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2013 Camaro

The 1LE returns, and a Hot Wheels Camaro

The 1LE track package comes back on the SS, and Hot Wheels gets a full-size Camaro.

Edited by Bill Pierce. Reviewed October 2026.

Blue 2013 Camaro ZL1-badged pace/show car, rear three-quarter, indoor auto-show floor
2013 Camaro ZL1 (show/pace car, 2013 NAIAS) Photo: Sarah Larson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For 2013 the SS could again be ordered with the 1LE, picking up a line that ran through the third and fourth generations. It was built for the track, with a close-ratio Tremec six-speed, a 3.91 axle and 285-width tires at both ends, and a low-gloss black hood, splitter and spoiler gave it away. Chevrolet MyLink and navigation arrived inside.

Chevrolet also built a full-size Hot Wheels Edition in Kinetic Blue, and the COPO program turned out another 69 race cars.

Yellow 2013 Camaro coupe with black hood stripes
Yellow 2013 Camaro coupe with black hood stripes, halo-ring headlamps and SS grille badge, front three-quarter view, parked on gravel outside a building Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License

Did you know

  • Motor Trend's first test of the $3,500 SS 1LE package recorded 4.3 seconds to 60 mph, a 12.7-second quarter at 111.8 mph, a 101-foot stop from 60 and 1.03 g on the skidpad from a 3,860-pound car. Associate road test editor Carlos Lago said this was how the Camaro should have handled when it left the factory.
  • In Motor Trend's January 2013 track test of the 1LE against a Mustang GT Track Pack at Willow Springs, Randy Pobst was about three seconds a lap quicker in the Camaro (1:22.7 to 1:25.8 on the 1.55-mile Streets of Willow), even though the two tied at 12.7 seconds in the quarter mile. The 1LE's package cost $1,005 more than Ford's, and the magazine said it took the SS from pig to pony.
  • Chevrolet's account of the 1LE's Virginia International Raceway run adds two details the lap time hides: engineer Aaron Link had lapped the Grand Course in a 2012 ZL1 coupe earlier that year in 2:52.4, and he said the 1LE was so neutral he could charge into the Climbing Esses at nearly 125 mph and steer with the throttle. It also prints the 1LE's time as 2:58.34 in the headline and 2:58.37 in the text.
  • The Hot Wheels Edition carried a $6,995 package price, and Chevrolet noted that the original 1968 Custom Camaro 1:64 toy was one of the first 16 Hot Wheels ever issued and is still among the most valuable to collectors.
  • The Camaro closed 2013 with 80,567 U.S. sales, down 4.5 percent from 2012 but still 3,381 cars ahead of the Mustang's 77,186, its fourth straight year on top of the pony-car class.
  • Chevrolet Performance also sold a limited run of NHRA-certified Camaro rolling chassis, priced at $55,000 and on sale March 28, 2013: a painted Summit White body and roll-caged chassis with solid rear axle, ready for the buyer's engine and transmission. Each was serialized but carried no VIN, so it could not be titled for the road.
  • NHRA approved a Camaro Pro Stock body in 2012 after Chevrolet supplied a production car to base it on, and GM donated wind-tunnel time so the shape would behave at 200-plus mph. Erica Enders-Stevens debuted the new Camaro SS-bodied Pro Stock car at the Gatornationals in March 2013, having won in Phoenix a few weeks earlier.
Yellow 2013 Camaro RS coupe with rear spoiler
Yellow 2013 Camaro RS coupe with rear spoiler, rear view, on a rural road Photo: Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
White 2013 Camaro convertible with halo-ring headlamps
White 2013 Camaro convertible with halo-ring headlamps, decorated with parade stickers and balloons, front three-quarter view, in a street carnival parade Photo: Tobias Nordhausen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates and faces blurred Original photograph License
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe, rear three-quarter view, on an orange display plinth at an auto show with visitors behind Photo: Sarah Larson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License

Production

The table lists five production figures for 2013. It opens with 1LT, 25,051, followed by 2LT (20,142), 1SS (18,602), 2SS (14,772) and US sales (calendar year) (80,567).

Record Count Note
1LT 25,051
2LT 20,142
1SS 18,602
2SS 14,772
US sales (calendar year) 80,567 GM's deliveries; one compilation gives 80,294
Blue 2013 Camaro coupe with Hot Wheels styling and red-lipped wheels
Blue 2013 Camaro coupe with Hot Wheels styling and red-lipped wheels, side profile to front three-quarter view, on a turntable at an auto show with a presenter Photo: Doug Butchy, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License
Black 2013 Camaro coupe with silver hood stripes and black aftermarket wheels
Black 2013 Camaro coupe with silver hood stripes and black aftermarket wheels, front three-quarter view, parked outside a glass-fronted building Photo: GPS 56, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Black 2013 Camaro coupe with added blue stripes and black wheels
Black 2013 Camaro coupe with added blue stripes and black wheels, high close side and front-corner view, at an outdoor street car show Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro ZL1 with ZL1 grille badge
Red 2013 Camaro ZL1 with ZL1 grille badge, front view, on display at an auto show Photo: Brett Levin, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with ZL1 badges and hood raised showing the supercharged engine
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with ZL1 badges and hood raised showing the supercharged engine, front three-quarter view, at a parking-lot car meet Photo: Xnatedawgx, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License

Engines

The 2013 table lists four engines: the 3.6 L V6 (LFX), the 6.2 L V8 (LS3), the 6.2 L V8 (L99) and the 6.2 L supercharged V8 (LSA). The highest power rating shown is 580 hp, for the 6.2 L supercharged V8 (LSA).

Code Engine Power Torque Note
3 3.6 L V6 (LFX) 323 hp at 6,800 rpm 278 lb-ft at 4,800 rpm LS, LT
W 6.2 L V8 (LS3) 426 hp at 5,900 rpm 420 lb-ft at 4,600 rpm SS and SS 1LE, manual
J 6.2 L V8 (L99) 400 hp at 5,900 rpm 410 lb-ft at 4,300 rpm SS, automatic
P 6.2 L supercharged V8 (LSA) 580 hp at 6,000 rpm 556 lb-ft at 4,200 rpm ZL1

Options, packages and special editions

The 2013 list has four options, packages and special editions. Of these, 2 show how many were built.

Code Description Built Note
1LE 1LE Performance Package — SS coupe, manual — 3.91 axle, close-ratio Tremec, 285-width tires all round, matte-black hood, splitter and spoiler
— Hot Wheels Edition — Kinetic Blue 1,524
— ZL1 convertible — New for 2013
— COPO Camaro 69
Red 2013 Camaro SS coupe
Red 2013 Camaro SS coupe, front three-quarter view, parked outside a glass-fronted building Photo: GPS 56, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro RS coupe with white hood stripes
Red 2013 Camaro RS coupe with white hood stripes, front three-quarter view, parked under trees Photo: order_242, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with dark hood stripe
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with dark hood stripe, front view, on an orange display stand at a motor show Photo: Norbert Aepli, Switzerland (User:Noebu), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro RS convertible with top down
Red 2013 Camaro RS convertible with top down, front three-quarter view, on grass at an outdoor classic car show Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupe with vented hood
Red 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupe with vented hood, front three-quarter view, in an empty car park Photo: GPS 56, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; licence plates blurred Original photograph License
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with top down
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with top down, front three-quarter view, driven by a helmeted driver at an autocross event Photo: Grant.C, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
White convertible 2013 Camaro in Atlanta Motor Speedway official pace car livery
White convertible 2013 Camaro in Atlanta Motor Speedway official pace car livery, front three-quarter view, displayed at a dealership fan day Photo: Georgia Peanut Commission, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License
Blue 2013 Camaro convertible with Hot Wheels grille badge
Blue 2013 Camaro convertible with Hot Wheels grille badge, dark hood graphics, halo-ring headlamps and red-lipped wheels, front three-quarter view, in a parking lot at dusk Photo: Camaro6720, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro SS coupe with a small flag on the window
Red 2013 Camaro SS coupe with a small flag on the window, rear view, on a dealership lawn beside a Dodge Challenger Photo: Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with top down
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with top down, side profile, driven by a helmeted driver at an autocross event Photo: Grant.C, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License

Exterior colors

This table has eight exterior colors for 2013. They include Summit White, Black and Crystal Red Tintcoat.

Color Note
Summit White
Black
Crystal Red Tintcoat
Victory Red
Rally Yellow
Inferno Orange Metallic
Ashen Gray Metallic
Blue Ray Metallic New for 2013
Red 2013 Camaro coupe with deck-lid spoiler
Red 2013 Camaro coupe with deck-lid spoiler, side and rear three-quarter view, parked on a dirt lot under a tree above a town Photo: order_242, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro coupe with a small flag on the window
Red 2013 Camaro coupe with a small flag on the window, side and rear three-quarter view, on the grass at a dealership lot Photo: Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro SS coupe with halo-ring headlamps and a small flag on the window
Red 2013 Camaro SS coupe with halo-ring headlamps and a small flag on the window, front three-quarter view, on a dealership lawn Photo: Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with ZL1 badges
Dark grey 2013 Camaro ZL1 convertible with ZL1 badges, side profile panning shot, at an autocross course with helmeted driver Photo: Grant.C, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License

Interior trim

This table has 11 interior trims for 2013.

These choices follow Chevrolet's 2013 US brochure. LS cloth, 1LT/1SS Sport Cloth and 2LT/2SS leather appointments are separate trim-level offerings. The brochure does not print upholstery ordering codes in the fabric chart; the dash marks an unknown code, not an RPO. Accent-package restrictions stay with the affected rows. The chart is not a complete special-edition or paint/interior compatibility guide.

Trim Note
Black cloth Standard LS seating
Gray cloth Standard LS seating
Black Sport Cloth Standard 1LT and 1SS seating
Gray Sport Cloth Standard 1LT and 1SS seating
Beige Sport Cloth Standard 1LT and 1SS seating
Black leather appointments Standard 2LT and 2SS seating
Gray leather appointments Standard 2LT and 2SS seating
Beige leather appointments Standard 2LT and 2SS seating
Inferno Orange-accent leather appointments Requires the available Inferno Orange Interior Accent Trim Package; 2LT and 2SS only
Mojave-accent leather appointments Requires the available Mojave Interior Accent Trim Package; 2LT and 2SS only
Black leather appointments with sueded microfiber seating surfaces Standard ZL1 seating. The optional Sueded Microfiber Package covers steering-wheel and shifter controls separately; it does not make the seat material optional.

Specifications

This table gives 20 specifications for 2013, among them wheelbase (112.3 in) and overall length (190.4 in).

Item Value Note
Wheelbase 112.3 in
Overall length 190.4 in
Overall width 75.5 in
Overall height 54.2 in coupe / 54.7 in convertible
Track, front / rear 63.7 / 64.1 in SS rear 63.7 in
Wheels and tires LS: 18 × 7.5 steel, P245/55R18 · LT: 18 × 7.5 or 19 × 8 aluminum, P245/55R18 or P245/50R19 · SS: 20 × 8 front / 20 × 9 rear, P245/45ZR20 / P275/40ZR20 summer
Brakes LS/LT: 12.64 in front / 12.4 in rear rotors, single-piston calipers · SS: 14 in / 14.4 in rotors, four-piston Brembo calipers
Fuel tank 19 gal
Cargo volume 11.3 cu ft coupe; 10.2 cu ft convertible, top up
Assembly Oshawa, Ontario
Curb weight, coupe LS 3,769 / 3,780 lb · LT 3,750 / 3,741 lb · SS 3,913 / 3,860 lb Automatic / manual
Curb weight, ZL1 4,120 lb coupe / 4,380 lb convertible
Final drive 3.27 (V6; 2.92 2LS) · SS 3.27 automatic, 3.45 manual · 1LE 3.91 · ZL1 3.73 manual, 3.23 automatic
1LE 20 × 10 front / 20 × 11 rear wheels; 285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires all round; 27 mm / 28 mm solid stabilizer bars; strut-tower brace; monotube rear dampers
EPA fuel economy V6 18 / 29 mpg auto (19 / 30 2LS), 17 / 28 manual · V8 16 / 25 auto, 16 / 24 manual City / highway
ZL1 0–60 mph 4.0 / 3.9 s Coupe; 4.2 / 4.1 s Convertible Manual / automatic; Chevrolet 2013 US brochure
ZL1 top speed 180 / 184 mph Coupe; 155 mph Convertible Manual / automatic Coupe; either transmission Convertible
ZL1 quarter mile 12.1 / 12.0 s Coupe; 12.4 / 12.3 s Convertible Manual / automatic; Chevrolet 2013 US brochure
ZL1 Nürburgring lap 7:41.27 Coupe; Chevrolet brochure figure
Platform GM Zeta (rear-drive)
Blue 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupe in Detroit Grand Prix pace car livery with white hood stripe and roof light bar
Blue 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupe in Detroit Grand Prix pace car livery with white hood stripe and roof light bar, front three-quarter view, at an auto show Photo: Sarah Larson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with black wheels
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with black wheels, side profile, on an orange display stand at a motor show with visitors behind Photo: Norbert Aepli, Switzerland (User:Noebu), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License
Red 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupe with silver hood stripes
Red 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupe with silver hood stripes, side profile, in a parking lot at a car meet Photo: GPS 56, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Yellow 2013 Camaro coupe with halo headlamps
Yellow 2013 Camaro coupe with halo headlamps, front view close-up, on a dealer lot Photo: Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License

Identification

What to check on a 2013 Camaro: VIN, 1LE and Hot Wheels.

Item What to look for Note
VIN 2G1 … position 8 engine code, position 10 = D, position 11 = 9 Plant 9 is Oshawa, Ontario
1LE Low-gloss black hood, splitter and spoiler; black 20-inch wheels; red Brembo calipers SS only
Hot Wheels Kinetic Blue, ZL1 grille and spoiler, unique graphics
Yellow 2013 Camaro rear detail showing tail lamps
Yellow 2013 Camaro rear detail showing tail lamps, deck-lid spoiler and bowtie, low angle against the sky Photo: Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Yellow 2013 Camaro front detail with halo headlamp
Yellow 2013 Camaro front detail with halo headlamp, grille and round fog lamp, photographer reflected in the headlamp Photo: Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License

Decode a specific car with the VIN decoder and the engine and drivetrain stamp decoder.

Why it matters

The 1LE name went back on a Camaro meant for the track, a link to the 1988 original.

Grey 2013 Camaro SS convertible with soft top up
Grey 2013 Camaro SS convertible with soft top up, tight front and front three-quarter view, parked at a used-car lot Photo: order_242, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with dark hood stripe
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with dark hood stripe, front three-quarter view, on an orange display ramp at the Detroit auto show Photo: Sarah Larson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; faces blurred Original photograph License
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with Hot Wheels fender badge
Blue 2013 Camaro Hot Wheels edition coupe with Hot Wheels fender badge, side profile, on an orange display plinth at an auto show Photo: Sarah Larson, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License

The 1LE comes back

Chevrolet announced the new 1LE in March 2012 and pointed to its origins, a package first offered in 1988 for Camaros racing in showroom-stock series. The 2013 version was a $3,500 package for SS coupes with the six-speed manual. A 1SS with the 1LE started at $37,035 including destination. It used the FE6 suspension, a transmission cooler, monotube rear dampers in place of the SS's twin-tubes, and thicker stabilizer bars (27 mm front, 28 mm rear). A strut-tower brace, ZL1 wheel bearings, toe links, rear shock mounts and fuel pump went in with it. It rode on ZL1-style 20-inch wheels, 10 inches wide in front and 11 at the rear, all wearing 285/35ZR20 Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2 tires. Inside was a flat-bottom steering wheel trimmed in sueded microfiber.

In July 2012 Camaro engineer Aaron Link lapped Virginia International Raceway's 4.1-mile Grand Course in 2:58.34 in a production-spec 1LE fitted only with a race seat and roll cage. Chief engineer Al Oppenheiser said the car cost $10,000 less than its nearest competitor, and Chevrolet sought SCCA approval for Touring-class racing.

ZL1 technology for every SS

Every 2013 SS got the ZL1's variable-effort electric power steering, and a dual-mode exhaust became available on manual SS models. Both followed the 2012 change that moved the SS's stabilizer-bar links outboard, which Chevrolet said made the bars four times more effective. Chevrolet MyLink, with a seven-inch touch screen, Bluetooth streaming and apps such as Pandora, was offered on LT, SS and ZL1 models.

The 323-hp V6 returned 30 mpg on the highway in 2LS form, and Chevrolet's brochure pointed out that the Mustang and Challenger V6s made only 305 hp. The supercharged ZL1, now offered as a convertible as well, made 580 hp and 556 lb-ft. It used Magnetic Ride Control. Chevrolet listed 0–60 mph in 4.0 seconds for the manual Coupe or 3.9 with the automatic, and 4.2 or 4.1 seconds for the manual or automatic Convertible. The listed top speed was 180 mph for the manual Coupe, 184 for the automatic Coupe, and 155 for either Convertible. Marketing manager John Fitzpatrick expected the range to keep the Camaro "America's most-popular sports car."

Blue 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupes in official pace car livery with roof light bars
Blue 2013 Camaro ZL1 coupes in official pace car livery with roof light bars, front three-quarter and side view, parked in a speedway paddock beside a pace-car sedan Photo: Michael Tipton, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Original photograph License

A full-size Hot Wheels car

The Camaro Hot Wheels Edition debuted at the SEMA Show on October 29, 2012. Chevrolet called it the first full-size production Hot Wheels car offered for sale by any manufacturer. It was built as a 2LT or 2SS coupe or convertible in Kinetic Blue with ZL1 parts: the upper grille, a rear spoiler on coupes and a ground-effects kit. It rode on black 21-inch wheels with a red stripe that echoed the toy cars' redline tires, and wore a two-tone matte hood graphic, a blacked-out taillamp panel and flame graphics on the fenders. Inside it had black leather with red stitching, embroidered Hot Wheels logos, flame decals on the doors and its own sill plates. Mattel designer Felix Holst said that after nearly 20 years designing Hot Wheels he had yet to drive one home. It was built in the first quarter of 2013, and 1,524 were made.

Sources