The Chevy Camaro Through the Generations

Explore the History of the Chevy Camaro Sports Car

With the reveal of the 2016 Chevy Camaro right around the corner, the excitement surrounding the sixth-generation Chevy sports car is building to a crescendo. After five generations of road and track supremacy, the Chevy Camaro maintains an appeal that is undeniable to Cincinnati-area drivers looking for exhilarating performance attributes. The unveiling of the sixth-generation Camaro is an unprecedented event for the Chevy model lineup and to illustrate the changes through the generations we are taking the time to explore the history of the Chevy Camaro sports car at McCluskey Chevrolet.

First-Generation Camaro 1967-1969

Representing the beginning of the iconic Chevy Camaro’s development, the first-generation Camaro was based on existing architecture, but added its own flair. A wider, more muscular design was highlighted by speed lines running the length of the body and drawing the eye to the dual-plane grille design that made models like the 1969 Chevy Camaro Z28 iconic. The power-bulge hood also adds to the muscle car aura of the first-generation Chevy Camaro sports car.

Second-Generation Camaro 1970-1981

The first Chevy Camaro to possess a design that is all its own, the second-generation Chevy Camaro is lean and muscular. Clean lines and distinctive sports car traits continue the Camaro legacy for the second-generation, which takes on a more aggressive split-bumper design, more pronounced horizontal lines and the first appearance of the wraparound rear window.

Third-Generation Camaro 1982-1992

A cultural icon in the 1980’s, the third-generation Camaro represents the era’s technology-forward trends, adding to the Chevy sports car lineup. Taking the Camaro design another step forward, the third-generation Camaro put a new focus on the track-tuned performance that we have come to expect from current Chevy Camaro models. An aggressive front end adds style and promotes downforce for this generation while a hatchback style truly makes the Camaro stand out. As a result of the all-new design, the 1982 Chevy Camaro was named the Motor Trend Car of the Year.

Fourth-Generation Camaro 1993-2002

As sleek as anything Chevy has produced to date, the fourth-generation Camaro is highlighted by a rakish windshield, a long, low wedge-shaped design and a new “bottom-breathing” engine cooling system. With these new design cues, the next generation of the Camaro lineup was an unprecedented high-performance machine at the time.

Fifth-Generation Camaro 2010-2015

Representing the culmination of Chevy Camaro design elements, the fifth-generation Camaro that we see prowling our streets today possesses facets of the original Camaro design. The cross-car, dual-plane grille reminds us of older Camaro models, but is one of the most aggressive front ends on the road. Sculpted for performance, the 2+2 canopy design is built for lean performance, which is evident in the 2015 Chevy Camaro Z28.

If you want to learn more about the future of the Chevy Camaro and what the 2016 Chevy Camaro will bring to the table, take the time to explore the history of the Chevy Camaro sports car. As you can see by our highlights of each generation of the Camaro, the design language of this Chevy has stood the test of time and you will almost certainly see iconic Camaro design elements in the newest edition.