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To really capture the essence of the obsession, a close friend – who I have had the pleasure of knowing since kindergarten – summoned an old memory. He said that he remembers us on a third grade trip in
For me, there has always been a slant towards European automobiles. “Give me the Germans and Italians,” I would always say.
But the
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A huge reason that shunned me away from them was the sub par image of American cars. Lackadaisical designs and lethargic interiors were the norm and on top of this reliability seemed questionable. Owning an American car essentially sent a message to the world that you had no regard for your automobile.
Until now, that is.
After being on a hiatus, the Camaro is back. Looking into the storied history of this icon is like watching Elvis’ downward spiral from his humble roots to his flashy, bloated and early death. But this Camaro actually looks like a Camaro and it performs like one too. It is pretty obvious this is not a lame attempt to create a muscle car.
What is magical about the 2010 Camaro is how it looks. Long and wide, it bears quite a menacing stance. Both of my testers, shod with 20’’ + rims, look as though they are artist sketches with their proportions. This is not a bad thing, considering that most cars look best in their initial sketch.
The sexy, traditional lines manage to not go unnoticed either. During my two weeks with the LT and SS versions involved more head turns than just about any car I have ever had. This includes an Audi R8, which is one of the most unique looking vehicles on the road today.
Countless times I was getting shouted at: “Nice car, man!”
Interestingly enough, there was no particular age group that was more drawn to the car. Everyone was interested. At one intersection I counted nearly a handful of gawkers and a couple of individuals stopped to inquire about the car. Mind you this is a 20 second light!
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This speaks volumes about the design and how striking it is. The only element that I find a blunder with are the three horizontal lines located in front of the rear wheel. Although it seems that they were thrown into the design to make the Camaro appear shorter, it would come off much cleaner if they were not included. C’est la vie. Rarely is a design perfect, but the Camaro comes pretty damn close. My favorite part of the car has to be the rear quarter where the “hips” are reminiscent of a woman’s sensual figure.
One major thing that stood out was the flimsy front clip. The front valence, grille and the grille surround appear to be made of a composite plastic or something similar because it feels as though given enough force you can rip off the front of the car. Likely this was done to make the car lighter, but if you bump the front of the Camaro, it will be nearly impossible to avoid breaking just about everything.
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Situating yourself into the driver’s seat, it is pretty clear that the retro theme continues throughout the interior. An interesting design feature is the gauge cluster positioned on the center console. Although it is greatly appreciated to have those particular instruments, their position is way off from eye level, so checking levels is reserved to when you are at a stop. I like to think whoever penned this idea had a little sense of humor since my automatic Camaro had a “Transmission Temp” gauge.
Peeking around the other details of the cabin, it is noticeable that this car is unbelievably similar to the concept that was shown to the public. Of course, minus the swaths of leather and expensive metals that adorned the concept’s interior.
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One thing that did not get left out is the large piece of plastic that covers the door panels and wraps upwards into the dashboard. Although it manages to look pretty cool at night with its aqua ambient lighting, it just feels terrible. This seems to be the theme for the interior: looks good, feels cheap. The center console’s painted plastic feels as though a fingernail could scratch it and there is a large, hollow spot in the dash directly in front of the passenger’s seat.
Another concern includes the ultra low roofline, which gives the Camaro a “chop-top” look, takes away significant headroom, front and rear. If the seats were not positioned so low, it would be even more of a problem. You can theoretically fit four people inside but your two rear passengers will hate their lives if they are over 5’11. Passengers put into the back seats complained that there was no headroom and they continuously bumped their heads into the headliner. Personally, it does not bother me too much, but for buyers thinking the back seat means practicality, think again.
Another issue that is commonly mentioned is the huge blind spot, thanks to the c-pillar. Thankfully, the Camaro is equipped with extremely wide mirrors that provide excellent field of vision. If they are not doing the job, you do not have your mirrors adjusted properly.
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Although some of these design misgivings play a big role in how good a car is, for the Camaro, it is more important that it performs.
Equipped with three motor choices, the LT has a 3.6 liter V6 producing 304-horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. The SS’ get a bit more difficult because the automatic SS comes with a 6.2 liter, 400-horsepower LS3 derivative making 410 lb-ft of torque, while the manual comes with the LS3 V8 putting out 426-horsepower and 420 lb-ft. Coupled with these aggressive engine options are a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic with TAPshift, in the LT, and a traditional Tremec six-speed manual in the SS.
The auto gearbox works just about as good as any driver should expect an auto to perform. The buttons on the back of the steering wheel provide up and downshifts in an acceptable pace, but it is not nearly as quick as a DSG sytem or Lexus’ IS-F eight-speed tranny.
On the manual, throws are relatively short and getting into gear happens with ease. The clutch has plenty of takeup so there is room to work with, unlike Nissan’s 370Z that provides a fraction of space. Overall, the manual is easy to work with and easy to drive compared to other contemporary manuals.
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Fuel wise, the Camaro LT is not a tremendous drinker. With an enormous 19 gallon tank and an average of 19 MPG, the LT can get some impressive mileage between stops. The SS on the other hand is a bit thirstier, averaging 15 and a half MPG during real-world testing.
The two motors I tested, the V6 and LS3, both have totally separate characters – as expected. The V6 sounds eerily similar to the recently retired Infiniti G35 motor. Although it seems pretty downplayed from inside the cabin, it has a loud babbling note, which lacks a bass-like grunt. The grumbly V8, on the other hand, was the motor you would expect a proper Camaro to have. Deep and filled with plenty of grunt, the exhaust note became an object of my affection. On the overrun, expect to hear pops.
Alas! An American auto builder that can produce an efficient six cylinder. The LT’s V6 is a capable powertrain, propelling the large, 3,700 pound coupe to 60 MPH in about six seconds. If you require more power, speed and rumble, the SS can get you to 60 – with a lot of drama – in just over four and a half seconds. Mind you the SS tips the scale at just about 3,850 pounds. She is not a lightweight.
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Knowing that the Camaro was not exactly on the Atkins diet, one would expect it to be a sloppy handler but it is not. Putting it through corners is not too hard as body lean is limited and grip is aplenty due to the large rear tires. The adequately bolstered seats keep you just about in place and ensure that your attention is where it matters most, the road.
A grievance I have with the 2010 Camaro is its steering feel. Weighting on the lighter side makes it easier to drive but it is not quite as direct as I would like it to be. Granted, I know this is a muscle car. At speed, the Camaro requires more attention than I expected, acting somewhat twitchy.
Probably the most impressive element of the car is its suspension. Through corners it is tight and stiff, and during elevation changes it remains glued to the tarmac. Even taking the V6 through a test road, nicknamed “
This brings up good point about the Camaro; it is not a raw car. It is relatively refined, in my eyes. The first time I got it sideways I did not even realize. It is a remarkably isolated experience. Between the high dashboard, high shoulderline and low roofline, I felt like I was peering through a mail slot. I loved it.
Coming to a slow, I had a peculiar experience in my LT tester. To be frank, the brakes were terrible. Perhaps it was the added weight from the 21 inch rims because the car had less than 2,000 miles on the odometer. Here’s the twist though: when I was at a GM event in
The hardcore performance SS, meanwhile, is furnished with Brembo-sourced 14 inch rotors up front and 14.4 inch rotors in the rear. Clamping these are four piston calipers, front and rear. Stopping power is dramatically upped and pedal feel is more instant. The Brembo brakes enjoy a more significant amount of bite.
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The real test came at the end of my time with the 2010 Camaros. I was not saying “thank God,” instead I was saying “bummer.” I thoroughly enjoyed my time with both cars and for a former Europhile this further proves that the American auto builders are improving.
Do not get too excited though, the Camaro had its fair share of faults. For instance: the LT was fitted with a body kit that was not quite attached so firmly on the passenger-side front valence, the hollow passenger-side dashboard, mismatched paint between the front clip and hood panels. Whether or not it was an early production model is inexcusable. And, it seems that further research has turned up a bevy of issues with new Camaros. Click here to see exactly what I am talking about.
What I can report, however, is that the latest Camaros I have seen appear to be built with a higher level of care. For instance, my SS tester was a bit more solid than the LT I had driven.
Although it will take time for those improvements to be made, it is nice to see that the Americans have finally cracked it; it is a very desirable car to own. Further proof of this is seen through the sales numbers that point to the Camaro essentially propping up Chevrolet sales.
Lastly, GM did one thing I never thought possible. Made me proud of the American car I was driving.
~nz
rp
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