Throughout its century-plus of automotive innovation, General Motors has become legendary for creating highly desirable parts-bin specials. You know, low-production vehicles with absolutely epic performance that seem more at home in the mind of a car enthusiast than the brain trust of a massive corporation. From hallowed muscle cars like the LS6 Chevelle and Buick GSX to late-model heroes like the Buick GNX and GMC Syclone, GM history is chock-full of high-octane gems. Perhaps the most elusive of these offerings is the 1997 Chevrolet Camaro SS 30th Anniversary Edition by SLP. 

Much like McLaren/ASC back in the Grand National days, Street Legal Performance, or SLP for short, was a contract shop that worked with General Motors to create hotter versions of regular production offerings. In 1996, SLP received approval from GM to offer a 305 horsepower package that could be optioned on any Camaro Z28. Officially known as the Camaro Z28 SS, that program would casually reintroduce the Super Sport brand 24 years after it had been unceremoniously removed from the Camaro line-up. Building on that momentum, the SS became a standalone model for 1997.

 But Wait, There’s More

1997 also happened to be the Camaro’s 30th anniversary, and the folks at SLP decided to turn the heat up even more. In the run-up to launching the fifth-generation Corvette, Chevrolet had created an awesome Corvette Grand Sport that made excellent use of the LT-4 V8. It just so happened that a few of those engines were still hanging around after production stopped, so SLP got permission to bolt LT-4s in roughly 100 examples of the Camaro SS 30th Anniversary Edition.

These hotter versions of the Camaro SS were furnished with all the premium bits of LT-1-powered Super Sports: a lightweight hood, cold air induction, revised suspension components, a more aggressive deck spoiler, and color-keyed ZR-1-style wheels. All 30th Anniversary stunners were finished in Arctic White paint with Hugger Orange stripes, and white leather with the option of cloth houndstooth inserts. Speaking of options, SLP also offered aftermarket-style goodies like performance exhaust, a performance shifter, and an engine oil cooler.

Not Just Great Looks

In other words, SLP’s Camaro SS 30th Anniversary Edition wasn’t just a typical ‘paint and decal’ package. These cars were truly something special that are still celebrated by casual gearheads and hardcore Chevrolet enthusiasts alike. The LT-4 swap and SLP tune were good for 330 horses, which, in addition to being 25 ponies up on regular LT-1 Super Sports, matched the power found in the C4 Grand Sport. The quarter-mile passed in 13.2 seconds at 109 MPH, and 0-60 MPH sprints took just 4.9 seconds. While that might not seem fast almost thirty years later, back in 1997 it was just one or two-tenths off official times for Chevrolet’s newly introduced fifth-generation Corvette.

Today, perhaps the most impressive aspect of the SLP Camaro SS 30th Anniversary Edition is its approachability in the collector car market. In comparison to icons like the aforementioned LS6 Chevelle, Buick GSX, Buick GNX, and GMC Syclone, the car is a much more cost-effective way to get behind the wheel of one of GM’s most unique and exclusive performance vehicles. Authentic, numbers-matching examples of the LS6 Chevelle and Buick GSX Stage 1 sell well into six-figure territory. The Buick GNX was already a hot collector car, before its starring role in the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. Even the GMC Syclone pickup and its Typhoon SUV brethren are often thousands more expensive than this 1 of 100 Camaro.

Above all else, the true joy in cars like the SLP Camaro SS 30th Anniversary Edition is the experience of owning something that’s exciting and unique. Something that, despite being rooted in mass production, is truly special. Something that documents a specific time in history, like the end of the Analog Era and just how cool things used to be.