"A small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs" – that was the answer of Chevy’s spokesman to the journalists’ question, “What does the Camaro name mean?”
And yes, the first-generation Chevrolet Camaro was superior in many aspects compared to its arch enemy. It featured better mechanics, and it was better to drive. Eventually, it was faster. However, it was never as popular as Ford's pony, but among real muscle car enthusiasts, it is one of the biggest legends of the American automotive industry.
The most famous first generation of Camaro was also sold in Australia, as well as the second-generation model. It was discontinued from the Australian market in 1978, and after four decades, it came back in the form of the sixth generation. This model is still active and on sale in this part of the world.
The First Generation of Chevrolet Camaro (1967-1970)
Ford Mustang brought a revolution in 1964. Everyone wanted to get an affordable sports car with attractive looks and a powerful engine. So, it was just a matter of time when rivals from Chrysler and Chevrolet would come up with their players in the freshly-established segment of pony cars.
Chevy's answer was Camaro. Its development started in 1964, with the production model officially debuting in September 1966.
After a very good reception, GM decided to offer the new pony Down Under. The Australian model debuted for the 1967 model year and remained on the offer until 1970.
The original model was based on the famous F-body platform, the same one that was used for another legend – Pontiac Firebird. Also, many parts were borrowed from Chevy Nova, just like Mustang did from Ford Falcon. The suspension setup included A-arm front suspension and leaf springs on the solid rear axle.
The new pony was offered in two body styles, either as a coupe or as a convertible. However, the first generation of Chevy Camaro Australia was available in a coupe layout only and offered with just one engine option. On the other hand, North American buyers had a choice of a dozen of engines. The Australian model was offered with a 5.7-litre Small Block V8, with a max output of 120kW and 193Nm of max torque. Also, a four-speed manual was the only transmission on the offer.
The Camaro 1969 received a facelift. It received a new grille, new headlights, new door skins, rear quarter panels, rear valance panel, and more. All these updates made Camaro look sportier and more aggressive.
The Second Generation of Chevrolet Camaro (1971-1978)
The second generation was launched in 1970, while the Australian model debuted for the 1971 model year. It has brought many changes, but as the original model was in production for three years only, most of the mechanics remained the same. For example, the new model continued to ride on the F-body platform with a front subframe. We didn’t see bigger suspension changes either – A-arm at the front and leaf springs on the rear axle.
The wheelbase also remained the same (2,743mm), while the new model was slightly longer due to new body panels and bumpers. Of course, the styling was completely new, just like the interior design.
From the perspective of Australian drivers, the most significant improvement was the fact that the second generation was offered in more variants. We saw more engines on the offer, as well as more trim levels. Besides the base model, the famous Camaro SS was also available, as well as the Z28-badged model.
The base Camaro came equipped with a familiar 5.7-litre Small Block V8, with 120kW of max power and 193Nm of the max torque.
The Camaro SS was equipped with a 6.5-litre Big Block V8, initially featuring a max output of 261kW. Soon after, the engine was upgraded to 6.6 litres, and the max power went up to 280kW and 563Nm of max torque. This one was also paired with a 4-speed manual transmission.
Finally, there was the Z28 model, equipped with the same but significantly upgraded 5.7-litre Small Block engine. The total output went up to a pretty impressive 268kW and 520Nm of max torque, sending power to the rear wheels through the same 4-speed manual gearbox.
Unfortunately, high-performance models were removed from the offer already in 1973. The base 120-kW engine remained the only one on the offer, but the company introduced a more luxurious version with the LT badge. This was a kind of GT version of Camaro, with upgrades like a quieter and better-appointed interior, Rally-style wheels, variable-ratio steering, new mirrors, and hidden windshield wipers, to name a few.
Camaro 1974 Facelift; 1975 and 1977 Updates to the Camaro
The 1974 model brought a new styling. Due to new regulations, it came with a new bumper and sloping grille designs, which made this pony car nearly 18 centimetres longer than before. Also, we saw new headlights with a rectangular wraparound design.
The 1975 update brought few more changes, this time on the rear end. It came with slimmer roof pillars and a wraparound rear window instead of the old flat window design and pretty thick pillars, which weren't particularly friendly to rearward visibility.
During the oil crisis in 1977, Chevy introduced a new engine option Down Under, a smaller and more efficient 5.0-litre V8 with a max output of 100kW and 182Nm of torque coupled with a 4-speed manual transmission.
After the 1978 model year, Chevrolet Camaro was discontinued in Australia.
The Sixth Generation of Chevrolet Camaro (2018-present)
After a full four decades, the famous pony car came back to the Australian market. It debuted in 2018, although the sixth generation was initially launched in 2015 in North America. There are two versions on offer for our market – the 2SS and the high-performance Camaro ZL1 model.
The 2SS comes equipped with a 6.2-litre V8 (max output of 339kW and max torque of 617Nm) paired with a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic. A 10-speed unit replaced the latter in 2019. With such power, it needs just around 4 seconds to hit 100 km/h.
The Camaro ZL1 is a high-performance version of the current generation. It comes with numerous upgrades compared to the 2SS model. Foremost, it uses a supercharged version of the 6.2-litre engine (max output of 485kW and 881Nm). That's enough power to hit 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds, while the top speed is 298 km/h. Unlike the 2SS, all model years come with a 10-speed automatic gearbox co-developed with Ford. You can get the version with a 6-speed manual too.
Besides more power, the ZL1 features upgraded suspension and brakes and a lot of unique styling features. Magnetorheological dampers are one of the highlights. Chevy calls this setup Magnetic Ride Suspension.
How Much is a Camaro in Australia?
As we’ve just mentioned, the sixth-generation Camaro is once again available in Australia. If you’re interested in buying one, keep in mind that the new model isn’t cheap at all. The days when Camaros and Mustangs were affordable muscle cars are long gone. These are genuine sports cars now, and that affects the price a lot.
So, the base Camaro 2SS with manual transmission goes a little under $90.000, while the most expensive, fully-loaded Camaro ZL1 can cost more than $160.000. Keep in mind that these are highly customisable cars, so it's hard to talk about exact sums.
Chevrolet Camaro – Beyond Sixth Generation
The current generation has been around since 2015 (North America), and it will probably be replaced in the near future. Some sources suggest that could already happen next year, with the 2023 model introducing the seventh generation. At this point, design characteristics are still a mystery, but most reports suggest evolutionary changes. On the other hand, we shouldn’t neglect rumours that suggest full electrification either.
Unfortunately, the next-generation Camaro probably won’t be offered in Australia. Holden, which was responsible for the right-hand-drive conversion, has taken its last breath, while Chevy’s officials are quiet. American muscle cars seem to be exiting the Australian market, so why should Chevy Camaro be an exception?
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By Nebojsa Grmusa