• Despite having a body that was almost entirely carried over from 1970, the 1971 Camaro had style and performance enough to be named one of the "ten best cars in the world" by "Road and Track" magazine. This popular muscle car even beat the Mustang as 1971's best pony car by a two-to-one margin in a reader's choice poll by "Car and Driver." The 1971 Camaro Rally Sport was an attractive version of the classic muscle car with its own defining characteristics.
  
  

RS Camaro Appearance Package

• In addition to a special grille that is painted black with a rubber-tipped, vertical bar in the center, the 1971 RS Camaro has a special, split-chrome bumper that does not cross over the grille. RS models have a special nose, with round parking lights set beside the headlights instead of the rectangular parking lights set beneath the headlights found on other models.
  
  Available on both V-6 and V-8 Camaros, the RS has Hide-A-Way wipers with chrome-finish arms. Unless the RS was also a Camaro SS or Z/28, "RS" emblems are found on the front fender and steering wheel. Bright chrome molding highlights the roof drip, windows and hood panel, and the car received new wheel covers for 1971 as well.
  
  Offered in 15 "Magic-Mirror" acrylic lacquer colors, the Camaro's door handles had a body-color insert. The "C" on the engine header was now red rather than chrome, and the trunk lid emblem simply reads "Camaro" and not "Camaro by Chevrolet" as was the case on earlier models.
  
  

Engine

• Faced with more stringent emissions regulations, General Motors retooled its 1971 models to run on low-lead, regular leaded or unleaded fuel. Chevrolet responded by putting an engine with a lower compression ratio --- and thus less horsepower --- into the Camaro. A 140-horsepower, 250 cubic inch V-6 was available as an option but just over 11,000 of these were sold. The V-8 engines were more popular at the time. The standard engine is the 301ci with 200 horsepower, but buyers could also opt for the SS 350 V-8 with 245, 270 or 330 horsepower, or the SS 396 cubic inch engine with 300 horsepower. The 250 and 307 could only be paired with a three-speed manual, and only a four-speed manual could be ordered for the larger V-8s. An automatic transmission was an option on any 1971 Camaro.
  
  

Interior

• One of the simplest ways to identify a 1971 Camaro from earlier models years is to look inside and notice the new features: high-backed front seats, rear seats with bucket-style cushions and a safety-padded steering wheel. The all-vinyl upholstery and carpeted floors were offered in 10 colors. The windshield glass was thinner than in previous years. In addition, for the first time, Chevrolet used symbols instead of words on the various dials and knobs on the Camaro's dashboard.
  
  

Ride

• The 1971 Camaro RS has a standard GM 10-bolt rear end instead of the heavy-duty 12-bolt design used in earlier Camaros. It measures 188 inches long and has a 108-inch chassis that is stiffer than the 1970 model, resulting in better handling. The 1971 Camaro RS is not available as a convertible, but it has a custom-welded roll bar that further improves the suspension's stiffness and reduces "roll" when the vehicle goes into a turn.