The 2021 Chevy Camaro is racing onto the scene as the next muscle car to have. The Chevrolet Camaro first debuted in late 1966 with the early release of the inaugural 1967 classic pony car. The especially outstanding Camaro SS-350 and its classic small-block V8 with a four-barrel carb delivered 295 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque to a pair of rear drive wheels. A four-speed manual or a Powerglide automatic transmission made the Camaro an instant rival to Ford’s popular Mustang. While the Camaro line ceased production for several years, its re-emergence in recent years affirms that the pony car wars are back and as good as ever.
Newly revised equipment makes the 2021 Chevy Camaro a truly muscular car with track-capable performance. Seven trim levels give you lots of pricing and performance options with a whole lot of fun packed into each one. You get what you want with the new lineup, from a cool and affordable sporty car for running daily errands to a beefy muscle car with true racing potential.
All 2021 Camaro models share the same basic design of a mid-size coupe that seats four, has rear-wheel drive, and weighs a relatively light 3,685 lbs. A small trunk holds about 9 cubic feet of cargo. New models feature more entertainment options, including Bose premium audio and improved WiFi, and each trim level offers a soft-top convertible option. The 2021 Chevy Camaro offers your choice of three motors, four engine configurations, and eight trim levels. More muscular models have a new 10-speed automatic transmission to replace the 8-speed automatic from prior years.
The eight trim levels and their respective engines are the:
The Camaro LS, which comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor that produces 275 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque under the hood. A limited-slip rear differential and driver selectable drive modes add to the fun.
The Camaro LT comes standard with the 2.0-liter engine with either a 6-speed manual or a paddle-shift automatic transmission. This trim also has an available 3.6L V6 engine that produces 335 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque with either the manual or paddle-shift automatic transmission option.
Camaro 2LT, which also uses the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder motor as the LT standard and option 3.6L V6, boosts interior comfort with dual-zone climate control and ventilated and heated front seats.
The Camaro 3LT offers the same two engine options as the LT and 2LT, while also providing wireless charging, safety alerts, and a head-up display.
The Camaro LT1 puts you squarely in the muscle car range with a 6.2-liter V8 that sends 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque to a pair of 20-inch rear-drive wheels. This engine comes with either a 6-speed manual transmission with Active Rev Matching or a 10-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission.
The Camaro SS, which uses the same 6.2-liter V8 engine as the LT1 and other muscular Camaros. This model is geared solely towards performance.
The Camaro 2SS adds dual climate control, premium audio, interior spectrum lighting, and other interior improvements with the same engine options as the SS.
The Camaro ZL1 significantly boosts power and performance with a supercharger that increases maximum horsepower to 650 and torque to 650 lb-ft. Several electronic control systems help you dial in the perfect ride with your choice of a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic. This is the car built for those who want power and speed.
With eight trim levels and so many engine configurations, you have all the power to choose the one that best fits your lifestyle.
Great Power and Performance
The top-of-the-line ZL1 was already one of the quickest production cars on the planet. Chevy says the addition of a 10-speed automatic makes it even quicker than the 6-speed manual that also is available for this trim level. The ZL1 embraces the Camaro muscle car heritage with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that boosts power output from 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque to 650 hp and 650 lb-ft.
The Camaro LT, LT1, and SS trims stay firmly in the muscle car atmosphere with naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8s that give 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque. The supercharged V8 can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, which is about a half-second faster than the naturally aspirated V8. The turbocharged four-cylinder Camaro goes from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds, and the V6 does 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. A dual-mode exhaust produces a pleasantly menacing note to announce the Camaro’s arrival.
Fuel economy ranges from a high of 30 MPG on the highway with the smallest engine to about 20 MPG on the freeway with the supercharged V8. A 19-gallon fuel tank provides a good range between fuel-ups. The wheels range from 18 inches on the lower models to 20 inches on the V8-equipped models. A limited-slip differential evens out power delivery to the rear wheels while as specially tuned suspension ensures stability.
Interior Comforts Abound
The 2021 Chevy Camaro’s interior offers plenty of room for two people up front, where either bucket seats or Recaro racing seats fit like the proverbial glove. The driver’s seat has eight-way power adjustment and the passenger seat six-way to deliver ideal comfort. The rear seat has two buckets molded into what essentially is a bench seat for two. The base models come equipped with cloth-covered seats. Higher trim levels have either leather seat coverings or leather with suede inserts.
Onboard entertainment comes via the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 that you control via either a standard 7-inch or optional 8-inch touchscreen. All-new wireless support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto lets you stream your favorite music and other entertainment. A Bose premium sound system provides excellent audio reproduction, and voice recognition enables you to keep your hands on the steering wheel while telling the system what you want it to do.
When the weather gets either hot or cold, dual-zone climate control ensures ideal comfort, and keyless entry makes entry very easy while keeping the Camaro secure when parked. Navigational aids help to prevent getting lost, and remote starting lets you warm up the Camaro on frigidly cold mornings so that you always have a toasty warm car in which to travel.
Safety Features to Help Prevent Accidents
Like most new car models, the 2021 Chevy Camaro comes with lots of excellent safety equipment, including a back-up camera, brake assist, stability and traction control, and ABS brakes. Six airbags protect the driver and passengers. Only the 3LT, SS, and ZL1 come with forward-collision warning, but without automatic emergency braking to interrupt your driving. Those models also benefit from lane-change alert and blind-spot monitoring systems to prevent commonly occurring crashes.
If you want to let your teen drive one of the coolest cars around, a Teen Driver system helps make it safer. The system enables you to customize controls for the audio volume and maximum speed so that your teen does not blast the stereo and drive wildly behind the wheel of an incredibly cool and powerful automobile. It will also disable the sound system until buckling the seatbelts.
The 2021 Chevy Camaro strives to be a safe car for anyone who wants to drive it for any reason. Given its array of airbags and technologically enabled safety features, the 2021 Chevy Camaro ensures wide grins with all the available power while allowing maximum comfort.
Final Thoughts
The 2021 Chevy Camaro elevates the sixth-generation pony car to truly supercar status for those who want to venture into such territory and have the financial means to do so. Most will find the range of engine options and relatively affordable entry into the V8-powered muscle car realm to be a highly satisfying one. Chevrolet offers a modern-day classic that likely will be referenced fondly decades from now. If you want something fast, affordable, and fun, then the 2021 Chevy Camaro is the car for you.
