suspension tuning. A rocket for the race-minded, the Z28 eschewed AC and could explode from 0-60 in just 4 ticks.
2015: With the much-anticipated, sixth-generation Camaro looming for 2016, the ’15 car got nary an update. Blue Velvet Metallic was added to the color palette.
2016: With its 2015 Extreme Makeover, Ford’s Mustang had set a high bar with its first independent rear suspension, stunning styling, and three engine options — including a 305-horse, turbo four. Camaro rose to the challenge, matching the three engine choices — and much more. Chevy based the new Camaro on GM’s Alpha platform — a sophisticated, lightweight luxury platform developed for the Cadillac ATS.
2016: Powered by a Corvette-shared, 455-horse V-8, the SS shredded the Mustang GT in a Car & Driver performance compassion test. Interior design was efficient while still packing in Chevy’s digital toolbox of 4G WiFi and Apple Car Play. Critics were less enthused by interior visibility – the greenhouse even narrower than Gen 5.
2017: Chevy will roll out the 50th Anniversary Special Edition Camaro, above, on Aug. 19, 2016, at the Woodward Dream Cruise. For the 2017 model year, every Camaro built will feature a special 50th Anniversary badge on the steering wheel.
2017: Camaro also will introduce two performance trims: 1LE and ZL1. The 1LE, available with both V-6 and V-8 engines, comes with signature black hood and upgraded suspension and bodywork. The fearsome-but-luxurious ZR1, above, will get the same, redonculous 650-horse engine as the supercar Corvette Z06 — plus an all-new, 10-speed transmission. That’s one fit 50-year old.