Ever wonder just how dimensionally similar—or different—today’s rides are compared to those of the past? It’s always on our minds, as it seems like every new-car reveal is accompanied by detailed lists of where inches or pounds were added relative to the previous iteration. Few modern cars manage to shrug off this generation-over-generation inflation; the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata comes to mind, being dimensionally smaller than before. The current-generation Nissan Z also shrank when its name changed from 350Z to 370Z. Chevrolet has heard the siren call, too, and it bucked industry trend and cut down the sixth-generation Camaro‘s footprint. That got us thinking: What about the Camaro’s dimensional changes throughout every generation? So we broke out the rulers.
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Sixth Generation: 2016 Chevrolet Camaro (2016–)
-The 2016 Camaro, having moved onto General Motors’ excellent rear-drive Alpha platform, has shrunk ever so slightly. Compared to the fifth-generation model, Chevy sliced 2.1 inches out of the overall length, 1.6 inches from the wheelbase, 1.1 inches of height, and 0.8 inch of width. Small changes, to be sure, but standing next to the Camaro in person, the car feels far more compact and wieldy than the bulky fifth-gen model. Chevrolet claims to have cut more than 200 pounds of weight, opening up room for a turbocharged four-cylinder engine at the bottom of the range; a V-6 and a V-8 are again available. Read all about the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro >>
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Fifth Generation: 2010 Chevrolet Camaro (2010–2015)
-When the Camaro nameplate was resurrected for 2010 after nearly a decade-long absence, the muscle car sat on an all-new rear-drive platform. Dubbed Zeta, it was shared with large vehicles like the Pontiac G8, which lives on today as the Chevrolet SS and the even larger, police-only Caprice sedan. Little more than a cut-down full-size sedan, the Camaro was big—but it was also refined, with the breed’s first independent rear suspension. Dimensionally, the Camaro’s wheelbase had swelled a full 11.2 inches over that of the fourth-generation Camaro; overall length was down 2.8 inches, but every other metric was larger. At first, buyers could pick between a naturally aspirated V-6 or a 6.2-liter V-8, but later Chevrolet added a supercharged V-8 for the ZL1 model, as well as a 7.0-liter V-8 plucked from the Corvette Z06 for the track-ready Z/28. Read our original 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS review >>
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Fourth Generation: 1993 Chevrolet Camaro (1993–2001)
-The last Camaro to ride on GM’s aging F-body platform, the fourth-generation model boasted sleek, swoopy styling, a powerful V-8, and a six-speed manual transmission. It also featured colossal front and rear overhangs that look almost silly today. The wheelbase was just 0.1 inch longer than the third-generation Camaro’s, but overall length was up 5.3 inches, width was up 2 inches, and the car stood 1.5 inches taller. Midway through the fourth-gen’s life cycle, Chevrolet fitted single sealed-beam headlights and enlarged the grille; a 305-hp Z28 SS model joined the lineup in 1996, too. Read our original 1993 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 review >>
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Third Generation: 1982 Chevrolet Camaro (1982–1992)
-Now, what were we saying about the rare instances in which a car gets smaller year-over-year? The 1982 Camaro was one such car, a negligible 0.2 inches shorter overall than the third-generation model. It was also 2.3 inches narrower, o.3 inch lower, and its wheelbase was a significant seven inches stubbier. Engine choices were quite bleak at the car’s launch, with a 90-hp 2.5-liter “Iron Duke” four-cylinder holding down base-engine duty, while a 112-hp, 2.8-liter V-6 was optional, as was a 5.0-liter V-8 with only 145 ponies. A more powerful, 165-hp “Crossfire” engine was offered, but it could only be paired with a three-speed automatic. Oh, and in case it wasn’t clear from the Camaro’s large glass backlight, it was a hatchback. Read our original 1982 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 review >>
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Second Generation: 1970 Chevrolet Camaro (1970–1981)
-Following a brief, three-year production run, the original Camaro was replaced for 1970 with a car that, well, looked oh-so-’70s. That said, the Camaro was quite attractive, with a long, flowing look to it and a minimum of garishness (although that would change later in the car’s life). The wheelbase shrank by 0.1 inch, but overall length was up a substantial 3.4 inches and the car’s girth grew by 1.9 inches. A 1.9-inch-shorter roof completed the longer-lower-wider transformation. Chevrolet carried over the Z/28 model, but swapped its engine for a 5.7-liter LT-1 small-block V-8 good for 360 horsepower (gross rating; by 1971, new SAE standards dropped that figure to 330 ponies). Read our original 1970 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 review >>
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- Bitchin’ Indeed: A Visual History of the Chevrolet Camaro
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- Chevrolet Camaro Research: Full Pricing, Specs, Reviews, Photos, and More
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First Generation: 1967 Chevrolet Camaro (1967–1969)
-Ah, the first, the original. In its initial iteration, the Camaro was more or less an upright, two-door sedan that could be equipped with spicy engines. This is no accident, as the Mustang first appeared as a “notchback” coupe, and later fastback models didn’t sell in the notchback’s volumes. What sticks out today is how fairly compact the substantial-looking first-generation Camaro really was; the compact Mercedes-Benz CLA250 barely fits within the coupe’s footprint. Critically, however, the new 2016 Camaro isn’t that much larger than the original, measuring just 3.7 inches longer, 2.2 inches wider, and 2.1 inches taller. So how about that? Maybe with the next redesign, Chevrolet can continue reversing the industry’s trend toward larger and larger vehicles and build a Camaro that’s actually smaller than the first one. Read our original 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS 350 review >>
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