The First Production Chevrolet Camaro Was Born Today In 1966

When Chevrolet general manager Pete Estes held a live press conference at Detroit’s Statler-Hilton Hotel in June of 1966, he opened by informing everyone in attendance that they were charter members of the Society for the Elimination of Panthers from the Automotive World. He then promptly assured them this was the first and last meeting of SEPAW. With that speculation that Chevrolet’s new pony car would be named Panther was immediately put to rest. Estes then shared some basic info on a new car from Chevy that would compete with the Ford Mustang. Internally designated XP-836, Chevrolet had chosen the name he was about to reveal to keep with the letter C theme of their other vehicles, such as the Corvair, Chevelle, Chevy II, and Corvette. Then he echoed the new car’s name: Camaro. Asked what it meant, Estes replied, it is “a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.” Read more >