5 movie-famous Camaros from the ’80s to the aughts
With the Camaro nameplate retiring soon, we’re honoring the beloved two-door with a series of love letters, fun lists, and memories. Many performance cars, especially nowadays, aim for an anodyne version of perfection that only a few can afford. The Camaro is for the rest of us—and it’s always ready to party. Still, we can’t pretend the car we’re about to celebrate over the next week or so is perfect. That in mind, let down your hair and come with us for a deep dive into what, exactly, makes the Camaro so bitchin’.
The Camaro lived a fruitful life on our city streets and open highways, but its role on the silver screen was just as noteworthy. Whether or not they entered the theater as car buffs, moviegoers from around the world were introduced to Chevrolet’s take on the classic pony car, and its muscular roles in many movies often stole the show. So let’s dig into five such movies where the Camaro took center stage.
Better Off Dead (1985)
Is there a better car for the dark humor present in this unconventional “coming of age” story of a teenage boy in the American suburbs? Very few cars embody the youthful energy and aspirational performance of a Camaro, especially in the 1980s when the first-generation models were both plentiful and affordable for a middle-class teenager.
Picking a black 1967 Camaro RS/SS for Better Off Dead was casting perfection: Motoring out of the garage for the first time to a classic Muddy Waters song was the perfect analogy for a teenage boy coming out of his shell. It was a moment of swagger and success for Lane Myer (played by John Cusack) and the moment altered his trajectory in the movie. Though I wish the Camaro’s headlight doors opened as it left the house, this remains a scene that few of us will forget.
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
Here, we have the polar opposite of a darkly subtle comedy. The high-velocity action of 2 Fast 2 Furious wouldn’t be the same without a ’69 Camaro wearing racing stripes. Because the cars are truly the stars in this franchise, the film’s creators wisely crafted a first-gen Camaro with Yenko graphics inside and out for Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker). While the Yenko was demolished in an elaborate stunt, plenty of ’69 Camaros have met a similarly disastrous fate without exciting a single moviegoer. That’s gonna count for something, because there’s even a book chronicling how much effort went into preparing the cars in The Fast and The Furious movies.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
Do Camaros and coming-of-age movies go hand in hand? Unfortunately, the 1981 Camaro Z-28 in Fast Times at Ridgemont High didn’t save the day like the Camaro in Better Off Dead. Instead, the ’81 was destroyed by careless Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) who clearly was a better surfer than he was a motorist. (Or not.) But the Camaro as a quintessential character-actor for movies about high school cannot be understated. It’s a pairing that endures, much like the popularity of the second-generation F-body in the darkest times of automotive performance.
Runaway Bride (1999)
I have a feeling that a romantic comedy like Runaway Bride is low on many of our movie lists, especially one with a 46 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But the fiercely independent personality of Maggie Carpenter (Julia Roberts) only has one peer in the automotive world: a 1999 Camaro Z28 convertible in Light Pewter Metallic with an LS1 soundtrack. Perhaps a Firebird would suffice for the altar-jumping bride, but this Camaro is more of a sweet charmer, with that toothy smile above a set of chrome wheels. While it’s true that General Motors sold this car back in 2009 for an impressive $28,850, some problems—like GM’s bankruptcy ordeal—are too big for one Camaro to solve. It only makes sense this Camaro would flee before it got ensnared in a messy divorce.
Transformers (2007)
And who could forget the new, hard-core Bumblebee from the Transformers movie franchise? Originally a VW Beetle back in the 1980s, Bumblebee’s 2007 theatrical debut required him to be assertive enough to fit into the Michael Bay film formula. Clearly, a New Beetle would not cut it, even if it was a spicy RSi-like model in a bright yellow color. Morphing into the new Camaro (still a prototype at the time) was a great idea, especially since it really looks like General Motors paid to play in this blockbuster. The timing couldn’t be more perfect: a new, fifth-generation Camaro was just around the corner, and a new generation of Transformers fans would associate the next Camaro with this iconic character.
If only that iconic movie role were enough to keep the assembly line cranking out new Camaros for all to enjoy—but hey, at least we have the memories. Thanks for that, Chevrolet.
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Corvette Summer. The Camaro race car at the bullring.
The 79-81 was bitchin you should see mine.
How about the climactic final scene in “Vanishing Point”?
So where is the second generation camaro?
You didn’t see the listing for:
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
“Do Camaros and coming-of-age movies go hand in hand? Unfortunately, the 1981 Camaro Z-28 in Fast Times at Ridgemont High didn’t save the day like the Camaro in Better Off Dead. Instead, the ’81 was destroyed by careless Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) who clearly was a better surfer than he was a motorist. (Or not.) But the Camaro as a quintessential character-actor for movies about high school cannot be understated. It’s a pairing that endures, much like the popularity of the second-generation F-body in the darkest times of automotive performance.”
The story says it was an ’81 but it was actually a ’79. Either way, both were 2nd generation. The 1982 in parenthesis is the year of the movie, not the year of the Camaro.
The movie Gumball Rally had a big roll for a yellow 71 Camaro SS.
Lots of fun memories for me
I second your nomination of the yellow Camaro in the Gumball Rally, besides it also has the Linda Vaughn cameo. Can’t beat that combo!
The Z/28 in The Gumball Rally was one of favorites….next to the AC Cobra.
I vote for the Better Off Dead car. I was born in 1967, owned a 1967 and love the original model looks. The most recent Camaro’s looks are right up there, though. Best looking muscle cars out there today!
The whole “end of the Camaro” is really a sore spot with Camaro lovers, and as if to add insult to injury, the new Mustang and the new Challenger look like they got together and hacked the Camaro up to use as their latest designs. I have really loved my three 2SS’s that I have owned since 11/18/2009, with my current car being a 2020 2SS w/ 10 speed transmission. The 10 speed transmission in the 2SS and ZL1 is truly an amazing transmission. I searched high and low for the car I wanted because I was determined to find one with the 10 speed. Luckily, I found it and was able to get all the paperwork done before Covid-19 shut everything down…(It was March of 2020)…LoL. I’m gonna miss the Camaro. In my opinion, these Camaros are the best all around sports/muscle cars of the big three…Camaro, Mustang, & Challenger. I’ve driven all three and that’s just where I’m at on it…LoL
New Challenger…Did I miss the memo?
I agree we are entering a real low point with the end of the Camaro. I have owned a number of Japanese sport cars and 5 Mustangs including a Stage 3 Roush stang but love my Camaro. In the previous story I saw a photo of a dark green SS late 90’s I thought was real sharp
I’m a Mustang guy….but as far as movie Camaro go..
https://media.fotki.com/2v2eHVjjWxJcANd.jpg
I love me some 4 gen ‘vertes
Better Off Dead is where I first fell in love with the Camaro. So I bought my own ‘67 in 2007 when I paid off my student debt loans lol
I must be out of it. I didn’t see any of those films. 🤕
Saw a movie recently & there were Many 1st Gen Camaros, can’t remember name of movie, had Christopher Walken in it. I didn’t like Camaros because I had a Really Nice 62 SS Impala, but have had 18 of them, 8 of them left now including new one in August. Still have 62 Impala SS.
No fast times z28 is 79 for sure doesn’t have air induction and stripes are totally different Stephen is right I’m surprised he’s the only one that seen that.
How about Billy Hanson’s Camaro in Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil?