During the winter of 1965, with final designs set and before the new Chevrolet would hit the showrooms (fall of 1966), its model name was revealed to the public: the Panther. (The runner-up name was the Commander.) But by the early summer of '66, Chevrolet's general manager Pete Estes decided instead on the name Camaro, so Chevrolet announced to the press that the name Camaro meant comrade in French. Some in the motoring press quickly thumbed through their French dictionaries and found no such definition. Nonetheless, the name Camaro remained and the definition ignored.
As the new Camaro hit showrooms in the fall of 1966, new-car buyers snapped them up. For those who wanted a Camaro with special equipment, Chevrolet offered a hefty list of power, trim, and convenience options commonly known today as RPO (Regular Production Options). At the dealership level the term RPO is known instead as the option code. Later in the '67 model year other options would follow, such as the 396 engine (combined with the SS package) and the Z/28 package (specifically named after its RPO code) with its high-winding 302 engine. It should be noted that, to date, the 302 engine is the smallest-displacement V-8 ever offered in the Camaro. Although the 283 V-8 engine was in its last year of production in '67, it was only available in the Chevelle, the Nova, and fullsize cars.
The Camaro's first-year total production reached 220,917 units. The model years '68 and '69 rose beyond that. For many Camaro enthusiasts, the '69 is regarded as the ultimate year. Whether it's the one-year-only body style, the excellent choice of powerplants, or the road-hugging body appearance, it is certainly one of the most revered musclecars to date.
Second Gen
Before the '67s were hitting the lots, the design team was already busy working on the next generation of Camaro. This all-new car was built on a totally new front subframe and shared almost no body parts with other Chevrolet models at the time. Unlike the first-gen, which drew strong guidance from committees and engineers, the second-gen, which would be known as a '70 model, was a designer's design. This car's initial blueprint began in a body development room. Unlike a traditional studio, the body development room is where the team had free reign to place the seats just right, the rocker panels at the perfect height, and the cowl at a certain level. With the structure in place, meaning the seat positioning, the height and width of the body, and wheel-to-body relationships established, a clean and flowing sheetmetal that was pleasing to look at was easier to follow. The front end of the '70 took styling cues from the Jaguars of the time.
The second-gen model was scheduled for showroom release in September 1969, with the rest of the '70 lineup. Due to production setbacks, the second-gen Camaro would not be released until February 26, 1970. Designers wanted to make the new model quieter than the previous, but they did not have the budget for it. To add extra insulation, carpeting, and longer front doors, designers eliminated the rear quarter windows, which saved $18 per car. And only a coupe would be offered-it would not be until the '87 model year that a convertible would again be available.
For the '69 Chevrolet offered a special speedometer with a moveable second needle. When the vehicle speed matched the preset needle a buzzer would sound to alarm the driver to slow down. This one was found on a '69 Z/28 and was set at about 91 mph for this photo. This option (U15) added $11 to the sticker. | 
For the '69 Chevrolet experimented with a semi-hemi 302 engine. The cylinder heads had D-port designs and seven-bolt magnesium valve covers. To install these heads the lifter bores on an original 302 short-block had to be machined down. The cylinder heads positioned the intake valves first and the exhaust second, so a special reverse lobe camshaft was required. Chevrolet had plans to sell this kit through parts departments, although it never did materialize. | 
The new-for-'70 Camaro body style served double duty as a place to rest a purse. The '70 Camaro featured a long hood, a new front end, and a swept-back roof and rear deck. |