Chevrolet's Camaro was hardly an original idea back in 1967 — a sporty body over simple, straightforward mechanical bits swiped from a compact car. But despite that, today the Chevy Camaro is an American performance icon. It's not just another two-door, but likely the most raced car in the history of American motorsports. Road racing, circle track racing, drag racing and, yes, street racing: There's hardly a green flag waved in this country under which a Chevrolet Camaro has not passed, and hardly a checkered flag it hasn't earned.
The essence of the Chevrolet Camaro has always been a slick mix of aggressive styling and a practical sensibility. Anyone interested in an everyday cruiser that gets good mileage and looks spectacular can opt for a six-cylinder-powered version of Chevy's rear-drive coupe or convertible. They'll get the sleek appearance, but also have a car that putters around amiably, will hold the week's groceries and doesn't cost a fortune. Sure the rear seat can't really accommodate adults comfortably for more than a few blocks, but how often does anyone carry that many people in their Chevy Camaro anyhow?
Mix V8 engines with the Chevrolet Camaro, however, and the result is almost mystical. Legendary Camaro appellations from the past like Z/28, ZL-1, IROC-Z and Yenko still amp up enthusiasts' hearts and inspire automotive lust. Camaros with V8s under their hoods are the archetypical American performance car: serious, built for speed, muscularly attractive and yet nowhere near exotic. The Chevrolet Camaro is America's approachable, achievable, almost sensible supercar.
After 35 years of production over four generations of the Chevrolet Camaro, it seemed the car had run its course and it left production after the 2002 model year. Still the core idea of the Chevy Camaro was solid and undeniably attractive. And so in 2006 it returned as a concept car on the showcar circuit, and in 2009 the Camaro went into production once again as a 2010 model. Good ideas, it seems, are hard to keep down. And the Chevrolet Camaro is an excellent idea.
