As American as apple pie, the Camaro is one of the few automotive nameplates emblematic enough to sustain a standalone brand. The model could survive on its own just like the Ford Mustang and the Porsche 911. We can’t say the same thing about the Equinox or the Cruze.

It wasn’t always that way; the Camaro nearly went extinct during the 1970s. Join us as we explore the ups and downs of its illustrious production run, from its beginnings as a Mustang fighter rushed to the market to the 650hp model Chevrolet sells 50 years later.