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The Chevrolet Camaro has been the longest surviving rival to the Ford Mustang, although with 2024 being the last year of the iconic Chevy pony car, time is running out to get your hands on a new one. But while the current sixth-gen Camaro has been a hit - visually striking and exceptional to drive - not every Camaro has been as fondly remembered. One example of a much-maligned Camaro is the fourth generation, commonly referred to as the Catfish Camaro. This was never an official name from the factory but rather one given to the pony car by enthusiasts who were, erm, less than enthusiastic about GM's design choices. So, what is the Catfish Camaro? How did it get its name? And why is it loved by some and hated by others?
What is a Catfish Camaro?
The fourth-generation (or F-body platform) Chevrolet Camaro lasted from 1993 until 2002, but it was the 1998 "facelift" version that became notorious amongst car enthusiasts due to its unusual (and polarizing) appearance. The shape and positioning of the grill and headlights made the car's "face" slightly resemble that of a catfish, hence the name "Catfish Camaro." While the entire fourth-gen is often referred to as the Catfish, the post-facelift models earned it the name.
The Camaro is one of the most well-known models in the "pony car" category, synonymous with all-American, compact 2+2 sports cars - effectively a junior subcategory within the broader muscle car spectrum pioneered by the Ford Mustang.
Traditionally, pony cars have leaned into the American muscle aesthetic, but the fourth-gen Camaro opted for a more European design philosophy with softer lines and organic shapes that proved controversial.
Its front end, down to the hood scoop, is reminiscent of Italian designs like the Ferrari 550 Maranello.
The "Catfish Camaro" became somewhat of a running joke in car culture and has been dividing opinions ever since its appearance on the market. While some love its sleek, aerodynamic lines, others did not approve of the deviation from the angular, harsh lines commonly found on a Camaro. As a result, the "Catfish" is still considered by many to be one of the worst-looking cars ever produced by GM. However, thanks to a new generation of car enthusiasts rediscovering hidden gems from the 90s, the Catfish Camaro is now enjoying a new lease of life, being appreciated and redeemed as a formerly underrated car.
History Of The Catfish Camaro
The previous (third generation) Camaro was known for its sharp angles and slightly boxy shape, in line with the classic styling cues that had come to be associated with the Camaro since it was first introduced. In 1993, the fourth-gen Camaro was first introduced, and despite not being a true "catfish" yet, its stylistic departure from the "all-American muscle car" look that had defined the previous generation was already proving to be controversial; the sleeker, curvier design of the new Camaro didn't get much love from the public.
In 1998 Chevrolet doubled down on the style revamp, and the Catfish made its first appearance on the market, with a new grille meant to be a throwback to the 1970 Camaro grille.
Everything that people disliked about the fourth-gen Camaro had been turned up to 11, creating a bulbous nose, oversized grill, and rounded, fish-like eyes. Once again, the new Camaro did not get a spectacular reception, but it still lasted four years on the market before being discontinued.
2002 signaled the end of the fourth-generation Camaro, and for a few years, it seemed like the Camaro nameplate would be put on ice. It did not disappear completely, but simply went on hiatus for a few years until the prototype that would eventually become the fifth-gen Camaro was unveiled in 2005.
Design and Style
The fourth-generation Camaro shared its F-body platform with the Pontiac Firebird, but that's where the similarities ended. While the Firebird had a striking, aggressive look with angular lines, the Camaro opted for a softer, sleeker approach that bore a closer resemblance to European sports cars. The design feature that contributed most to the Catfish Camaro's derogatory moniker was the wide grille that resembled a catfish's gaping mouth.
The grille was meant to be a tribute to past GM models, echoing the wide rectangular grille of the 1970 Camaro, but it didn't work quite as well in the 1998 model due to its outsized proportions.
The extra-large grille was not just a stylistic choice; it was somewhat of a necessity from a mechanical perspective.
The new LS1 V8 engine was introduced to the Camaro for the 1998 model year after making its debut on the Corvette a year prior. It demanded more space than the LT1 engine sported by previous Camaros, and, as a result, the grille had to be expanded to make everything work despite its odd aesthetic proportions.
The car's unusual "face" was completed by the two elongated, rounded headlamps, which combined with the wide grille and general body shape to create the illusion of a catfish on wheels that earned the Camaro its nickname.
The interior does not have many noteworthy features and is generally considered fairly low-quality. As is the case with many GM models from the 90s, cheap materials abound, with lots of plastic and leather seats that more closely resembled vinyl.
Catfish Camaro Performance
The Catfish Camaro engine options were narrowed down to two; you could choose a V6 or a V8. The 3.8-liter V6 was relatively unremarkable (200 horsepower), while the 5.7-liter LS1 V8 (included in the Camaro Z28 and the high-performance version called the SS) was the show's real star. It produced 310 hp and 340 lb-ft of torque (or 325 hp/350 lb-ft in the Super Sport/SS version), although it is widely claimed that the Camaro's true power output was closer to the Corvette's 350 hp, but was played down for marketing reasons to avoid encroaching on the Corvette's market share.
Either way, the Camaro's horsepower placed it leagues ahead of the equivalent Ford Mustang. The LS1 could be paired with either a four-speed automatic or a six-speed manual transmission. Curiously, the automatic was the standard option.
The new engine was not the only performance innovation sported by the Catfish: the presence of the SS (Super Sport) version was also a relative novelty, the SS name having only been brought back from a long hiatus by the pre-facelift fourth-gen Camaro a few years prior.
The Camaro SS option package (sometimes marketed as a standalone trim level, depending on the model year) consisted of a host of performance upgrades and appearance improvements: SS models featured add-ons such as suspension tuning, larger wheels, engine modifications, and a scooped hood. The Catfish Camaro SS also had a bump in power and torque and a small improvement over the 5.2-second 0-60 mph time posted by the Z28.
The infamous catfish look also had a redeeming feature when it came to performance: thanks to the Camaro's sleek lines, it boasted the lowest drag coefficient of any Camaro produced to date, which meant its unusual looks actually had a positive effect on aerodynamics - every cloud has a silver lining.
Goodbye Catfish: What Happened Next?
When the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro first made its debut, its styling cues immediately signaled a complete 180 away from the "catfish" look that had defined the previous generations: the new Camaro was bulky, boxy, and aggressive, with lines inspired by retro styles such as the legendary Camaros of the 1960s. This trend continued with the following generation in 2015: the sixth-gen Camaro upped the aggressiveness factor even further, and the smooth, gentle lines of the Catfish were now a distant memory. Now, after the model's 50th-anniversary celebrations in 2016, the sixth-gen Camaro is also on the verge of winding down, concluding with the 2024 model year and a special collector edition send-off; who knows what's next for the Camaro nameplate?
The "Catfish Camaro" may have been an odd-looking outlier in the model's history, but it left its mark on the automotive world and is now ripe for re-discovery and newfound appreciation by a brand new generation of car enthusiasts.
