The Chevrolet Camaro is one of the most iconic pony cars in the American automotive world since its introduction in 1966. Nearly six decades later, the curtain will close on it for a final time as the line will be retired at the end of the 2024 model year.
Besides the obvious ramifications for consumers, the discontinuation will also affect Chevrolet’s NASCAR and Supercars Championship divisions as both field the Camaro. NASCAR stipulates a manufacturer must run a production vehicle model that is being sold during that season, meaning Chevrolet will have the rest of 2023 and all of 2024 to find a replacement. The Camaro was introduced for NASCAR in 2018 under the ZL1 1LE name, replacing the SS, with Austin Dillon winning the Daytona 500 in its début points race. Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson also scored the 2020 and 2021 Cup Series championships in Camaros.
Since 2018, the Camaro has won sixty-two Cup races including four in a row to begin the 2023 season. Chevrolet claimed the manufacturer’s titles in 2021 and 2022. A modified Next Gen Camaro will race the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
The Camaro SS is also utilised in the NASCAR Xfinity Series since 2013 and has won five driver’s titles.
In Australia, the Camaro replaced the legendary Holden Commodore for 2023 as the Supercars Championship begins its own “next-gen” era of cars. Reigning champion Shane van Gisbergen scored the Camaro’s maiden win in the second race of the season opener in Newcastle earlier in March.
“Chevrolet’s products and our relationship with our customers benefit from motorsports,” Chevrolet U.S. vice president of motorsport Jim Campbell stated. “Our plan is to continue to compete and win at the highest levels of auto racing.”
The decision to retire the Camaro came amid declining sales and a transition towards electric vehicles, though Chevrolet stated the name will remain in use in some form.
“As we prepare to say goodbye to the current generation Camaro, it is difficult to overstate our gratitude to every Camaro customer, Camaro assembly line employee and race fan,” commented Chevrolet global vice president Scott Bell. “While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story.”