Chevrolet Camaro (Sixth Generation): The Pony Car From LT1 to ZL1

The sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is an American pony car that was first shown on May 16, 2015 and sold from the 2016 model year. It returned production to the United States, and it survived as coupe and convertible until its final cars were built in December 2023. Its range ran from a turbo four to a supercharged V8 that reached 650 hp.

When did the sixth-generation Camaro arrive?

The sixth-generation Camaro went on sale in 2015 for the 2016 model year, and it was built on the GM Alpha platform shared with the Cadillac ATS and CTS. Its front end uses MacPherson struts instead of the earlier multi-link setup. General Motors said that 70 percent of its architectural components were unique to the car.

Production returned to the United States, because the fourth and fifth generations had been assembled in Canada. Like its predecessor, the new car came as a coupe and a convertible, and it was shorter, narrower and lower than the car it replaced.

Measured against the old car, the new body is 58 mm shorter (2.3 in), 20 mm narrower (0.8 in) and 28 mm lower (1.1 in). With similar equipment and engines it was over 200 lb (91 kg) lighter. Production of the sixth generation ended on December 14, 2023.

A pony car on a shared platform, climbing from a turbo four to a 650 hp supercharged V8 before production ended in 2023.

Which trims did the Camaro offer?

The trims at launch were LT, with 1LT and 2LT versions, and SS, with 1SS and 2SS versions. Standard equipment on every trim included automatic air conditioning, cruise control, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, parking assist and seven airbags. A base LS trim with the 1LS badge followed for 2017.

The LS used the turbocharged 2.0 L inline four and a six-speed manual as its only powertrain options. The 1LT gained an eight-speed automatic with shift paddles for 2017. For China, Chevrolet introduced an RS trim on August 31, 2016, with the same turbo four and an eight-speed automatic.

For 2020 Chevrolet added the Camaro LT1, which paired LT styling with the 6.2 L V8 from the SS. A new 3LT trim also gained the optional equipment of the 2LT. In 2024 GM cut production, ended fleet and government orders, and dropped the turbo four, the Rapid Blue and Shadow Gray paints and the base 1LS.

What were the 1LE packages?

The 1LE track packages returned for the 2017 model year, aimed at the V6 and V8 coupes with six-speed manuals. The V6 1LE added FE3 suspension from the SS, 20-inch forged wheels with Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres, Brembo four-piston front calipers and a 3.27:1 mechanical limited-slip differential, together with a track-cooling package and a short-throw shifter.

From 2019 the 1LE was also offered on the turbo four. It added much the same kit as the V6 car, and Car and Driver found the four-cylinder 1LE trailed the V6 by just 1.6 seconds around VIR. The package was deleted for the I4 and V6 trims from 2022.

The SS 1LE brought Magnetic Ride Control FE4 suspension derived from the ZL1, an electronic limited-slip with a 3.73:1 ratio and 14.6-inch rotors. Its tyres were 285/30R20 at the front and 305/30R20 at the rear, on 20-inch forged wheels.

How quick was the SS?

The SS used the 6.2 L LT1 V8, offered with a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. Chevrolet quotes torque of 455 lb ft (617 N m; 63 kg m) alongside 455 hp (339 kW; 461 PS), with 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 4.0 seconds. The 1SS and 2SS differ mainly in interior features rather than performance.

The 2SS added leather heated and ventilated seats, interior spectrum lighting, a heated steering wheel, blind-spot monitoring, Bose audio and wireless charging. From 2019 the SS dropped the eight-speed automatic in favour of a 10-speed, and the 2SS gained a rearview camera.

What made the ZL1 special?

The ZL1 sat at the top of the Camaro range from its 2017 launch. Its 6.2 L LT4 supercharged V8 made 650 hp (485 kW; 659 PS), with 650 lb ft (881 N m; 90 kg m) of torque available. The powertrain also used 11 heat exchangers to manage cooling, and the car had a lower grille opening, a new front splitter and a carbon hood insert.

The ZL1 carried wider front fenders, 20-inch forged aluminium wheels and Magnetic Ride suspension, along with Brembo six-piston monoblock front calipers on 15.35-inch two-piece rotors. Transmissions were a rev-matching six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic developed with Ford and built by General Motors in Romulus, Michigan.

Chevrolet quotes 3.5 seconds from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) and a quarter-mile in 11.4 seconds at 127 mph (204 km/h). The official top speed was 198 mph (319 km/h). The ZL1 and SS were barred from sale in California and Washington because their brake pads contained materials restricted under local rules.

What did the ZL1 1LE add?

The ZL1 1LE Extreme Track Performance Package arrived in 2017 as a more track-focused version of the ZL1. At 150 mph (241 km/h) the aero package generates 300 lb (136 kg) of downforce, with a new front splitter, dive planes and a rear wing. Optimised grille and intake openings let in 106 cubic feet more air per minute than the standard car's front end.

The 1LE used adjustable Multimatic spool-valve shocks, springs three times stiffer than the standard ZL1 and 19-inch wheels that were 3.3 lb (1 kg) lighter each. The package also replaced the rubber subframe bushings with solid aluminium parts and cut 60 lb (27 kg) of weight.

In 2017 a ZL1 1LE set a lap of 7 minutes, 16.04 seconds at the Nurburgring Nordschleife, driven by Bill Wise in an official Chevrolet test. That lap was 13.6 seconds faster than the standard ZL1 had managed.

Which special editions were built?

The 50th Anniversary Special Edition arrived in 2017 on 2LT and 2SS models in coupe and convertible form, with Nightfall Gray Metallic paint, unique 20-inch wheels and orange 50th Anniversary decals. Every 2017 Camaro also carried a FIFTY badge on the steering wheel to mark the car's half-century.

The Hot Wheels Special Edition was introduced at the SEMA Show in October 2017 to mark the 50th anniversary of Hot Wheels die-cast cars. It came in Crush Orange with Graphite wheels, a Jet Black interior with orange stitching and illuminated Hot Wheels door sill plates. The 2018 Redline Edition added black wheels with red accent stripes.

The 2024 ZL1 Garage 56 Edition was released before the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans, with NASCAR-inspired graphics and a rear spoiler, and it was limited to 56 units. The final-year Collector's Edition added Panther Black paint and panther badging, with a 350-car batch of ZL1 models split between the US, Canada and Mexico.

Which engines did the Camaro use?

The 2.0 L LTG Ecotec turbo four produced 275 hp (205 kW; 279 PS) at 5,600 rpm, and 295 lb ft (400 N m; 41 kg m) of pulling force arrived at 3,000 rpm, and it was the first four-cylinder in a Camaro since the third generation. The 3.6 L LGX V6 made 335 hp (250 kW; 340 PS) at 6,800 rpm, and the 6.2 L LT1 V8, shared with the Corvette C7, made 455 hp (339 kW; 461 PS) at 6,000 rpm.

The top engine was the 6.2 L supercharged LT4 V8, shared with the Corvette Z06. Peak output is 650 hp (485 kW; 659 PS) at 6,400 rpm, while torque peaks at 650 lb ft (881 N m; 90 kg m) at 3,600 rpm. Most cars used a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic, while ZL1 models ran a 10-speed automatic.

New European emissions rules, Euro 6d-Temp, ended EU sales on 31 August 2019. The V8 fitted to the export car could not be modified enough to meet them.

How did HSV bring the Camaro to Australia?

Holden Special Vehicles, the performance arm of General Motors Holden, imported European-market Camaros and converted them to right-hand drive and Australian Design Rules starting in the second half of 2018. The Chevrolet badge stayed on the converted car, unlike the earlier Holden Suburban. HSV imported the 2SS and the ZL1, and the manual gearbox and ZL1 arrived in 2019.

In total HSV converted 375 ZL1s. Imports stopped in early 2020 after limited sales, although a return under the new GMSV brand remained possible.

What changed in the 2019 and 2020 updates?

In fall 2018 the sixth-generation Camaro received a mid-cycle redesign for the 2019 model year, which brought a third-generation MyLink system and revised styling. The 1LE package was extended to the base I4 LT, and the Riverside Blue and Satin Steel Gray colours were added. Infotainment 3 replaced MyLink in seven-inch and eight-inch sizes.

For 2020 Chevrolet added the LT1 V8 trim, which kept V6 1LT looks but gained the 455 hp engine. The V6 moved to a 10-speed automatic, the SS front end changed, and a Rally Green colour was introduced.

How did the Camaro race?

Pratt Miller developed the Camaro GT4.R for GT4 racing in 2017. Rules barred superchargers, so it used the naturally aspirated 6.2 L LT1 from the SS, with direct injection and a Motec data system, and produced up to 480 hp (358 kW; 487 PS). The car weighed 3,131 lb (1,420 kg).

In NASCAR the Camaro ZL1 won on its debut at the 2018 Daytona 500 with Austin Dillon. It went on to win the 2020 Cup championship with Chase Elliott and the 2021 title with Kyle Larson. The Camaro SS took Xfinity Series championships in 2018, 2019 and 2024. Camaro-body stock cars were rebranded as generic Chevrolet cars from 2025.

The Garage 56 entry at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans was based on the ZL1 stock car, with Jimmie Johnson, Jenson Button and Mike Rockenfeller driving. It ran ahead of the GTE class for most of the race, but a driveline problem after the 20th hour cost more than an hour of repairs. The team finished 39th out of 62 cars after 285 laps.

How did the Camaro do in Supercars and Turismo Carretera?

The Camaro ZL1 replaced the Holden Commodore in the Supercars Championship from 2023. Chevrolet won the manufacturers' title that year and again in 2024 and 2025, with Erebus Motorsport and Brodie Kostecki winning in 2023 and Triple Eight taking the 2024 and 2025 titles.

In Argentina the historic Turismo Carretera series chose the sixth-generation Camaro to represent Chevrolet from 2024, replacing the Nova. On December 7, 2025 the car won its first title in the series, with Agustin Canapino as champion.

What awards did the Camaro win?

The Camaro was the 2016 Indianapolis 500 Official Pace Car, and Motor Trend named it its 2016 Car of the Year. Car and Driver put it among its 10 Best Cars in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and J.D. Power named it the Most Dependable Midsize Sporty Car in 2016, 2017 and 2021.

In a Summit White 2017 Camaro SS 50th Anniversary Edition coupe, Roger Penske led the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, and the car appeared as a festival car at the event in several years.

What were the Hertz Hendrick specialty cars?

In 2019 Hertz added 224 modified 2020 Camaros to its rental fleet, prepared with Hendrick Motorsports. 200 of them were 2SS models upgraded to 480 horsepower, with satin black wheels and a Performance Upgrade Package.

The remaining 24 were ZL1s upgraded to 750 horsepower. Each got a larger Callaway supercharger, a 2,300cc TVS unit that was 32% larger than the factory item, and a plaque showing its individual number.

What are the Camaro specifications?