2016 brought us the latest and most advanced Chevrolet Camaro in history, but it's also the year that marks the nameplate's 50th anniversary. An iconic figure of the pony car market, the Camaro debuted in September 1966, two years after Ford basically invented the niche with the Mustang. As it begins preparing the 50th anniversary celebrations at the 2016 Woodward Dream Cruise, Chevrolet released a gallery of vintage press photos from the past five decades highlighting the evolution of the Camaro.
The archive includes shots of all five previous generations of the muscle car, including the short-lived, but incredibly popular first-generation model. Sold from 1967 to 1969, the first-gen car established the Camaro as key player on the pony market and the muscle car wars. The first generation also spawned the original Z/28 and ZL-1, and served twice as the Indy 500 pace car. The redesigned, second-gen version is known as the longest and most successful Camaro, despite being affected by the 1973 oil crisis and the subsequent Malaise Era.
The third-generation Camaro followed in 1982 with a brand-new platform, better dynamics, and for the first time, a hatchback body style. This model also debuted the 1LE package and was the first American production car to incorporate the ground effects pioneered by Can-Am and F1 race cars. The fourth-gen Camaro, introduced in 1993, brought more powerful engines and a more dramatic, sleeker design. Its most notable highlight was the LS1 V-8 engine. Sadly, the discontinuation of the fourth-gen model in 2002 also meant the temporary end of the Camaro nameplate.
Chevrolet did not offer the pony until 2009, when the fifth-gen version arrived to challenge the Mustang. Redesigned with styling cues borrowed from the original Camaro, the fifth-generation went on become the best-selling pony car for five consecutive years. It also marked the return of the 1LE, Z/28, and ZL1 nameplates.
Take a trip down the Camaro memory lane with the high-resolution photos in the gallery below.
Our favorite wallpapers are:
Now pick yours:
First Generation (1967-1969)
Second Generation (1970-1981)
Third Generation (1982-1992)
Fourth Generation (1993-2002)
Fifth Generation (2009-2015)
Sixth generation Chevrolet Camaro
Read our full review on the Chevrolet Camaro here.
