1967
The Camaro was officially announced on June 28, 1966 by Chevrolet Division's General Manager Pete Estes. He had called in magazine and newspapers writers from 14 different markets onto one massive conference phone call, the first time this had ever been done. Estes brought the people on for the first and last meeting of the Society for the Elimination of Panthers from the Automotive World (SEPAW). Panther was the nickname that had been given to the car during its testing period, while GM marketers found the name Camaro in the 1935 edition of Heath's French to English Dictionary, translating to "friend, pal, or comrade." It was also joked that a Camaro was "a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs."
The Camaro was undoubtedly a direct response to the success of Ford's pony car, and its design reflected that. The car had a long hood, a short rear deck, two-door configuration and a 2+2 set up. The car was originally launched with Sport Coupe (which had a lower price point than the Mustang at $2,466), Rally Sport and Super Sport trims. The base engine was a 140hp inline-six, while 5.7L and 6.2L V8s were available in the SS and the later-debuting race-ready Z/28 trim had a 4.9L small-block V8. There were a plethora of options for transmissions, including a three- and four-speed manuals and a two-speed automatic. In its first year of existence, the Camaro had the honor of pacing the Indianapolis 500.
1968
In its sophomore year, the Camaro saw a few minor aesthetic changes. Per government regulations, side marker lights were placed on the front and rear fenders. Chevy also got rid of the side vent windows, put a little bit of separation between the lamps in the taillight units, and pointed the grille a bit more. This car saw success in sales and on the track, as well, winning the Trans-Am championship that year. The car's 396-cu-in big-block V8 was available in 325-, 350, and 375-horsepower levels. You knew an SS was coming at you by its signature bumblebee stripe on the front.
The Camaro was undoubtedly a direct response to the success of Ford's pony car, and its design reflected that. The car had a long hood, a short rear deck, two-door configuration and a 2+2 set up. The car was originally launched with Sport Coupe (which had a lower price point than the Mustang at $2,466), Rally Sport and Super Sport trims. The base engine was a 140hp inline-six, while 5.7L and 6.2L V8s were available in the SS and the later-debuting race-ready Z/28 trim had a 4.9L small-block V8. There were a plethora of options for transmissions, including a three- and four-speed manuals and a two-speed automatic. In its first year of existence, the Camaro had the honor of pacing the Indianapolis 500.
1968
In its sophomore year, the Camaro saw a few minor aesthetic changes. Per government regulations, side marker lights were placed on the front and rear fenders. Chevy also got rid of the side vent windows, put a little bit of separation between the lamps in the taillight units, and pointed the grille a bit more. This car saw success in sales and on the track, as well, winning the Trans-Am championship that year. The car's 396-cu-in big-block V8 was available in 325-, 350, and 375-horsepower levels. You knew an SS was coming at you by its signature bumblebee stripe on the front.
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