For twenty years, “Mustang or Camaro” was the default muscle-car argument. That argument changed shape in a way a lot of shoppers haven’t fully clocked yet: Chevrolet built its last Camaro in December 2023, the 2024 model year was the final one, and as of this writing GM hasn’t confirmed a direct successor. The Dark Horse isn’t just competing with the Camaro SS anymore — it’s one of the only new, factory-warrantied V8 options left standing in the segment. Here’s how the two actually compare, and what that shift means if you’re cross-shopping a new Dark Horse against a used 2SS.
The Camaro’s Finish Line
The sixth-generation Camaro ended production with the 2024 model year. No 2025 or 2026 Camaro has been built, and Chevrolet has not announced a new gas or electric replacement on sale today — only speculation about what might eventually come back. That makes every Camaro SS on the road right now a fixed, shrinking supply: there’s no new one coming to replace the one that gets wrecked, tracked hard, or simply sold.
The final SS trim was the 2SS, powered by the naturally aspirated 6.2L LT1 V8 also used in the Corvette Stingray, rated at 455 hp and 455 lb-ft, available with either a 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic. It’s a genuinely quick, well-sorted car — the issue for a shopper isn’t whether it’s good, it’s that buying one now means buying into an orphaned platform with no factory successor and a dealer network that’s already moved on to selling something else.
Spec-for-Spec: Dark Horse vs. the Last Camaro SS
- Engine: Dark Horse — 5.0L Gen 4 Coyote V8. Camaro 2SS — 6.2L LT1 V8.
- Power: Dark Horse — 500 hp / 418 lb-ft. Camaro 2SS — 455 hp / 455 lb-ft (more torque, less horsepower).
- Transmission: Both offered a 6-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic — a genuine apples-to-apples choice either way you want to row your own gears or not.
- 0-60 mph: Dark Horse — roughly 3.7 seconds automatic, 4.1 seconds manual, on Ford’s own published figures. Camaro 2SS numbers in the low-to-mid 4-second range were typical in period testing.
- Starting price: Dark Horse — around $64,080 new. Camaro 2SS coupe — around $47,300 when it was still being built new in 2024, though that number is now mostly academic since Chevrolet isn’t selling new ones.
- Drivetrain: Both rear-wheel drive with a limited-slip differential available.
On paper, the Dark Horse is the more powerful, more track-equipped car out of the box — standard MagneRide, Track Apps (launch control, line lock, the drift brake), and Recaro seating are all things a 2SS buyer had to option or simply couldn’t get. The Camaro’s case was always its price relative to performance, and that case is harder to make now that new-car pricing isn’t really the comparison anymore.
New Car vs. Hunting a Used One
This is really the honest version of the question: do you want a new car with a factory warranty, or do you want to go find a good 2SS before the remaining clean ones get scooped up? The evidence on used-Camaro pricing is genuinely mixed rather than a clean story in either direction — KBB data on a 2024 SS convertible shows normal depreciation (roughly 18% off over two years), while buyers actively shopping for 2SS coupes have reported a tightening market for clean, low-mile examples and dealers asking well above sticker on the last few new units that were still sitting on lots. Read that as: don’t assume a used 2SS is a bargain just because the nameplate is dead — scarcity on the right trim and mileage can cut the other way.
The ownership-cost side matters too. A Dark Horse bought today comes with full Ford factory backing, a dealer network still actively supporting the model, and parts and tuning support that will keep growing as the platform matures. A Camaro bought today — new old stock or used — is buying into a platform where Chevrolet has already shifted its attention, support, and aftermarket momentum elsewhere. That doesn’t make it a bad car; it changes what you’re signing up for five years out.
The Honest Owner’s Take
If raw spec-sheet numbers and a factory warranty you can actually use for the next several years matter most, the Dark Horse is the straightforward pick — it’s quicker, better equipped for track use out of the box, and it’s not going anywhere. If you’ve always wanted a Camaro specifically, and you’re willing to do the legwork to find a clean 2SS at a fair price, that’s a legitimate, different kind of ownership experience — just go in knowing you’re buying the end of a story, not the start of one.
Curious what current Dark Horse pricing and inventory actually look like before you decide? Our community keeps a running Dark Horse market report thread with real listing prices and deals, and our buying-a-Dark-Horse guide breaks down trims, options, and what’s actually worth ordering.
Join the free DarkHorseOwners community to compare notes with owners who cross-shopped this exact decision — including a few who traded out of a Camaro to get into their Dark Horse.
Specs and pricing reflect figures published by Ford and Chevrolet and corroborated across multiple outlets at the time of writing; used-market pricing is anecdotal and will vary by region, mileage, and condition — always verify current listings before buying.