It has not been a good year for the 2020 Camaro. Sales have been dismal across the board, and things have only gotten worse for the pony car, especially if you live on the West Coast. On December 8, 2020, Muscle Cars & Trucks reported that California would ban specific Camaro variants for 2021. And while you may be thinking it’s due to emissions or CARB testing, that’s not the case. Believe it or not, it’s the brake pads that are the problem. 

Photo Courtesy Of Chevrolet Pressroom  

The 2021 Camaro SS, ZL1, and 1LE will not be sold in California and Washington due to the use of copper in the pads. This means if you live in either of these states, you will not be able to order one of the high-performance Camaros until 2022. Chevrolet’s communications manager Kevin Kelly told MC&T “Due to restrictions in California and Washington state related to copper brake pads, customers in those states cannot order a 2021 Camaro SS, ZL1 and 1LE for delivery after January 1, 2021. Customers can, however, purchase these models from available dealer stock in those states.” 

For now, the high-performance Camaro’s are the only ones affected by the copper ban, meaning the C8 will still be available. Kelly said, “We will resume allowing customers in California and Washington state to order the Camaro SS, ZL1 and 1LE models in 2022 model year when we introduce a new brake system that is compliant with the copper requirements”.

In Muscle Cars & Trucks article, Ford also took a shot at GM, stating, “Trust and environmental responsibility is paramount at Ford Motor Company, and we are always ensuring that our vehicles meet or exceed federal and state regulatory guidelines. Mustang, the world’s best-selling sports car, has a copper-free brake system for the 2021 model year, meeting the new regulatory requirements in California and Washington, and ensuring our faithful fans as well as future enthusiasts can purchase and enjoy the fast, fun, and affordability of our iconic muscle car,” said Ford Mustang communications manager Berj Alexanian.

With the other Pony cars in compliance with the states, new rule, and the C8 Corvette cleared for sales; It’s almost like someone at GM missed the memo, but I digress. Either way, it looks like this situation will not help the Camaro’s already struggling sales. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out in 2021.