With the Camaro finally outselling the Mustang last month for the first time since both muscle cars received redesigns, Chevy is looking to keep the metal moving by adding a new manual-only 1LS trim to the 2017 Camaro’s lineup.
According to the Camaro’s ordering guide, the 1LS will start at $26,900 in the U.S. for coupes and $32,900 for the convertible. The base engine remains the 2.0-liter turbo four with 275 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, while the high-revving V6 will once again be on tap for an extra $1,495.
With the addition of the exclusively row-it-yourself trim, 1LT Camaros will become an all automatic affair, and sport a new starting price of $27,595 for the coupe and $33,595 for the convertible.
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What Chevy has essentially done is lower the entry price of a base Camaro by $400 even though the 2017 1LS is exactly the same car as the 2016 Camaro 1LT equipped with a six-speed manual. In addition, the 1LT automatic sees its price slashed by $1,200, and cars equipped with a 2.0T – either manual or automatic – now have a lower MSRP than the EcoBoost Mustang.
The move comes hot on the heels of Chevy offering $2,000 in conquest cash to current Mustang owners. Ford responded with a $2,000 loyalty offer pitched to 2013 and 2014 Mustang lessees. Even so, the Mustang saw its sales drop off some 32-percent year over year, prompting Ford to idle its Flat Rock assembly plant temporarily.
