1983 Chevrolet Camaro

Quality improved for the 1983 Camaro, in its first full model year of a new design.

The 1983 Chevrolet Camaro, coming on the heels of a complete makeover in '82, offered two new transmissions and more power for some engines but saw only minor changes otherwise.

In an effort to increase performance and fuel economy, a five-speed manual transmission was added to the options list for the base Sport Coupe with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and made standard with the 2.8-liter V-6 and carbureted 5.0-liter V-8.

Standard with the Cross-Fire Injected 5.0-liter V-8 was a new four-speed automatic with lockup torque converter -- the only transmission offered with that engine.

The four-speed automatic was optional with all other engines, and a three-speed automatic was optional with the four or the V-6.

Like other U.S. manufacturers, Chevrolet was finally learning to cope with the government's emissions regulations. Horsepower went up by two on the 2.5-liter four to 92, 10 on the 2.8-liter V-6, now 112, and 15 on the top 5.0-liter Cross-Fire Injected V-8 (optional only on the Z28), now a rousing 180.

The base carbureted 5.0 V-8 stayed the same at 150. At midyear, a High Output (H.O.) version of the carbureted 5.0-liter V-8 was introduced, raising the ante to 190 horsepower -- 10 more than the Cross-Fire Injected engine, which it would later replace.

The 1983 Z28 offered reasonably aggressive performance.

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