People love to look back on the past with rose-colored glasses. We do this with everything from politics, to finance, to the world climate, and especially to automobiles. The thing is, cars today are better than ever and they're only improving. That doesn't mean the classics are bad. In fact, we love old school metal here. Still, it's interesting to see how an old model compares to its newer version...like, for example, the Chevrolet Camaro.
The 2017 model year marks the 50th anniversary of the Camaro. To celebrate that fact, H&H Classic Parts compiled a side-by-side comparison of a 1967 Camaro SS 396 against a 2017 Camaro 1SS to show how the two machine stack up. Obviously, the newer machine makes more power and vastly outperforms the older muscle machine. Surprisingly, the new car only gains a few mpg in city driving. Those extra gears help out on the highway, though.
1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS 396 compared to the 2017 Camaro 1SS
As you can see, the original Camaro 396 SS made impressive power from its 6.5-liter big block V-8 engine. Horsepower was rated at 375 while the torque was up to 410 pound-feet. (Remember, though, that those were gross horsepower ratings, not net ratings, which can be up to a third lower). The 396 vaulted the '67 Camaro dash from 0-60 mph in just 6.5 seconds and run through a quarter mile in 14.5 seconds.
The modern Camaro benefits from the 6.2-liter LT1 V-8 engine, which produces 455 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. It shaves 2.5 seconds off the older car's 0-60 mph dash and rips through the quarter mile in just 12.3 seconds. More amazingly, however, today's car stops from 60-0 mph in far less space. The older car took an estimated 250 feet to come to a halt, while the new car can do it in just 117 feet.
There are a number of other interesting data points you can pull out here while looking at the cars side by side. Despite the data, the heart can take over and many of us would pick the old pony car. The new stuff is better, but it's the old school machines that make us smile a bit more.
Just don't expect the old car to drive like a new one.
