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13 Chevrolets Every Enthusiast Knows And Loves

Chevrolet is an icon of the American automotive world. It has produced some of the best automobiles in the world, from muscle cars like the Camaro to SUVs like the Blazer and utility vehicles such as the Silverado pickup truck.

This list will contain 13 of the best Chevrolet products enthusiasts know and love. Everything from fast cars to practical daily drivers is here, and this list will showcase just how great and versatile the Chevrolet range has been over the years.

Chevrolet C8 Corvette

Chevrolet Corvette (C8) Stringray
Image Credit: Chevrolet Pressroom.

While it is a recent addition to the lineup, the current C8 generation of the Chevrolet Corvette is already one of the best sports cars on the planet. Under the hood, the 6.2-liter V8 produces 495 hp, which increases to 670 hp, and the massive 5.5-liter V8 is in the Z06 and E-Ray.

The 5.5-liter V8 beat the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Black Series’ M159 engine to become the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8 in history. The C8 is a groundbreaking Corvette, the first to opt for a mid-engine layout. It is transforming the sports car’s handling and firing warning shots at Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini.

Chevrolet Bolt EV

202 Chevrolet Bolt-EV
Image Credit: Chervolet Pressrom.

The current Chevrolet Bolt EV is one of the cheapest cars on the American market and the cheapest EV currently available in North America. It starts at $27,800, and you get a Clean Vehicle Federal Tax Credit of $7,500 to apply to the price of the vehicle. 

Yet, with that price, you still get 247 miles of EPA estimate range and plenty of cargo space at 56.9 cu-ft. The interior is clean and fresh, with a sizeable crystal-clear dashboard and an intuitive and friendly Chevrolet infotainment system.

Chevrolet Volt

2012 Chevrolet Volt
Image Credit: 2012 Chevrolet.

It is easy to forget that Chevrolet has produced a few EVs and hybrids over the years, and one of the most unusual is the Chevrolet Volt. The Volt launched in 2010, and Chevrolet aimed to establish an engineering lead on its rivals before cashing in with profits on later generations.

The first-generation model has become a bargain with the new Chevrolet Volt on the market. The Volt operates as a pure electric battery vehicle until its battery capacity drops below a certain threshold. The combustion engine then kicks in to extend the Volt’s range, and it can achieve impressive results, such as an average fuel economy figure of 42 MPG.

Chevrolet C4 Corvette ZR1

1990 Corvette ZR1
Image Credit: Wiki Commons

Undoubtedly, one of the most significant Corvettes of all time is the C4 ZR1 of the 1990s. This car revived the iconic ZR1 name after over twenty years, and Chevrolet produced the C4 ZR1 in collaboration with Lotus, which GM bought in 1986. 

Thanks to this collaboration, the monstrous ZR1 had an all-aluminum 5.7-liter V78 under the hood, producing 375 hp. In 1993, Chevrolet and Lotus worked to increase the power up to 405 hp and 385 lb-ft of torque. The C4 ZR1 was a monster with a top speed of 180 mph, and it set several international and world records, all verified by the FIA.

1968 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport

1968 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport
Image Credit: Chevrolet.

The Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport is one of the most famous versions of the iconic sports car, offered on the C6 and C7. But its origins lie in 1962 when the Grand Sport was a fully-blown race car dreamt up by Zora-Arkus Duntov. Duntov wanted a Corvette to compete with the Shelby Cobra, so a secret project to produce 125 vehicles was born.

Sadly, Chevrolet found out about the project and canceled it with just five cars built. But the vehicles that Duntov did finish would prove their worth on the track. At the height of their powers, the Grand Sports produced 550 hp with their 377 ci V8 engine, and amazingly all five survived.

Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6

1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 LS6 Convertible
Image Credit: Wiki Commons

The Chevrolet Chevelle was an extraordinary car that we greatly missed in the Chevrolet lineup. It became a muscle car icon, and the SS 454 LS6 was the best. The 454 ci LS6 V8 engine produced 450 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, thanks to the Holley four-barrel carburetor and an aluminum manifold.

Other features that made the SS 454 LS6 so impressive were the bottom end with four-bolt mains, forged steel crankshaft, forged aluminum connecting rods, and 11.25:1 compression. The SS 454 LS6 was a one-year wonder; Chevrolet discontinued the car after 1971, making it one of the most sought-after Chevelles on the classic car market.

1988 Chevrolet Camaro

1988 Chevrolet Camaro
Image Credit: Kieran White/WikiCommons.

The 1980s were a difficult time for muscle cars, with the segment reeling from the effects of the 1970s gas crises. However, as the 1980s progressed, things began to get better, and by 1988, the Chevrolet Camaro was starting to produce more power again. 

Chevrolet simplified the Camaro lineup for the 1988 model year to make things easier. First, they discontinued the LT Camaro but kept the IROC-Z package, which had become incredibly popular with consumers.

1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe

Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe
Image Credit: MercurySable99/WikiCommons.

Chevrolet introduced the Bel Air Sport Coupe in 1955 and offered it until 1957. It was part of the Tri-Five series, a huge turning point for the Bow Tie. The Bel Air Sport is a design icon of the 1950s, symbolizing the era perfectly and influencing design choices for the next decade.

The Bel Air was also perfect for drag racers, as it was receptive to all kinds of modifications, and they looked to squeeze as much power out of it as possible. It isn’t the rarest of the Tri-Five series of cars, but it is still a highly sought-after classic thanks to its design, pedigree, and what it meant to Chevrolet.

1994—1996 Chevrolet Impala SS

1996 Chevrolet Impala SS
Image Credit: MercurySable99 / WikiCommons.

The mighty 1994-1996 Chevrolet Impala SS is a modern classic that gets overlooked, which signified muscle cars returning after two difficult decades. They were now worlds away from the 120-hp dreary slabs of the mid-1970s and starting to push upwards of 300-hp again.

The mid-1990s Impala SS might have been a beast, but it did have a 260 small-block V8 under the hood, a modified version of the Chevrolet Corvette’s LT1 engine. Despite its size, the Impala SS was surprisingly agile in the corners and one of the most reliable Chevrolet products of the decade.

1969 Chevrolet COPO 427ci Camaro

1969 Chevrolet COPO 427ci Camaro
Image Credit: Hagerty.

The Chevrolet COPO Camaros are some of the rarest and best muscle cars that Chevrolet produced. 1969, the COPO peaked and was arguably the ultimate version of the first-generation Camaro. The COPOs came about out of the desire to build non-performance vehicles with special equipment. Dealerships also realized they could shove Chevrolet’s top engine into its lightest car and sell it as a factory-built supercar.

Under the hood of the COPO Camaros was a 427 ci Chevrolet V8 engine, usually only found in the top-of-the-line Corvettes and full-size Chevrolets. There were just two versions of the COPO 427 Camaro: the COPO 9561 with the solid-lifter L72 iron-block 427 and the rarer COPO 9560 with the aluminum ZL1 427ci big-block.

2009 Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1

2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Image Credit: WikiCommons.

While the C4 ZR1 Corvette was a great car, Chevrolet wanted to elevate it even more in the future. In 2009, Chevrolet debuted the C6 ZR1, the first ZR1 since the C4, as the C5 generation was missing it from the lineup. Chevrolet fixed that with the C6, and under the hood was a massive 538 hp from the 6.2-liter supercharged LS9 V8.

Torque was also high at 604 lb-ft, and carbon fiber components brought the weight of the C6 down. Carbon ceramic brakes provided unreal stopping power, and the sports car could reach speeds of over 200 mph.

1965 Chevrolet Impala

1965 Chevrolet Impala SS
Image Credit: WikiCommons.

While overshadowed by the late 1950s and early 1960s versions, the 1965 Chevrolet Impala was undoubtedly one of the best versions of the Chevrolet classic. It was a complete redesign of the Impala, and this fourth-generation machine sported a new full-width grille, a new body design, curved glass, and full-coil suspension.

The 1965 Impala also had a new luxury package for the four-door version, which Chevrolet called the Caprice. The 1965 model was an instant hit, selling more than a million units in 1965 and 1966. It was the first American-built car to achieve this since the 1922 Ford Model T.

1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Aerocoupe

Chevrolet Monte Carlo Aerocoupe
Image Credit: Chevrolet.

Chevrolet introduced the Monte Carlo 1969 as a luxury car with a high-performance V8. By the 1980s, it was completely different, with a new, smaller platform and a boxier design. Plus, Chevrolet had added V6 and diesel engines to the range.

Much of the glamour from the early Monte Carlo was gone, but it was still a highly successful car in NASCAR. Because of that, Chevrolet revived the Monte Carlo SS in 1986, and after beating Ford in NASCAR in 1985, Chevrolet produced the Aerocoupe. It had a profoundly sloped rear window, a revised spoiler, and a shorter rear deck.