2021 Chevy Camaro SS, ZL1 Can No Longer Be Ordered In California And Washington
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As of November of 2020, dealers located in the states of California and Washington are no longer able to order new 2021 Chevy Camaro SS, 2021 Camaro 2SS, 2021 Camaro ZL1, or 2021 Camaro ZL1 1LE models. The restrictions apply to both the coupe and the convertible body styles.
We reached out to General Motors for confirmation and an explanation. Apparently, the order restrictions are related to the copper brake pads equipped on the 2021 Chevy Camaro SS, 2SS, ZL1, and ZL1 1LE trim levels.
“Due to restrictions in California and Washington state related to copper brake pads, customers in those states cannot order a 2021 Camaro SS, ZL1 and 1LE for delivery after January 1, 2021,” said Senior Manager, Chevrolet Cars and Crossover Communications at General Motors, Kevin M. Kelly, in an official statement to GM Authority. “Customers can, however, purchase these models from available dealer stock in those states.”
For those customers in California and Washington looking to order a brand-new 2021 Chevy Camaro SS or ZL1, the news undoubtedly comes as something of a disappointment. Luckily, the issue won’t prevent new orders forever.
“We will resume allowing customers in California and Washington state to order the Camaro SS, ZL1 and 1LE models for the 2022 model year when we introduce a new brake system that is compliant with the copper requirements,” Kelly added.
Although General Motors did not specify, it’s assumed that the issue has to do with the upgraded Brembo brakes offered on each of the trims mentioned. To note, the 2021 Chevy Camaro SS comes with standard SS Brembo front and rear performance antilock brakes, while the ZL1 comes with six-pot front Brembo units and four-pot rear Brembo units.
The 2021 Chevy Camaro is the sixth model year of the latest sixth-generation nameplate, and offers a few minor changes and updates over the preceding model year. Providing the go in SS models is the naturally aspirated 6.2L V8 LT1, which produces 455 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque, while ZL1 models are equipped with the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4, which produces 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque.
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So, what doesn’t cause cancer in California?
My guess is their liberal politicians they keep re-electing.
I cause cancer according to the state of California!
Doesn’t Commiefornia know that high voltage power lines might cause certain health defects in the future. Not much research has gone into this yet but if more conclusive evidence was found it would mess up their EV 2030 no-pipe dream. How would they get electricity from their neighbors? I am a concerned for residents in that states health so I would like to add this one to the growing list!
When California is completely empty which will be within a decade and OR is a charred remains – 5 years, those two states will be completely irrelevant. Won’t be long now.
Don’t most modern day 18 wheelers utilize the same brake pads?
Hard to imagine the environmental impact of a couple thousand cars with copper sintered brake pads. But easy to see the reduction in safety by forcing these high HP models to use weaker brake pad material. Nanny-state does it again! How people can live in these states is beyond me.
the SS 1le has more grip and is not subject to this. You dont need more copper to brake harder lol
Why is copper used in brake pads?
Copied from copper dot org.
Copper makes for a smooth braking experience, transfers heat efficiently and helps brakes’ effectiveness in cold weather. Copper also has properties that help prevent brakes from squeaking and shuddering when used. Currently, copper’s unique qualities will make it difficult to replicate with other materials. But in response to the new laws, the U.S. auto industry has agreed to come up with an alternative to copper as an element in brake pads.
The 1LE Is Absolutely Subject to this, be it the 1SS, 2SS or ZL1 – Any Model with the Brembo Brakes is
A couple of thousand, I doubt they sell anywhere near that number in CA.
Another hit by Kalifornia and their draconian anti-auto (and everything-else) laws. One example; they drive a thumbtack with a sledge hammer regarding such things as smog checks on the few 30-year-old cars remaining in the state while leaving the major polluters (AKA, the major lobbyists/$$$ contributors)—the utility companies—untouched.
Copper in brake pads first contaminates the rims and then flies through the air into the respiratory tract of living things.
It would be interesting why the authorities in California and Washington are silent about the heavy metals in the brake systems of trucks, buses, agricultural machinery and work machines?
All ferrous metals oxides and turn to rust, copper doesn’t and all non ferrous metals do not break down.
For those people who want to stay on Kalaforn i a ….you deserve it if you keep letting that idiot for a governor and his minions keeps shoving these acinine , draconian types of rules and policies up the citizens patutti …what’s next … the handlebars on bicycles ?
I’m a SoCal resident and a GM retiree (Los Angeles/Van Nuys Assembly Plant 1966-1992) who has been in the “automotive scene” since the early 1960’s and I’m disgusted at how California has continued on it’s roller coaster ride, downhill at breakneck speeds! What the liberal legislators and politicians have done to this once beautiful state is maddening as I’ve watched it go from a once thriving state to a state that is losing businesses and residents by the U-Haul full.
And yet, California allows it’s liberal politicians to continue it’s self destruction, and why this is happening is mind boggling.
However, I’m also a “GM Guy” through and through, and a realist who has been through GM plant closing after plant closing including the Van Nuys Plant back in 1992, removing not only a great car line (the F Car Models) but giving away our jobs to a “foreign country” (‘ya know, Canada IS a foreign country, right?) and the same goes for sending many car lines to Mexico too (uh, Mexico is also a foreign country, been that way for long time too) and in every case, the products that were sent “out of the USA” meant many job losses right here in America…and especially in California where even Mighty Toyota could not stay in this politically messed up state, building vehicles and keeping American labor working!
So now, in what used to be a GM plant, was at one time a Toyota Plant and now a Tesla Plant, Elon Musk has decided that it’s time to move on and leave California for another state (Texas?) at some time in the future because California has once again made it damn near impossible to operate successfully in California and to make money while doing that!
One more thing before I get off my “soapbox”…. what GM is now doing to the once popular Camaro line is very predictable
as GM is a “creature of habit”…we’ve seen this poor car line once again being “left to die a slow death”, just as it has been mistreated by the “GM Powers That Be” that no longer see an advantage to having a slow selling car line keep producing a vehicle that they refuse to “future advance itself” as a viable and useful product keeping the Camaro name in check.
So now, the “death knell” for the once Mighty Camaro has begun, not selling those once popular models of Camaro due to a “brake pads composition” is total “HogWash”, trust me I’ve seen this sort of actions on GM’s part many times before and it is simply a way of slowly removing a car line from it’s lineup…they’ve grown tired of trying to keep up changing the F Car Line to suit fewer and fewer customers due to marketing demographics…a lazy way of saying “so long, we’ll miss ‘ya”!
I blame the GM Hierarchy and their lack of foresight…instead of following what I feel will be a major future success, and that would be Ford’s “reinvention of the Mustang by going all electric and renaming it “Mach-E” and keeping it’s loyal customers and new future customers, GM will choose to simply let the Camaro die a slow death when they’ve got the capability to follow Fords lead and produce an all electric “Sporty Crossover” with an already popular name attached to it.
Will GM do something so brilliant, so basically easy a plan to start with? Uh, no…that wouldn’t work, too easy, they’re going to be bringing out many new EV’s with not a clue how to market once popular name plates that depicted success after success. It’s sad, both GM and California seem to be “partners in stupidity”, not being able to “see the forest for the trees” and continuing on this “roller coaster ride” downhill at warp speed! Both self destructing due to an inner political system that seems to relish in doing things that are self defeating. Oh well, the wife wants to get the hell out of SoCal ASAP, and I can’t blame her one bit, but it would be a hardship on my aging parents, still alive and in their mid 90’s, but when the time comes sometime in the future, I suppose that I’ll be loading up a U-Haul truck and heading out for a progressive state that does not have a “self destruct” intention and a dismal future filled with pathetic politicians who are blind as a bat when it comes to doing what the populace wants and needs first, and not what the politicians deem a priority for themselves.
As far as the Camaro line goes…as a past GM Quality Control Tech, partly responsible for bringing out the once popular Camaro RS lineup in the late Gen 3 Camaro to America (and in California first, imagine that!) I hate to see this one proud name leave us, again. But the handwriting is on the wall, trust me, I’ve been down this road so many times, and each time I’ve been disappointed at GM’s inability to “meet the challenge” and to change the product as necessary to keep those production lines moving in America. It hurts, deep down inside where I know that GM has some amazing people working for them, some incredible engineers and stylist that can put GM back in the number one spot, but like within the state of California, GM has a destructive inner political system that goes so deep that’ll never be able to “fix itself”, and once you’ve lost the loyalty of your customers (and in California, it’s residents) you’ll never get them back.
thank goodness i am moving to florida, especially south florida this spring or summer, so california and the virginias, you can kiss my a**!
Get ready for lots of rain and hurricanes.
I’ll take them over earthquakes.
“ I suppose that I’ll be loading up a U-Haul truck and heading out for a progressive state that does not have a “self destruct” intention and a dismal future filled with pathetic politicians who are blind as a bat when it comes to doing what the populace wants and needs first, and not what the politicians deem a priority for themselves.”
Oxymoron. You want to leave Commiefornia to escape “progressive” politics but want to take them with you? It’s this mind set that is ruining once prosperous conservative states like AZ, TX and FL. Leave the bad politics behind and open your eyes.
The Camaro died the minute they reassigned Oppenheiser to EVs. Poor guy, guess he didn’t have enough points to retire.
Rick, I have to agree on many of your points. One major issue I have with GM and others is they allow too much time between (6 or 7years) between redesigns. Other than trucks where sales don’t hurt much, if at all, waiting for a new model. Both the Mustang and Camaro were pushed out to the pasture because of slow sales and for marketing to spend 100 million dollars on a new model is a hard sale. When both of these came back to the market they sold like gang busters. From the G5 to G6 Camaro’s there isn’t much of a difference. Now sales are falling because the design is getting old, not necessarily bad. To go to a new design will cost millions and maybe three years to get it out the door. The executives look at the numbers, EV is taking a huge portion of the investment dollars and you know who will win.
I own a 2019 1SS Convertible, an awesome car and I joined a Facebook group, “Camaro’s of Central Florida”. I’m was very surprised there are a lot of young people really love this car and surprisingly, young women buy this car both used and new.
The Camaro needs a complete redesign. Maybe time to dump the retro attempt and face the fact that 1967 was a great design, but the days of no crash protection designs are very hard to replicate in a car with modern technology included. The narrow windows and poor outward visibility in the current Camaro are a big turnoff to many customers, as is the limited trunk space and useless rear seat. A new Camaro needs: 1) to weigh less, 2) have a rear seat that adults can use, 3) offer hybrid versions of the 4, 6, and 8, 3) return to “normal size” windows, 4) have a new body design that might have a few design cues to the 67 model, but mostly be aerodynamic with a “wow, look-at-that” design and a useful trunk in both coupe and convertible.
The Camaro cannot lose weight and grow for a bigger rear seat, more glass generally = more weight, and hybrid definitely means more weight. GM worked hard to get the GEN6 to be as light as it is. A GEN6 Camaro is noticeably lighter than a comparable Mustang and way lighter than a Challenger. Ford claim that GM wasn’t going to be able to make a GEN6 Camaro weigh less than a GEN5 Camaro or a S550 Mustang, and a comparable GEN6 Camaro is 120+ lbs less than its Mustang counterpart. A new M6 LT1 that isn’t optioned out with a bunch of weight adding options is about a 3,580 lb car. That’s not much more than say a LS1 WS6, and it’s a lot more car than any LS1 car ever was. It’s built on what most consider one of the best unibody platforms ever. It’s very much a chassis car, but still has a engine that mod for mod makes more power than LS3. If you want to make over 600 WHP on a stock bottomend and stay N/A that’s very doable with a GEN5 LT1. And that’s with a ported factory head. Just imagine how potent it would be if the aftermarket cylinder head companies latched on to it to support it the way they do the LS engines. Still the GEN5 heads are so good at making power that the aftermarket doesn’t feel they can improve on them much (or either they feel there’s not much a market with the GEN5 engines as they are a more complicated engine for swaps) even with their odd exhaust ports.
look up Constellium stock (symbol CSTM). They would be happy to provide GM with all the aluminum body in white chassis they want. They do it for Audi and the aerospace industry already. Now you are talking game changer.
Rick, you likely helped get my 1974 Buick Apollo GSX out of the plant.
Go to URL copper.org/environment/impact/copper-brake.html
These laws passed back in 2010 that allowed 15 years for the industry to reduce the amount of copper in brake pads. Too much copper was being measure in lakes, streams and bays including water sheds. Copper run offs was reaching levels that violated the Clean Water Act.
It appears the industry has meet the goals except for high performance brakes.
Go to URL copper dot org/environment/impact/copper-brake.html
These laws passed back in 2010 that allowed 15 years for the industry to reduce the amount of copper in brake pads. Too much copper was being measure in lakes, streams and bays including water sheds. Copper run offs was reaching levels that violated the Clean Water Act.
It appears the industry has meet the goals except for high performance brakes.
You idiots who keep voting in a Democrats are getting everything you deserve.
Glad i quit the democratic party almost 14 years ago, after they f***in screwed me.
Wow you are important! The entire Democratic Party had it out for you personally! LOL
California was the last state to allow PVC water pipes because plumber unions got the legislature to block it, fearing less work hours.
State in a nutshell.
I guess the nearest Chevy dealers in neighboring states like Nevada will be taking some orders.