Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro was introduced in North America by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors at the start of the 1967 model year as competition for the Ford Mustang. Camaro advertising would first be found on AM top-40 stations of the day - stations which appealed to young adults. Although it was technically a compact car (by the standards of the time), the Camaro, like the entire class of Mustang competitors, was soon known as a pony car. It may also be classified as an intermediate touring car, a sports car, or a muscle car. The car shared the same platform and major components with the Pontiac Firebird, also introduced in 1967. Production of both cars ceased in 2002 with only the Camaro going back into production in 2009.
Though the car's name was contrived with no meaning, GM researchers reportedly found the word in a French dictionary as a slang term for "friend" or "companion." In some automotive periodicals before official release, it was code-named "Panther." Historical examples exist of Chevrolet product managers being asked by the automotive press "what is a Camaro?", with the tongue-in-cheek answer being "a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs," a sideways reference to the competing Ford Mustang.
The Camaro was the flagship for Chevrolet, and was for many years one of its most popular models. If its frequent inclusion in automotive enthusiast magazines is any indication, the Chevy Camaro is one of the most popular cars for modification in automotive history.
1998
For the 1998 model year, the Camaro was heavily revised and improved. The most obvious change was the revised front fascia, with more aerodynamic flush headlights replacing the quartet of square inset headlights. The change that was most important to enthusiasts was under the hood. Replacing the LT1 was GM's all-new 346cu³ LS1 , which had been introduced with the Corvette C5 in 1997. It featured the same design, but included a cast aluminum block, reducing weight by about 95 lbs compared to the iron block LT1. While the engine had been "detuned" slightly with only a single exhaust (which would split into two when it exited the underside of the car), the small number of changes between it and the Corvette version — as well as the real-world performance — made the 305 hp rating for the Z28 a rather conservative estimate. Dynamometer results and performance figures showed that the LS1 actually produced about 345hp. Minor changes were made to the suspension and the brakes were increased in size. The SS continued for 1998, as did the RS ground effects package, though the RS designation was dropped. While the numerous design improvements did spark sales; the total production for 1998 was just 48,490 — a far cry from the 110,000 units sold in 1994 or the 200,000+ units per year sold during the 1970s.
The Chevrolet Camaro was introduced in North America by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors at the start of the 1967 model year as competition for the Ford Mustang. Camaro advertising would first be found on AM top-40 stations of the day - stations which appealed to young adults. Although it was technically a compact car (by the standards of the time), the Camaro, like the entire class of Mustang competitors, was soon known as a pony car. It may also be classified as an intermediate touring car, a sports car, or a muscle car. The car shared the same platform and major components with the Pontiac Firebird, also introduced in 1967. Production of both cars ceased in 2002 with only the Camaro going back into production in 2009.
Though the car's name was contrived with no meaning, GM researchers reportedly found the word in a French dictionary as a slang term for "friend" or "companion." In some automotive periodicals before official release, it was code-named "Panther." Historical examples exist of Chevrolet product managers being asked by the automotive press "what is a Camaro?", with the tongue-in-cheek answer being "a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs," a sideways reference to the competing Ford Mustang.
The Camaro was the flagship for Chevrolet, and was for many years one of its most popular models. If its frequent inclusion in automotive enthusiast magazines is any indication, the Chevy Camaro is one of the most popular cars for modification in automotive history.
1998
For the 1998 model year, the Camaro was heavily revised and improved. The most obvious change was the revised front fascia, with more aerodynamic flush headlights replacing the quartet of square inset headlights. The change that was most important to enthusiasts was under the hood. Replacing the LT1 was GM's all-new 346cu³ LS1 , which had been introduced with the Corvette C5 in 1997. It featured the same design, but included a cast aluminum block, reducing weight by about 95 lbs compared to the iron block LT1. While the engine had been "detuned" slightly with only a single exhaust (which would split into two when it exited the underside of the car), the small number of changes between it and the Corvette version — as well as the real-world performance — made the 305 hp rating for the Z28 a rather conservative estimate. Dynamometer results and performance figures showed that the LS1 actually produced about 345hp. Minor changes were made to the suspension and the brakes were increased in size. The SS continued for 1998, as did the RS ground effects package, though the RS designation was dropped. While the numerous design improvements did spark sales; the total production for 1998 was just 48,490 — a far cry from the 110,000 units sold in 1994 or the 200,000+ units per year sold during the 1970s.