The 1LE package for the turbocharged 2.0-liter is available exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission and adds four-piston Brembo brake calipers up front, Goodyear Eagle F1 tires and the FE3 Camaro suspension. Basically, that translates into a 275-hp entry-level track car.We took the new turbo 1LE out for a quick hot lap and there was a noticeable increase in agility compared to the regular I4 Camaro, mostly due to the tires and brakes. We really couldn’t evaluate the suspension on our single lap, but the car stayed flat despite a deliberate attempt to upset it on corner curbing.As for the new automatic, note that the 10-speed auto in the SS Camaro is not the same as the 10-speed in the Camaro ZL1. No, the internal transmission code for that spec trans is 10L90E, whereas the ’19 SS gets the 10L80E, or the same as the Silverado. The folks at Chevy assured us that the transmission has a different calibration than it does in SUV and truck duty. For instance, the engineers add extra fuel on full-throttle upshifts to give some snap and crackle while ripping around canyons or racetracks.The cosmetic changes to the Camaro are minimal, with the reshaped bumpers making the biggest aesthetic impact. The SS now gets a functional heat exchanger in its hood. Also the optional “Flow tie” logo finally makes an appearance on this generation Camaro. The new tail lights are LED on most Camaro trims: You’ll find them on the LS, LT, SS, RS and ZL1 badged cars.
New technology is standard across the board
New technology, like the new Chevy Infotainment 3 media system, is standard across the board. Standard on the 2SS and ZL1 trimmed cars is optional safety tech, like the Rear Camera Mirror. That makes backing up far easier given the Camaro’s limited outward visibility.
The new Camaro goes on sale this fall, and we expect the prices to stay about where they are now. The new LS models will start around $26K, and the I4 turbo 1LE will probably start around $30K.
