Car Sight

There have been plenty of American-made muscle cars over the years, and one of the perpetual favorites in that elite group is the Chevrolet Camaro. Although its original production run ended official in 2002, popular demand revived the model and the 5th generation Camaro began production in 2009. Here's a thumbnail sketch of the history of this American classic.

When the Ford Mustang took America by storm in the early 1960's, Chevrolet saw a need to reply in kind. The result was the introduction of its Camaro in 1967. The name for the model has no real literal meaning, but its name begins with a "C" like all Chevy models of at that time and the name's root suggests friendship (as in Cam-araderie). It was technically classified as a "compact car" though the Camaro and its contemporaries began being known as pony cars, muscle cars, etc.

The Camaro captured the American imagination but it was the 2nd generation design introduced in 1970 (and continuing production for another 11 years!) that became an iconic part of the United States motoring scene. Souped-up models became popular for street and closed-circuit racing: a tradition that continues today.

When production ceased in 2002, the stage was already set for the revival of the Camaro. Racing enthusiasts today still favor this model for drag racing, and it never lost its iconic status, appearing in movies such as The Transformers. Thanks to its reintroduction, 2010 Camaro performance cars are set to hit the tracks again in the GT class of the Grand Am Road Racing Championship.

The Camaro is an American classic whose lasting popularity refuses to wane.