The one that started it all
Generation 1 · F-body · 1967–1969
First Generation
The answer to the Mustang — "a small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs."
Chevrolet's answer to the Ford Mustang, developed under the code name “Panther” on GM's new rear-drive F-body (shared with the Pontiac Firebird). It launched September 1966 as a 1967 model after a roughly 24-month crash program.
Body styles were a Sport Coupe (hardtop) and a convertible only. The generation gave the world the Z/28 (built to homologate the car for SCCA Trans-Am), the COPO big-block back-channel that produced the ZL1 and L72 cars, and two Indianapolis 500 pace-car appearances.
Highlights
- Z/28 homologation special debuts (602 built in 1967)
- COPO 9560 ZL1 (69 built) and COPO 9561 L72 (~997 cars per CRG)
- RS hidden-headlight and SS performance packages
- 1967 & 1969 Indy 500 pace cars
- Name-origin controversy: the disputed “French slang” story
Model years
Every produced model year in this generation has its own evidence-led record.