Now and Then: Chevrolet Camaro

1984 – Power War

When the third-generation Camaro debuted in 1982, a horsepower war started between Chevy and Ford. Ford’s Mustang GT, equipped with a “Boss” 302 motor (5.0-liter), made 157 horsepower and could get the lightweight car to 60 mph quickly. The more appealing Camaro Z28 made more power but was heavier. So, each year, Chevy and Ford found ways to extract more power out of their pony cars. By 1984, the Z28 was making 190 horsepower – 15 more than the Mustang GT and turbocharged four-cylinder Mustang SVO. To celebrate, Chevrolet added awful electronic gauges to the options list.

• Read about the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
• Watch the Video of the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro Introduction
• Read about the Camaro's hottest competition: the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8