While it has become a popular pastime to compare fifth and sixth-generation Camaros, the practice is, in many ways, akin to comparing apples to oranges. The biggest difference isn’t just in horsepower or trim badges, it’s in the very bones of the cars. Camaro Alpha was founded on a platform specifically built to battle Europe’s best sports sedans, engineered from the start for sharper handling, lighter weight, and a premium feel. Camaro Zeta, on the other hand, was a reworked Australian sedan chassis that was intended to be rugged, affordable, and scalable. That’s why I believe Cooper Bogetti’s recent viral claim on social media that GM cooked itself with the fifth-gen Z/28 and sixth-gen 1LE is misguided.

2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

“Entry Level” Camaro 1LE?

Perhaps the most flawed piece of this argument is Copper’s assertion that the sixth-gen Camaro SS 1LE is somehow an entry-level model. In sixth-gen Camaro guise, the 1LE wasn’t even the base V8 offering. Sure, you could pair the 1LE package with a “lowly” 4-cylinder or V6. But in Camaro Alpha’s V8 realm, the value leader LT-1 was positioned well below 1SS and 2SS, which were required for the 1LE package.

2014 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28

Likewise, the fifth-generation Camaro Z/28 was never intended to be approachable performance. GM projected sales of 2,500 to 3,000 Camaro Z/28s over the car’s entire two-year production run. Camaro Zeta Z/28 is an offering that was geared, at least partially, toward collectors and trend-seeking executives. And there’s no harm in courting collectors and trends, despite what your Porsche GT2 RS friend, who’s tracked his car twice in eight years, tells you. Much of the performance car market is just that – secondary garage queens that are paraded more than they’re pushed.

Camaro Alpha > Camaro Zeta

A solid foundation often determines a successful outcome, and while Zeta was good, Alpha was great. The fifth-generation Camaro, and by extension the holy grail Z/28, was built on the Zeta platform. With roots that stretch all the way back to 1999, or a full 14 years before the fifth-gen Camaro Z/28 was introduced, Zeta was originally developed as a full-scale offering for the Australian market. That means the platform had to be flexible and strong enough to underpin everything from Holden’s E-segment Caprice full-size to its truck-like Ute. At a substantial, for a “sports car”, 192 inches long, 76 inches wide and 3,800 pounds, the Zeta-based Z/28 utilized a 4-link rear suspension and Multimatic DSSV dampers to provide significant track prowess. That said, since it’s a larger car, and DSSVs are fairly track-spec, it’s likely more difficult for most drivers to max out the fifth-gen Z/28s track performance; at least in comparison to the more approachable sixth-gen 1LE.

In contrast, the sixth-generation Camaro, and its awesome SS 1LE variant, was built on the Alpha platform, a program that was spawned specifically as the lead for a small, BMW-fighting Cadillac. Development for Alpha didn’t start until almost a decade after Zeta, with Holden’s 2004 Torana concept kicking off the program’s idea stage.

In addition to being four inches shorter, two inches narrower, and roughly a hundred pounds lighter, Alpha boasts almost the same wheelbase. Perhaps more importantly, the Alpha-based Camaro is equipped with a five-link rear suspension and GM’s exceptional Magnetic Ride Control. In short, the sixth-gen SS 1LE had advantages in size, proportion, hardware, and tech built into the core of its program, with Magnetic Ride Control being much more forgiving to average drivers.

Panther Power

There’s no denying that the LS7-powered Z/28 is an absolute beast of a car. In fact, the naturally-aspirated LS7 is a major part of the Z/28’s stellar appeal to collectors and enthusiasts alike. However, there is also little doubt that the 1LE’s newer LT1 somewhat outclasses that engine. While the LS7 twists an impressive 505 horsepower into 481 lb./ft. of torque, it’s the kind of mill that needs to stretch RPMs to achieve max power. The LT1, churning 455 horsepower into 455 lb./ft. of torque, features much more power density thanks largely to the addition of direct injection. That means the driver has access to more low-end torque, and, as every track fiend knows, torque wins races.

Given the cars’ matching weight distributions, matching final drive ratios, and both using the Tremec TR6060 with essentially the same gearing, the 1LE’s lighter mass and more reactive LT1 probably negate the Z/28’s slight torque advantage – especially on tight courses where putting power down becomes far more important than making big power. That’s not even considering the fact that the 1LE introduced Active Rev Matching to the Camaro line, a feature that can make even the most novice drivers much more impressive behind the wheel.

Moreover, the Z/28 was designed to be a muscle car that doubled as an ultimate track weapon, whereas the 1LE has always been a daily driver that easily doubles as a weekend warrior. Of course the Z/28 is going to be equipped with more costly and specialized components, like bigger tires and carbon ceramic brakes, despite what some may see as only a slight performance advantage in general track use.

Why Not Celebrate?

The fact that GM, in just two years, created an approachable, track-capable Camaro that hangs with the phenomenal fifth-gen Z/28 really says something about the talent and dedication within the company. A reality that’s especially gutting for those of us bemoaning the cancellation of our beloved Camaro nameplate for a second and perhaps final time. I really wish we’d seen the sixth-gen Z/28 GM was cooking up because I’m sure it would’ve been incredible!