A look back at the Camaro, through the eyes of contemporary Chevy designers

Posted on Jul 19, 2014 in Featured | 2 comments

First-generation Camaro analysis by Ed Welburn.

With a new Chevrolet Camaro poised for introduction in the coming months, GM wants to keep the model fresh in the eyes of consumers until the sixth-generation car takes its bow. One innovative way to do so is to look back at five generations of Camaro, as seen through Chevrolet’s current design executives.

Ed Welburn is vice president of GM Global Design and the current owner of a 1969 Camaro. Asked for his take on the first generation of Chevrolet’s “approachable, attainable sports car,” sold from 1967-’69, Welburn was rather frank, saying:

“The Camaro should not have been a design success, as it was based on an existing architecture and admittedly hurried to market to address the personal coupe revolution occurring with Baby Boomer customers. However, the first-generation Camaro delivered a pure, classic proportion that will forever be regarded as one of the best-looking cars of its time. It was very lean and muscular, with comparatively minor embellishments for high-performance models. That was in contrast to some of the brasher competitors during the muscle car era, and it has helped the first-generation Camaro maintain timeless good looks.”

Second-generation Camaro analysis by Ken Parkinson.

Ken Parkinson is the executive director of design, Chevrolet Trucks and Global Architecture, but beyond that, he’s also the owner of a 1968 Camaro. Though he owns a first-gen model, Parkinson admits to obsessing about the second-generation Camaro, sold from 1970-’81, in his younger days:

“I’ve always loved the ‘68 Camaro, but for some reason it was the second–gen car I’d find myself sketching during high school math. It was a radical departure from the first-gen. For the first time, it was built on its own dedicated architecture, which gave the design team the freedom to create a pure expression. What that team created was a powerful expression of American muscle, influenced by a European grand-touring aesthetic. There was simply nothing else like it. You won’t confuse it with the first generation, but it is unmistakably a Camaro from every angle.”

Third-generation Camaro analysis by John Cafaro.

John Cafaro, executive director of Chevrolet Global Car Design, is the former owner of a third-generation Camaro 1LE race car. Asked to evaluate the third generation cars, sold from 1982-’92, Cafaro called them a “cultural symbol of the 1980s because its design epitomized the era’s high-tech cultural trends.” Of the evolution in Camaro design, Cafaro said:

“The third-generation Camaro represented a distinct breakaway from the previous generations, which were undeniably influenced by European grand touring cars. This was a uniquely American design with a form developed for function – and its aggressive front-end styling was deemed almost too aggressive by some in the company. It also grew into more of a serious sports car and with that, its form was wrapped around a chassis system designed for a new level of function.”

Fourth-generation Camaro analysis by Kirk Bennion.

Kirk Bennion is the exterior design manager for the Chevrolet Camaro and the owner of a 1993 Camaro Z28. The fourth-generation car, sold from 1992-’02, “still looks as sleek as anything on showroom floors today,” and of its styling Bennion stated:

“It was a very aggressive design intended to evolve the proportion from the third-generation car with a provocative exterior and greater aerodynamic performance. It has a very sculptural form vocabulary that was definitely all-new for the Camaro. Having a low front end was important to the design. It really worked with the high deck lid rear spoiler to enhance the appearance of motion. All these years later, it still looks contemporary – and fast!”

Fifth-generation Camaro design analysis by Tom Peters.

Chevrolet Camaro exterior design director Tom Peters, who owns a 1969 Camaro, also has a passion for the fifth-generation cars, sold from 2010-’15, calling the model’s return “a thunderbolt that reignited the passion of Camaro enthusiasts around the world.” Though the sixth-generation Camaro will debut in 2016, Peters was succinct in his praise for the current car:

“It’s a car design for those who like to drive, and its elegant design makes you smile every time. Distilling the timeless essence of the design and translating into a fresh, contemporary Camaro was a challenge. The final design perfectly straddled that razor-sharp line between heritage and retro – and with five straight years at the top of the segment, clearly the fifth-generation Camaro connected with a whole new group of enthusiasts.”