Chevrolet Camaro IV (1993–2002)

What the 1993 redesign brought over the 1992 car

The 1993 Camaro was a new body on an updated F-body platform, with almost the same wheelbase as before: 2,568 mm (101.1 in) against 2,565 mm (101.0 in). Production moved from Van Nuys, California, to Sainte-Thérèse in Quebec, and the layout stayed familiar: two doors, a 2+2 cabin, a lifting rear hatch and rear-wheel drive.

The changes were in materials, safety and drivetrains. Anti-lock brakes became standard on every model. The Z28 received the 5.7-litre LT1 V8 first used in the 1992 Corvette, with a four-speed automatic as standard and the Borg-Warner T-56 six-speed manual as a no-cost option. V6 cars came with a five-speed manual, the automatic being optional. A Z28 paced the 1993 Indianapolis 500, and 645 pace-car replicas were built.

The overview of every Camaro generation shows how this car closed the first, 36-year chapter of the model's history.

Composite panels, T-tops and the 1998 facelift

Sheet moulding compound, a mix of chopped glass fibre and polyester resin, was used for the roof, hatch, doors and rear spoiler. The coupé was offered with or without T-top roof panels, and the convertible returned for 1994. The Pontiac Firebird remained the Camaro's F-body twin to the end.

The interior was redesigned for 1997, when three-colour tail lights also appeared. For 1998 the car received a new front end, which enthusiasts nicknamed the "Catfish" Camaro, along with the LS1 engine. In 1999 a plastic fuel tank of 63.6 L (16.8 US gal) replaced the earlier 58.7 L (15.5 US gal) tank.

V6 to LS1: fourth-generation engines and gearboxes

All outputs are US SAE net figures; kW values are converted from the quoted hp. German-market cars were listed at slightly different metric figures, mentioned below the table.

The LS1 came from the C5 Corvette and was the first all-aluminium engine in a Camaro since the 1969 ZL1. From 2001 it used the intake of the Corvette's LS6, which brought the Z28 to 310 hp and the SS to 325 hp. In Germany the 3.8 V6 was listed at 142 kW (193 PS) for coupé and convertible, while the 5.7 V8 Z28 was sold only as a T-top coupé with 212 kW (288 PS).

The Z28's standard automatic was the mechanically controlled 4L60 in 1993 and the electronically controlled 4L60E from 1994, when engine management also switched from speed-density to mass-air-flow metering. OBD II diagnostics arrived for 1996. Traction control working at all speeds was an option on V8 cars and became available on the V6 for 1999, the year a Torsen limited-slip differential was fitted to the Z28 and SS. Contemporary testing of a 1994 Z28 recorded 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and the quarter mile in 14.2 seconds.

SS, anniversary editions and police cars

The SS name returned for 1996 on Z28s converted by the tuner SLP, with 227 kW (305 hp) from the LT1. A limited number of 1996–97 SS cars received the 246 kW (330 hp) LT4 instead. The 1997 30th Anniversary package was built 979 times, and the Y87 handling package and optional 17-inch wheels (from 1995) were further ways to improve a standard car.

The 1998–2002 SS was more than a badge: it had freer-breathing intake and exhaust, bigger wheels and tyres, revised suspension, an arched rear wing and different gearing from the Z28. SLP also revived the RS name in 2001, and the final 2002 SS could be ordered with a 35th Anniversary package. Through the whole generation GM offered the B4C Special Service package to police agencies, and the 1LE option was last listed for 1999.

Exterior sizes, weight and fuel tank

Length grew slightly with the 1998 nose, and height differs between coupé and convertible.

NHTSA star ratings, 1993–2002

This is the first Camaro generation with crash ratings covering most of its life. NHTSA's database gives the following results for the two-door Camaro in the years we checked:

The ratings come from NHTSA's programme of the time and cannot be compared with stars awarded since 2011. No IIHS rating was found for this generation, and the Camaro was never tested by Euro NCAP.

Sales slide and the end in 2002

US sales were strongest early on, with about 120,000 cars in each of the 1994 and 1995 model years, and fell to around 60,000 a year in 1996 and 1997. By 2001 they had dropped to 29,009. GM's stated reasons for ending F-body production were weak sales, a declining market for sports coupés and surplus factory capacity, and the Firebird ended with it. The corporate background is covered in the history of General Motors.

The rivalry with the Ford Mustang continued throughout, but the Mustang stayed in production while the Camaro took a break of almost seven years.

Choosing between an LT1 and an LS1 car

No independent reliability survey covers the fourth generation, so a careful inspection and service history count for more than the model year. The engine is the first decision.

• LS1 (1998–2002): the most power, an aluminium block and, from 1999, the Torsen differential and larger fuel tank; 2001–02 cars have the LS6-type intake.
• LT1 (1993–97): the earlier look; 1994–97 cars have the electronically controlled automatic, and 1996–97 cars OBD II diagnostics.
• V6: the 3.8 from 1995 offers 25 per cent more power than the 3.4 it replaced.
• SS and special editions: ask for SLP documentation and check anniversary-package details against the published production figures.

Convertibles exist from 1994 onwards. Browse more American cars or sports cars for alternatives from the same period.