2019 Chevrolet Camaro Brings New Vigor To Muscle Car Wars, 1LE Four Cylinder Package Debuts



The current generation Chevrolet Camaro is certainly a distinctive sight out on the open road, and naturally, we here at Car-Revs-Daily worship the ground the ZL1 version treads across. But it was no secret that a refresh was indeed due for this venerable muscle car. Thankfully, Chevrolet has answered the call with the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro which aims to bring some new thrills, and welcome updates to muscle car buyers.

The biggest change here will also undoubtedly be the most controversial one of all, the Camaro’s new front fascia. Chevrolet claims that the nose is part of the “performance driven design” that defines the 2019 Camaro. Larger vents and improved angles help enhance airflow. The SS model also adopts the “flowtie” badge which helps push an extra 2.5 cubic feet of air a minute into the engine. The rest of the exterior sees minimal changes with smoked taillights, and a slew of new colors rounding out the updates. The SS pictured also shows off a new rim design, and we suspect more will be in store depending on trim level.

The interior also sees minimal changes for 2019. The pillbox-esque side visibility regrettably remains in place, but Chevy designers did spruce things up slightly with all new ambient lighting options, and a standard rear camera mirror for SS and ZL1 models. The Camaro also joins the Malibu and Cruze in embracing the all new MyLink 3 infotainment system, which brings more apps, better graphics, and improved Bluetooth connectivity to Camaro owners.

The bulk of the mechanical changes for 2019 are found in the SS model which arrives with an all new 10-speed automatic transmission that bundles a custom launch control program, and line lock capability. Its unknown if there is a power increase in store for the V8, but thankfully the venerable six speed manual gearbox carries over for those that prefer to row the gears themselves.

On the other end of the spectrum is the all new 1LE package for the four cylinder model. A long overdue response to the similar suite of tweaks available for the EcoBoost Mustang, the package uses the same 275 horsepower turbocharged four cylinder that is in other base Camaros, but power is routed to the rear wheels exclusively through a six speed manual gearbox, and tweaks to the suspension and chassis ensures a near 50-50 weight distribution which enhances track prowess. New Track and Competition modes allow drivers to access a wide assortment of features including launch control and performance readouts. Chevrolet targeted a number of intriguing rivals for the new model including the Volkswagen Golf R, the Honda Civic Type R, as well as the Hyundai Veloster Type N.

Pricing and availability data were not released with today’s release, but look for the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro to go on sale by the end of the year. The four cylinder 1LE is also expected to be available right off the bat, and is expected to be somewhat cheaper than the base V6 1LE . This would be a potential win win for young buyers that are new to the Camaro family, and want a budget conscious performance offering to start their journey with.