The 6th-Gen Camaro Did More Than Live in the Mustang’s Shadow
The end of the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro marks yet another discontinuation of the beloved nameplate. However, the 6th-gen Camaro did more than represent Chevrolet’s ill-fated attempts to keep pace with Ford and Dodge’s muscle car sales. In fact, the sixth-generation Camaro out-cornered and out-sprinted the Ford Mustang at several points.
What year is the 6th-gen Camaro?
The 6th-gen Chevrolet Camaro took over from the fifth-generation model in 2016. It’s the current generation and will run through 2024 until GM discontinues it. The design was controversial, but the impact was plainly apparent.
Fortunately, amid a horsepower war, fans could still get a V8 Camaro with a six-speed manual in the middle. What’s more, the early sixth-generation Camaro SS outmuscled the comparable Ford Mustang GT before its mid-cycle S550 refresh. Specifically, the SS produced 455 horsepower from its naturally aspirated 6.2L V8, while the Mustang GT stopped at 435. Of course, the post-facelift S550 Mustangs had to regain bragging rights by bumping the 5.0L Coyote V8 up to 460 ponies.
What year Camaro is the fastest?
The fastest production and road-going Chevrolet Camaro is the king of the sixth-generation lineup: the Camaro ZL1 1LE. Unlike the SS, the ZL1 summons 650 horsepower and the same number in torque. Power is courtesy of the brutish Camaro’s supercharged 6.2L V8.
As a result, the 6th-gen Camaro ZL1 is more powerful than all but two factory Ford Mustangs: the S550 and the S197 Shelby GT500s. However, the ZL1 1LE isn’t about straight-line heroics. No, the 1LE is a performance package that adds corner-decimating kit like bigger brakes, stiffer suspension components, wider tires, and an electronic limited-slip differential.
It’s not just explosive boulevard bullies; the 6th-gen Camaro has track chops
Chevrolet offered the 1LE kit for both V6 and V8-powered Camaros. The equipment unlocked cornering credentials well above the Camaro’s price point. However, the ZL1 1LE smashed expectations beyond that of a muscle car. When GM took it to the Nürburgring, the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE posted one of the fastest times of any factory American car: a 7:16.04. That puts it less than 3.0 seconds behind the Corvette Z06 of the day.
