Chevrolet Camaro generations, 1967 to 2024

Chevrolet Camaro history

Chevrolet developed the Camaro on GM's new rear-drive F-body platform as its answer to the Ford Mustang. Early reports in 1965 referred to the project by the codename Panther, the car was shown to the press on September 12, 1966, and it went on sale in dealerships on September 29, 1966, as a 1967 model.

The first generation set the template: a long-hood coupe or convertible with engines from a 230 cu in six up to a 396 cu in big-block V8, plus the Z/28, whose special 302 cu in V8 was developed for SCCA Trans-Am racing. A longer, lower second generation arrived on February 26, 1970, and stayed in production through 1981 — the longest run of any Camaro.

The third generation (1982–1992) introduced fuel injection and the IROC-Z, the fourth (1993–2002) brought the LT1 and then the all-aluminum LS1 V8, and the nameplate then went dormant. It returned for 2010 with a retro-styled fifth generation built in Oshawa, Ontario, and production moved to Lansing Grand River Assembly in Michigan for the lighter sixth generation, introduced May 16, 2015. Chevrolet ended sixth-generation production for the 2024 model year without announcing a direct successor.[1],[2],[3]

Years and production numbers

Generations and key variants

Engine and drivetrain facts

• The 1998 LS1 was the first all-aluminum engine offered in a Camaro since the 1969 ZL1 big-block.
• Fifth-generation SS output depended on the gearbox: the manual car got the 426 hp LS3, the automatic the 400 hp L99 with cylinder deactivation.
• The sixth generation widened the range at both ends, from a 275 hp 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder and a 335 hp 3.6L V6 to the 455 hp LT1 SS and 650 hp LT4 ZL1.
• The 1LE track package first appeared in 1988 and returned for the 2017 model year.

Sources:[1],[6]

What changed, generation by generation

1. 1967Camaro launches on September 29, 1966, as a 1967 model on the F-body platform; Z/28 joins with a 302 cu in V8 for Trans-Am homologation.
2. 1970Second generation introduced February 26, 1970 — the longest-running Camaro generation, through 1981.
3. 1982Third generation: smaller and lighter, with four-cylinder, V6 and V8 choices; IROC-Z arrives for 1985 and gains the L98 350 for 1987.
4. 1993Fourth generation with the LT1 V8; the all-aluminum LS1 replaces it for 1998. Production ends after 2002.
5. 2010Camaro returns after a seven-model-year gap, built in Oshawa, Ontario; ZL1 (2012) and Z/28 (2014) follow.
6. 2016Sixth generation moves to the Alpha platform and Lansing Grand River Assembly; ZL1 with 650 hp LT4 and 10-speed automatic for 2017.
7. 2024Final model year, with a Collector's Edition on RS, SS and a limited number of ZL1 cars.

Sources:[1],[3],[6]

What to check before you buy one

• Match the engine to the badge: a Z/28, IROC-Z, SS or ZL1 should carry the engine that version was built with, and many classic Camaros have been rebuilt as tributes.
• On first- and second-generation cars, inspect floors, trunk pan, quarter panels and subframe mounts for rust repair, and ask for documentation of any restoration.
• On fourth-generation LT1 cars, ask about the Optispark distributor and cooling-system service history.
• On fifth- and sixth-generation cars, look for evidence of track use or aftermarket tunes, and check tire wear and brake condition on SS, 1LE and ZL1 models.
• Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls) and have a Chevrolet dealer confirm open campaigns are complete.
• For 1981-and-later cars, confirm the factory options (1LE, Magnetic Ride, transmission) against the factory build record rather than the listing description.

Engine guides: LS1 5.7L V8, LS3 6.2L V8, LS7 7.0L V8, LT1 6.2L V8, LT4 supercharged 6.2L V8.

How to verify a Chevrolet Camaro's factory options

Two Camaros wearing the same badge can be very different cars underneath, so the factory build record is the clearest way to confirm how a 1981-or-later Camaro was ordered. CarWhere's GM build sheet lists the ordered-option RPO codes on record for the VIN — such as the 1LE package, transmission and axle choices — when that data exists. It is not the complete Service Parts Identification list.

Standardized 17-character VINs began with the 1981 model year, so 1967–1980 Camaros carry shorter serial numbers and are not covered by a VIN-based build sheet.[7],[8]

For pre-1981 cars, the body (trim) tag and engine stampings carry the original factory codes, and the GM Heritage Center publishes vehicle information kits for many past GM models.