The 1969 Camaro has been voted the "Best Chevy of All Time" in an online polling campaign that was launched as part of the American car brand's centennial celebration this year. In the four-round, knock-off bracket format, the 1969 Camaro got 25,058 of the 124,368 votes cast, edging out the 1970 Chevelle SS in the final round.
"Today, the ’69 Camaro has become one of the best examples of timeless design in the industry," Tom Peters, Chevrolet design director, said. "Like the very best designs, the Camaro is much more than just a machine because it evokes powerful emotions in people of all ages. That’s why we looked to the ’69 for inspiration when designing the fifth-generation Camaro, and why the ’69 Camaro is an example of the timeless vehicles Chevrolet will strive to deliver for the next 100 years."
In winning the polling contest, the 1969 Camaro had to beat 15 other iconic Chevrolets: 1912 Classic Six, 1932 Deluxe Sport Roadster, 1936 Suburban, 1948 Pickup, 1953 Corvette, 1957 Bel Air, 1962 Impala, 1963 Corvette Sting Ray, 1964 Malibu, 1969 K Blazer, 1970 Chevelle SS, 1989 Pickup, 2009 Corvette ZR1, 2010 Camaro and 2011 Volt.
Here is how the 16 classic Chevrolet automobiles fared in the polling contest (total number of votes in parenthesis):
1. 1969 Camaro (25,058 votes) - Best Chevy of All Time
2. 1970 Chevelle SS (18,449 votes) - lost to the 1969 Camaro in Round 4
3. 1953 Corvette (13,297 votes) - lost to the 1970 Chevelle SS in Round 3
4. 1957 Bel Air (13,151 votes) - lost to the 1969 Camaro in Round 3
5. 1963 Corvette Sting Ray (10,597 votes) - lost to the 1970 Chevelle SS in Round 2
6. 2009 Corvette ZR1 (10,188 votes) - lost to the 1957 Bel Air in Round 2
7. 1948 Pickup (9,242 votes) - lost to the 1953 Corvette in Round 2
8. 1936 Suburban (6,459 votes) - lost to the 1969 Camaro in Round 2
9. 2010 Camaro (4,861 votes) - lost to the 1970 Chevelle SS in Round 1
10. 2011 Volt (3,140 votes) - lost to the 1936 Suburban in Round 1
11. 1962 Impala (2,597 votes) - lost to the 1957 Bel Air in Round 1
12. 1964 Malibu (2,135 votes) - lost to the 2009 Corvette ZR1 in Round 1
13. 1989 Pickup (1,822 votes) - lost to the 1948 Pickup in Round 1
14. 1969 K Blazer (1,541 votes) - lost to the 1953 Corvette in Round 1
15. 1932 Deluxe Sport Roadster (1,072 votes) - lost to the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray in Round 1
16. 1912 Classic Six (759 votes) - lost to the 1969 Camaro in Round 1
Looking at the results of the voting, only one conclusion can be drawn: Old-school cars have more fans than the newbies. Do you feel the same way?
