The second gen's handling surpassed that of any previous Camaro. The new front-steer system, lower center of gravity, bigger front sway bar, and optional rear bar allowed the car to corner very well. Disc brakes were now standard fare on the Camaro, and the tracks widened. Also new for the '70 Z28 was an all-new 350 (RPO LT1) engine that produced 360 hp, replacing the '67-69 302 Z/28 engine. This rise in displacement was because the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) increased its limit in Trans Am sedan racing from 5.0L (305 ci) to 5.7L (350 ci) so that Plymouth and Dodge ponycars equipped with the 340 engine could compete.
The second-gen changed appearance with the '74 due largely to its federally mandated bigger bumpers. With mounting emission requirements, lower horsepower numbers, and a new concern for higher fuel economy, GM executives canceled the Z28 option. Lagging F-body sales also made GM consider canceling the F-body altogether. But the Camaro continued, and by late '77 Chevrolet reintroduced the Z28, this time better armed to perform in a world of mounting emission controls and Corporate Average Fuel Economy ratings. The '78 Camaro wore soft front and rear bumpers and largely kept its design, except for a new dashboard in the '79, until the '81.
Third Gen
When lead Chevrolet designers were interviewed during the late '70s about the Camaro's destiny, they anticipated the third-gen Camaro would debut during the '81 or '82 model year. They also explained the plan was to build the car as a front-wheel-drive, V-6 model. Of course history has proven that the Camaro has always been a rear-wheel drive car.
The third-gen Camaro proved to be a platform where a lot of the performance came back to the car. These advancements were largely due to the industry's growing ability to improve power and performance with technology while reducing emissions and increasing fuel economy. Four-wheel disc brakes and 350 engines were offered. To help performance and increase fuel economy, an '85 IROC boasts a very slippery 0.34 drag coefficient. Four-speed overdrive automatics and five-speed transmissions became available too, which helped increase both performance and mileage.
Fourth Gen
The fourth-gen Camaro continued the tradition of a long hood, a short rear deck, and big performance. The big powerplant for the '93 was the newly designed 5.7L LT1 engine that utilized tuned-port fuel injection to achieve 275 horses. The Michigan State Police tested a '93 LT1 Camaro (police version) and clocked a top speed of 154 mph! The car featured the 4L60 four-speed automatic and 3.23 axle ratio.
 The second-gen short spoiler...  The second-gen short spoiler was the only one offered at the beginning of production, soon joined by a three-piece rear spoiler. The center section of which was pulled from Pontiac's Firebird parts bins. The outer two pieces were Chevrolet items. |  13,801 '74 Z28s were built....  13,801 '74 Z28s were built. This year the Z28 included a bolder graphic treatment with decals calling out the model nomenclature. Stripes and tape were big and performance small, compared to earlier models. No '75 or '76 Z28 would be offered. |  Third-gen Camaros were built...  Third-gen Camaros were built for the '82-92 model years and offered the slipperiest body styles. Beginning with the '87, the 350 engine was again available since its dismissal after the '81. |