Is the Chevrolet Camaro secretly French? Here is the truth behind its tricolor badge

Is the Chevrolet Camaro actually secretly…French?

The model was one of America’s most iconic muscle cars.

But during its lifespan, the Chevrolet Camaro came with a red, white and blue badge.

And it has led some to speculate that the legendary model might actually be French.

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Chevrolet Camaro: the birth of an icon

You don’t need us to tell you just how legendary the Chevrolet Camaro nameplate is.

Despite being discontinued back in 2024, it remains one of the most beloved muscle cars ever built.

The Camaro nameplate can trace its origins back as early as 1965.

Chevrolet was reportedly preparing a direct rival to the Ford Mustang.

And it proved to be the case, with the Camaro emerging as the brainchild of that plan.

On June 28th, 1966, the car world was introduced to the future icon.

Not only was it introduced as a direct rival to the Mustang, but it also continued Chevrolet’s trend of car models beginning with the letter ‘C’.

For 57 years, the Chevrolet Camaro endured as one of America’s premier muscle cars.

It also continued to be one of the longest-produced nameplates in the automotive industry.

2024 saw the Camaro finally bow out of production – with no successor in sight.

Is the iconic muscle car actually…French?

But it is a continuous motif on each generation of Camaro (barring the fifth-gen) that has fascinated people.

You might be wondering what exactly it is that we are referring to.

Well, you know how every Ford Mustang has a galloping horse emblazoned on the back of its trunk?

Chevrolet did the exact same thing for the Camaro – only it did it with a red, white and blue badge.

At first glance, it actually does resemble the Tricolor of France.

But what does the badge itself actually represent?

Back in the 1960s, the folks at Chevrolet had a trend of giving each model its own unique badging.

The Corvette, for example, carries the twin-flag emblem on its body.

Each Impala featured a prancing Antelope on the side of the car.

The Camaro would be no exception, and it got a badge of its own for each generation.

And that badge was, of course, the red, white and blue badge.

Of course, it is meant to represent the American-made origins of the Star Spangled Banner.

But, in fairness, it is easy to see the French comparisons when the colors are laid out as they are.