Did you know that the introduction of the first Chevy Camaro in 1967 was GM’s last-minute attempt to compete against the wildly successful Ford Mustang introduced in 1964? Fortunately, the Camaro was met with widespread support and became the Mustang’s fiercest competitor despite GM’s late arrival to the race. Fast forward five decades and the Camaro remains a fan favorite in the performance car category. Now in its sixth generation and an icon of speed and agility on the road, let’s look at the newest 2021 Chevy Camaro found at a Chevy dealer near you.
2021 Chevy Camaro Trim Packages
It’s hard to believe that the sleek Camaro seen on the road today has its early beginnings in the 1965 Chevy II Nova. Chevy started with the compact Nova to design the first-generation Camaro. Today, any resemblance to the Nova is long-gone as we see in the newest 2021 Camaro trim packages—LS, LT, LT1, SS, and ZL1—that are designed to make street dreams come true.
Promising to deliver high-performance thrills, the 2021 Chevy Camaro offers a lot of bang for its buck with the base model—the LS—starting at $25,000 and providing just enough power and stability to introduce the Camaro’s agility on the road. The next step up is the coupe or convertible LT, starting at $25,500 and offering options like the 2LT and 3LT upgrade packages. The LT1 starts at $34,000 and includes a beefy 6.2-liter V8 engine. The SS model starts at $37,500 and is focused solely on performance with a V8 engine and the 2SS upgrade option that includes even more features. Last, but far from least, is the Camaro’s heavy hitter, the ZL1 that starts at $63,000 and reigns as the supercharged crown of the Camaro family.
Beyond the trim packages, new for 2021 is the Wild Cherry Design Package making the Camaro into a sleek, cherry red performance car that packs a punch. The first Wild Cherry option is available on the SS, LT, and LT1 models and features a black metallic hash mark stripe, a Camaro fender badge and shield wheel center caps, and forged polished wheels. The second Wild Cherry package is available on the 2LT, 3LT, and 2SS. It includes additional ground effects, a black microfiber suede interior trim kit with knee pads, a black or silver center stripe, and a fuel door with a visible carbon fiber insert.
Camaro Powertrains and Performance
The 2021 Chevy Camaro lineup is all about performance and features four powertrain options beginning with the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that comes standard on the LS and LT models. With direct injection and variable valve timing, the 2.0-liter turbo produces 275 hp at 5,600 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 3,000-4,500 rpm. It can travel 0 to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and offers an average fuel economy of 22 MPG in the city and 30 MPG on the highway. This engine comes with either automatic or manual transmission.
For drivers looking for more power, the next available engine is the 3.6-liter V6 available on the Camaro LT. Offering the same direct injection and variable valve timing as the 2.0-liter, the 3.6-liter produces 335 hp at 6,800 rpm and 284 lb-ft of torque at 5,300 rpm. Capable of reaching 0 to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, the V6 also comes with an available 10-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and boasts an average fuel economy of 18 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway.
Known for going all out when it comes to performance, the Camaro doesn’t disappoint with its next powertrain option—the rumbling 6.2-liter V8 engine. The V8 comes standard on the LT1 and SS models with an available 10-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission. It shaves more than a second off the 2.0-liter turbo and 3.6-liter V6 by traveling from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds. It produces 455 hp at 6,000 rpm and 455 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm while remaining incredibly fuel-efficient with an average fuel economy of 16 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway.
The king of all Camaros, the ZL1, roars to life with the biggest and most powerful engine—the 6.2-liter supercharged V8. Complete with a 1.7-liter Eaton supercharger, the engine produces 650 hp at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque at 3,600 rpm. It’s capable of reaching 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, but its power doesn’t heavily impact its fuel economy thanks to its direct injection and variable valve timing. The ZL1 supercharged engine averages 14 MPG in the city and 20 MPG on the highway.
Standard Features and Options
Aside from its four high-performing engines, the 2021 Chevy Camaro also offers various standard features and options that add to its value. Every trim package comes standard with a 7-inch touchscreen audio system, power windows, cruise control, dual USB ports, an 8-way power driver’s seat, AUX input, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. New for 2021 models is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration.
Known for its precision-tuned performance, the Camaro truly shines with its available options like Magnetic Ride Control. This state-of-the-art technology reads the road and changes the damping of the shocks within 10 to 15 milliseconds, giving the driver more control and stability behind the wheel at higher speeds. This option is standard on the ZL1 and is available on the SS with the 1LE Performance Package.
Heads-Up Display is another available feature that makes driving the Camaro even more fluid. This option is standard with the ZL1, 3LT, and 2SS packages and projects a transparent readout of your speed, rpm, fuel level, and other data onto the windshield. Drivers can customize the intensity and size of the display to best suit their needs.
Camaro also offers Launch Control that takes the Camaro’s performance to another level. Standard on SS and ZL1s with automatic transmission, Launch Control allows drivers to optimize acceleration at the track. Navigating to the Driver Information Center, drivers can adjust the launch rpm and wheel slippage while maintaining the speed at which their rear tires spin. Custom Launch Control is an enhanced feature that’s designed for closed races. It allows drivers to optimize acceleration off the line and lock the front wheels so the rear tires can spin and warm-up for maximum grip on the track.
Speaking of races, Camaro truly thought of everything with its Performance Data Recorder. This technology videos the drive around the track and captures real-time performance data. Once the race is over, drivers can analyze the video and data to improve their driving both on and off the track.
Making Street Dreams Come True
From its early inspiration with the Chevy II Nova, the 2021 Chevy Camaro has undeniably come a long way over the last five decades. Now known for offering outstanding agility at high speeds and pure adrenaline behind the wheel, it’s no surprise why the Camaro is one of the most popular performance cars on the road. If you love to drive like the rest of us, it’s time to check out the 2021 Chevy Camaro at a Chevy dealer near you.
