There’s a bit less choice in the 2022 Chevrolet Camaro lineup.
A couple years ago, Nathan and I went out to Washington State to try the Chevrolet Camaro 1LE, not with a fire-breathing V8 but a four-cylinder turbo engine. And you know what? I thought it was a solid riposte to Ford’s EcoBoost Mustang. The Blue Oval eventually responded in kind, in fact, with its High Performance Package. In both cars, I found myself wondering whether I really needed a V8, but in the Camaro you no longer have an option if you want the 1LE package. According to a new Muscle Cars and Trucks report, folks apparently didn’t take to the package with either the four-cylinder or the LGX V6.
For those who weren’t already aware, the Camaro’s 1LE package is a track-focused upgrade. On the four-cylinder version we tested, it added suspension from the SS, as well as staggered Goodyear Eagle F1 summer tires. You also got a mechanical limited-slip differential, upgraded fuel system from the SS, four-piston Brembo brakes and nearly a 50/50 weight distribution. Add in a flat-bottom steering wheel, Recaro seats and the brand’s Performance Data Recorder, and you basically had a road-going track day car. It was also only available with a 6-speed manual on the four-pot and V6.
With the 2022 model year, you’ll only be able to get more hardcore 1LE track upgrades for the SS and the ZL1 trims. Both still add the Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber, as well as upgraded suspension, including DSSV shocks and adjustable camber plates in the ZL1’s case. Crucially, though it pains me to say it, you can get this package with the 10-speed automatic transmission on both V8 models, which is likely a reason folks didn’t take to it with the smaller engined versions.
The 2022 Chevrolet Camaro configurator is not available yet, but we’ll be able to confirm the fate of the 1LE package when it arrives. For now, though, it seems the Camaro lineup is indeed thinning out. That’s a shame, as we contemplate exactly what GM has planned for its iconic muscle car.
