The high-performance-bargain Chevrolet Camaro remains the cheapest way to get a rear-drive, track-guaranteed sports car in the United States. Its 1LE Track Performance Package on the turbocharged, six-speed manual models runs as little as $29,495; it’s several grand cheaper than a comparably equipped Ford Mustang, while the Dodge Challenger and Toyobaru don’t even enter the conversation. But this distinction seems not to have done the Camaro any good, as Chevy is reportedly discontinuing the 1LE package for four- and six-cylinder models.
This change was reported by both GM Authority and Muscle Cars & Trucks, the latter of which cited its source as GM’s “dealer fleet order guide for the 2022 Chevrolet Camaro.” It reportedly outlines the nixing of 1LE packages for all LT trims—both four and six-cylinder—this summer, when GM will reportedly switch to production of 2022 models. Considering 1LE packages are already not offered on the entry-level LS models or the LT1, the cheapest V8 option, this would make the 1LE an SS-upward exclusive.
2020 Chevrolet Camaro LT1
1LE packages on LT trims currently command a $4,500 premium, which buys durability and handling enhancements so as to better withstand track use. Upgrades include extra fluid capacity—coolant included on the V6—and cooling, with Brembo front brake calipers behind 20-inch forged aluminum wheels. From the SS, LT 1LEs borrow a fuel system to prevent mid-corner starvation along with suspension components, including dampers, sway bars, rear subframe mounts, and balljoint rear toe links. A mechanical limited-slip differential keeps the 2.0-liter turbo-four’s 275 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque or the 3.6-liter V6’s 335 and 284 under control, while aero tweaks wick air smoothly around the body.
2021 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
As 1LE packages are already unavailable on the base V8 trim, only the costlier 1LEs of the SS and ZL1 will carry on, though their will continue to represent the option at its best. On these models, the Camaro upgrades to better springs, Magneride, stiffer sway bars, track bushings, four-wheel Brembo brakes, and an electronic differential. The driver gets a head-up display, Recaro front seats. The total for said package is $7,000. Assuming prices don’t change for 2022, buyers will have to shell out over $45,000 for the cheapest 2022 Camaro SS 1LE.
GM may be trimming its Camaro options list in light of the pony car’s poor sales, which have been in a continuous decline since 2014 according to Good Car Bad Car. Between this, its ongoing shift toward electrification, and the renewed, renamed 2022 Toyota GR 86 on the horizon, GM has little incentive to keep its Camaro range ultra-competitive. If anything, the Camaro’s future is starting to look like a long, slow decline into discontinuation, one in which the most logical thing to do is make whatever profit there is to be made and be done with it. And in cheap, low-margin models like the LT, there ain’t much to be found.
The Drive contacted GM for comment on the future of 1LE availability on the Camaro, and we will update when we receive comment.
Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: [email protected]
RELATED
All Chevy Camaro Production Stops Due to Chip Shortage
Cadillac's CT4 and CT5 are also on pause as the automaker prioritizes trucks and SUVs.READ NOW
RELATED
New Dodge Challenger and Charger Software Limits Cars to 3 HP Because People Keep Stealing Them
Dodge says the update will be good for “foiling fast getaways and joyrides.”READ NOW
RELATED
Are Classic Chevrolet Corvettes Prices Already Past Their Peak? The Answer Is Complicated
Rather than break a Corvette auction record at Mecum in March, a rare C2 L88 fizzled. Has Boomer nostalgia reached its limit?READ NOW
Source: Read Full Article