2017 Camaro 1LE Package: What You Need to Know

Chevy Adds Track-Focused Performance and Style to the Camaro With the 1LE Package

A consistent complaint about Camaros over the years has been that they don’t handle as well as they look like they should. Like most American muscle cars, the Camaro has tended to be a lot more fun in a straight line than when going around corners.

With the latest generation, Chevrolet has endeavored to change that. Not only do the new Camaros have plenty of power from their range of four-cylinder, V6, and V8 engines, they handle remarkably well for cars of their size and shape. The 2017 Camaro has an outstanding overall score in our rankings of sports cars, outscoring competitors like the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger. But to make the Camaro even more of a track star, Chevrolet is offering the new 1LE package.

The 1LE trim is a performance package that is available on both V6 and V8 Camaros. The 1LE package adds unique styling touches and track-focused performance modifications to the already well-regarded Camaro.

But with a limited budget for upgrades, is the 1LE package worth the money? Click through the following slides to see pictures of the 1LE Camaro and find out everything you need to know. 

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Powertrain

As noted in the intro, the 1LE package is available on both V6 and V8 2017 Camaros. Additionally, Chevy will offer the 1LE package on the 2018 ZL1 Camaro.

If you go for the six-cylinder, you’ll get Chevy’s 335-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 matched with a six-speed manual transmission. In the SS, you’re getting the standard SS engine, a 6.2-liter V8 that makes 455 horsepower, also paired with a six-speed manual. The 1LE package has more to do with handling than horsepower. 

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Handling and Braking

The Camaro has shaved some weight for 2017, coming in at less than 3,500 pounds. The reduced weight helped all Camaros handle better, and those improvements are further embellished with the 1LE package.

The 1LE package takes the Magnetic Ride Control suspension from the ZL1 and puts it into the SS. That means you get the adaptive dampers, anti-roll bars, rear toe links, rear trailing links, and rear subframe mounts from the ZL1.

The V6 1LE’s suspension borrows the rear subframe mounts, dampers, ball-jointed rear toe links, and anti-roll bars from the stock Chevy SS. 

Brembo brakes come on both the V6 and V8 1LE variants, although the brakes on the V8 1LE are larger and more powerful. The V8 1LE gets bigger tires too.

The V6 1LE sits on 245/40R20 front tires and has 275/35R20s in the rear. The SS 1LE gets 285/30ZR20s in the front and massive 305/30ZR20s in the rear. In either case, the tires are summer-only Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires designed for putting down lap times at the track. 

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Exterior Styling

The first thing most will notice is the satin black hood on the 1LE models. This is not paint, but a vinyl wrap that can be easily removed for those who want a more subtle look. However, black mirrors, a black rear spoiler, and a front splitter will make your 1LE stand out no matter how you style the hood. It’s not all cosmetic, however. The three-piece mounted blade-style spoiler combines with the front splitter to create extra downforce to keep traction on the track. 

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Interior Styling

That satin black hood has some tie-ins to the interior, which features a black, suede-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel with a matching shift knob. Recaro seats come standard on the SS 1LE and are available on the V6 1LE.

The seating position is low and the windows are short, meaning visibility is a bit of an issue. The cabin is generally considered the weakest part of the 2017 Camaro, and the 1LE version is no exception. 

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Cargo and Storage

The 1LE package doesn’t affect cargo capacity, so you’ll get the same 9.1 cubic feet of cargo space as you would in the base model. This is significantly smaller than both the Ford Mustang (13.5 cubic feet) and the Dodge Challenger (16.2 cubic feet). To put that in practical terms, the Camaro’s trunk is big enough to hold a couple medium-sized suitcases and a couple smaller bags, and even at that, you may experience some frustration loading your cargo through the small trunk opening. 

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Safety

The summer tires and large brakes add some safety measures to a car that already does well in crash testing. It got the highest-possible score in four out of five tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and got a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

A rearview camera comes standard, but the Camaro offers no advanced technology to prevent a frontal crash, such as forward collision warning. 

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Pricing

On Camaro LT coupes with V6 engines, the 1LE package costs $4,500. On the SS, the 1LE package adds an extra $6,500. The LT coupe starts at $28,095, meaning a V6 Camaro 1LE would run about $32,595. The Camaro SS starts at $36,905, so an SS 1LE would be $43,405.

Recaro seats come standard on the SS 1LE, but they’re $1,195 otherwise. A Performance Data Recorder is available on either model for $1,300. 

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More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report

You can explore the Chevrolet Camaro further by checking out its review and seeing how it places in our sports car rankings. When you’re set to buy, be sure to use our Best Price Program to find dealers with the best price in your area. Shoppers who have used the Best Price Program have saved an average of $3,279 off the MSRP.