It’s not often that brands go out of their way to listen to their customers. But when they do, the benefits can far outweigh any marketing strategy. General Motors must’ve figured that out: It listened to customers’ feedback about revising the 2020 Chevy Camaro‘s front fascia, MotorTrend reported.

Chevrolet not only listened but also expedited the revision, and that design update remains on the 2021 model. The automaker also introduced the V8 Camaro LT1 in 2020. After all of last year’s activity, the 2021 Chevy Camaro sees only a few changes. But they’re positive.

The 2021 Chevy Camaro still offers supercar performance potential

The 2021 Chevy Camaro checks all the boxes for what most expect a modern, performance-focused muscle car to be. You can choose a V6 or V8 engine harnessing from 275 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque to 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. While muscle cars such as the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat offer horsepower ratings above 700, the 2021 Camaro achieves similar thrills at a lower price. And while we’re on the topic, if it weren’t for the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8, the new ZL1 could be considered the world’s best performance value.

To exemplify this, the $63,000 Camaro ZL1 is just as fast as the $74,000 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 thanks to a better design. The ZL1 weighs 200 pounds less and has a nearly perfect weight distribution that’s close to 50/50. This proves yet again that more horsepower doesn’t necessarily mean faster. When Car and Driver pitted the two against each other on the track, the ZL1 beat the GT500 to 60 mph by 0.2 seconds — 3.4 seconds versus 3.6 seconds. It might not seem like much, but in a race, fractions don’t matter.

The GT500 reached 100 mph 0.3 seconds faster than the Camaro ZL1 and stretched the gap to 4 seconds at 150 mph. “But these are muscle cars, and it’s the quarter-mile that really matters,” Car and Driver stated. In that case, the quarter-mile drag race between the two was as close as it could be: the GT500 with an 11.4-second run at 132 mph and the ZL1 with an 11.5 second-run at 124 mph. We should also mention that the Camaro ZL1 offers slightly better fuel economy and driving range than the Shelby GT500.

Differences between the Camaro 1SS and 2SS

Many car buyers interested in purchasing a 2021 Chevy Camaro want to know the differences between the Camaro 1SS and 2SS. Let’s look at them now.

The Chevy Camaro 1SS is the base model, whereas the 2SS comes with added comfort and amenities. The differences between the 1SS and 2SS are similar to those found in the 1LT and 2LT models. The 1SS prioritizes performance over style and features, in line with the original American pony-car concept established in 1964. The 1SS comes with a 6.2-liter DI V8 engine that produces 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque. It has only plain cloth seats and lacks advanced safety features such as rear side traffic alert and blind-spot monitoring. 

On the flip side, the 2SS offers advanced features such as a nine-speaker Bose stereo system (seven speakers in the convertible), power mirrors, radio controls on the steering wheel, Bluetooth, a four-pack of gauges on the console, and leather seats. Depending on the package, other features include a heated steering wheel, universal home remote, driver’s-side auto-dimming body-color mirrors, memory package that recalls two drivers’ presets, eight-way power driver seats, heads-up color digital readouts for the vehicle’s speed, selected gear G-force, and advanced safety features.

Chevy jazzed up the 2021 Camaro with some new options

As in past model years, the 2021 Chevy Camaro is available in coupe or convertible body styles. And though the manufacturer has made few overall changes, the 2021 Camaro comes with a wider range of transmissions, a few new features, and different color options.

The new premium color, Wild Cherry Tintcoat, replaces Garnet Red Tintcoat and Rally Green Metallic. And maybe the best news is that all 2021 Camaro models come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. Now you can stream your music through the infotainment system without fussing over cables.

For those who like doing an occasional track day, a 10-speed automatic transmission is now available with the 1LE package on V8 SS models. It used to be that all 1LE models offered only a six-speed stick shift.

Brimming with retro character, the Chevy Camaro has blossomed into a polished performance car. It offers a wide range of trim levels, including the supercar-rivaling Camaro ZL1. And it sports impressive styling, thanks in no small part to its biggest fans.