I drove the new Camaros yesterday in San Diego, CA

[Steve1968LS2]

And let me tell you.. GM has a WINNER!
Most of my day was in a 2010 SS/RS 6-speed car. The gearing is great, the trans is great.. the power it great.

Wind noise was almost non-existent. The seats were very comfortable, not too hard to too soft. The controls were ok although the door lock being in the middle was something to get use to.

I laid down about 20 feet of rubber on one clutch dump. It was a a small border patrol check point near Mexico.. the officer asked for one. I asked him if he would give me a ticket and he said no. So, how could I refuse. lol

Brakes on the SS are great and the handling was also very good for a stocker. The IRS took the mountain roads well.

Downsides, the trunk opening is small, like a Mustang. The doors are high so it's hard to do the crusie with your elbow out the door (unless you're really tall).

Also, GM is dopy in the marketing department. They figure 30% of the buyers will be "performance oriented" and they HAVE that market so they are going for women and "urban demographics"... They refuse to call it a Musclecar and insist on the Sports Car lable.
Overall the car was great and the Inferno Orange color is SWEET! I also like the dark wine color more than I though I would.

Oh, drove the V6 auto.. it's ok and could actually do a burnout. The V6 manual is pretty fun for a V6.

Ask any questions and I will be happy to answer.

[newbaa]

:postpics:

Just saw that other pic posted by Trapin, with all of them lined up ready to ship... looks really sexy.
Glad to hear the car seems to be working well.

[Steve1968LS2]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/03/2ntb7t2-1.jpg

They had one in every color and every option pack there.

[newbaa]

:jawdrop::drool::drool::drool::usa:

[awr68]

Sweet! Looks like if it was lowered an inch or two it would be sitting just right with lots of attitude!!

[rlplive]

yup, with a wheel change and some lowering and tint they would be perfect.

[Steve1968LS2]

An SS manual weighs 3849 (curb weight)
An RS manual weighs 3722

Not much of a difference.

The odd part is that the "SHIP WEIGHT" listed on the invoice for my SS (manual) is 3774. The ship weight for the RS (auto) is 3705.

Here are some helpful spotter tips..


The 20" SS wheels are silver.. the RS wheels are smoked (same wheel)

If the car has red SS badges then it's an RS/SS.. if black then it's just an SS.

The RS tail lights are slightly smoked

The roof drip rail strips are painted on the RS

The six speed manual in the V6 isn't the same make as the 6-speed manual in the V8

The door line is high, not for crash safety, but to carry the low fender line at the right height for looks.

The front shock tower is the lowest possible.

The side glass is auto indexing

[Steve1968LS2]

Here's a quick shot I took of my red SS

Oh, the Camaro hood is aluminum.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/03/2j3oevs-1.jpg

[Roger M]

Nice pics. About 2" of lowering and some wheels with a lip would look good.

[trapin]

Put some cyber grey bonnet stripes on that Inferno Orange SS and you'll blow your load.

The orange is by far the best color on these cars, with the dark blue being a close 2nd.

Steve....did you get that "Sherman Tank" feel when you were driving it? When I drove the SS back in December that was something that jumped out at me right away. The high belt line and low roof give you a narrow sight field around the perimeter of the interior. It didn't bother me at all, but I just thought it felt unique.

[moreHP]

Handling wise, was there much body roll? Did it feel quick to respond to steering input?

How was the ride quality on regular roads and driving conditions?

And I would also like to add that you are one lucky son of a.....:cheers:

[moreHP]

On a completely different note, I stopped by a local chevy dealership to ask when they think they might have a showroom model to check out/sit in/fondle and the idiots there told me 2010 since its a 2010 model.:screwy: When I told him that production had allready started, he told me I was wrong! I just shook my head and left because I wasnt in the mood to try to explain to him how stupid he was.

[LateNight72]

How about some pics of the Inferno Orange? :)



Unless your first picture Steve, is the Inferno Orange, in which case I am severely disappointed.

[Steve1968LS2]

Handling wise, was there much body roll? Did it feel quick to respond to steering input?

How was the ride quality on regular roads and driving conditions?

And I would also like to add that you are one lucky son of a.....:cheers:

Everything felt great.. for what we did the handling felt fine.. it's not like we were at an autocross.. just mountain roads.

ratio is 16:1 and again felt fine.

Sports car ride quality.. nice but you felt connected to the road. IRS handles wonky roads well.

Sometimes lucky.. sometimes a goat.. ;)

[Steve1968LS2]

How about some pics of the Inferno Orange? :)



Unless your first picture Steve, is the Inferno Orange, in which case I am severely disappointed.

Picture doesn't do it justice.. plus it was sorta cloudy.

It's a REALLY nice color.

[shortrack]

That front end........

[trapin]

The front is my favorite part about the car.

The short front overhang and louvered wheel openings show the European influence in the modern day F body.

[Steve1968LS2]

The front was very difficult for GM to pull off.

To get the fender line so low they had to really lower the shock tower. They also moved the front wheels foward (about three inches as I recall).

The rear is the widest (deepest) quarter ever done by GM. Took something 130+ tries to get right.

[Mr.VENGEANCE]

man i lovit..

ill take mine in black..

[Scooby]

God can't to get mine

[Steve1968LS2]

Something I just saw when writing the story...

The LS3 holds 8.9 quarts of oil!!!!!!!!! yikes!

And it looks like there's an oil cooler built into the pan like on the newer Z06s...

[MonzaRacer]

Bang Zoom Home run:twothumbs.
NOW GM has something to put up against the Mustang.
Now I love the Mustang, Grew up Ford, but I do love the new Camaro.
So have they got Flex fuel and MDS on them or can they put that in them, also need the Sierra hybrid technology that allows them to shut off at lights, need a button on dash to bypass.

[moreHP]

Something I just saw when writing the story...

The LS3 holds 8.9 quarts of oil!!!!!!!!! yikes!

And it looks like there's an oil cooler built into the pan like on the newer Z06s...


That going to be an expensive oil change!

[Steve1968LS2]

Not if you grab a wrench and do it yourself ;)

[cmraman]

Picture doesn't do it justice.. plus it was sorta cloudy.

It's a REALLY nice color.

for you too? It was really foggy on the first drive on Wed. I thought overall it was a pretty nice car, better than I thought. hip line is a little tall when you sit in it. Cant rest your arm on the window.

[Damn True]

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[Henry D]

Steve, I figured I'd see you on Thursday, but I'm guessing you went on Friday. I'm with you, though - I want one!

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/03/2010_sample2-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/03/2010_sample1-1.jpg

[Steve1968LS2]

Yea, I switched to the Friday drive since I had to shoot a certain super badass Gulf painted '67 Camaro that evening.

[Damn True]

I prefer the slightly darker wheels in Henry's photo.

[srh3trinity]

Henry's first pic is a great shot. It really heightens my appetite for one of these.

[JEFFTATE]

I like the Orange too !
Can't wait to see them .
I'll be out in the parking lot everday at lunch , hanging with the new Camaros , having a picnic , talking to them...

[Steve1968LS2]

I prefer the slightly darker wheels in Henry's photo.

Those are part of the RS option pack.. same wheels.. just tinted

[David Pozzi]

Found this on the net, looks like GM is cranking them out! :)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/03/attachmentphpattachmentid16857stc1d12364-1.jpg

[Damn True]

Seems like a lot of yellow to me.

[rob07002]

Whats the widest wheel/tire do you think that'll fit?

[BobB66SS]

Bummer. From today's Automotive News:
==============================

GM shelves Camaro convertible, Z28


4-cylinder engine option is also on hold

Jamie LaReau ([email protected])
Automotive News
March 23, 2009 - 12:01 am ET
DETROIT — General Motors has delayed indefinitely the Chevrolet Camaro (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:var%20n=1) convertible and Z28 high-performance variant to save cash, sources say.
GM also has tabled plans to add a four-cylinder engine version of the Camaro. GM is starting to ship the Camaro to dealers this week.
Insiders say executives hope to restore the convertible to GM's product plan. GM originally had wanted to launch a convertible in 2010 and bring out the Z28 soon afterward.
"Neither one has been outright canceled," says Terry Rhadigan, a Chevrolet spokesman. Rhadigan said GM will seek to bring out the convertible in 2011.
The Z28 was to have challenged two rival performance muscle cars — the Shelby GT500 version of the Ford Mustang (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:var%20n=1) and Dodge's Challenger SRT8.
Plans for a four-cylinder engine for the Camaro lost appeal as gasoline prices dipped and the Camaro scored well on federal fuel-economy tests.
Last year, Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said GM was considering the same four-cylinder engine for the Camaro that GM uses in the Pontiac Solstice (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:var%20n=1) and Saturn Sky (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:var%20n=1) roadsters. The 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injection engine is rated at 260 hp in those cars.

Camaro fuel economy
ENGINE CITY HIGHWAY
V-6 auto. 18 mpg 29 mpg
V-6 man. 17 mpg 29 mpg
V-8 auto. 16 mpg 25 mpg
V-8 man. 16 mpg 24 mpg
Source: EPA

Gene Stefanyshyn, GM's vehicle line executive for performance cars, said cheaper gasoline played a role in shelving the smaller engine.
"We're looking at it. We don't have anything approved," Stefanyshyn said at a press event here last week. "But with gas $1.78 a gallon, we have to weigh where we put our poker chips."
Another source familiar with GM product plans confirmed that the four-cylinder for the Camaro is dead for "the time being."
Not only have fuel prices leveled out, but GM surpassed its own estimated highway mileage rating of 27 mpg for the V-6 Camaro. The EPA last week rated that vehicle at 29 mpg in highway driving.
The strong fuel-economy performance of the 3.6-liter, 304-hp V-6 lessens the need to offer a four-cylinder engine, sources say.
GM also offers a 6.2-liter V-8 in two versions, making 400 hp and 426 hp.
GM began building the Camaro, which starts at $22,995, including shipping, on Monday, March 16. GM estimates that it will take until May or June to fill the 14,000 sold orders in hand.
Richard Truett (http://javascript%3Cb%3E%3C/b%3E:var%20n=1) contributed to this report

[JEFFTATE]

That reminds of the old picture of all the 1969 ZL1's behind Fred Gibb Chevrolet.

[Damn True]

Probably a good move provided they have everything in place to fire on the 4-cyl if fuel prices change. Oil nipped $50 last week. It's going to remain a highly volatile commodity for the foreseeable future.

The vert ought to have been a year-2 option from the begining, IMO. Same with the Z-28 which I still contend should be a very low production, stripped down performance car w/o all the luxury do-dads.

[Steve1968LS2]

GM told me Friday that the 'Vert was still a GO..

No on the Z28...

[trapin]

"The Z28 was to have challenged two rival performance muscle cars; the Shelby GT500 version of the Ford Mustang and Dodge's Challenger SRT8."

The 6 speed manual SS does that now. It matches the SRT8's horsepower and torque. Why bother with a Z28?

Building low production cars is not the business model we want to be following right now.

[EFI69Cam]

"The Z28 was to have challenged two rival performance muscle cars; the Shelby GT500 version of the Ford Mustang and Dodge's Challenger SRT8."

The 6 speed manual SS does that now. It matches the SRT8's horsepower and torque. Why bother with a Z28?

Building low production cars is not the business model we want to be following right now.


I hope the parts they developed for the z28 find their way into the GMPP catalog.

[-The Stig-]

Give me a high-screaming V8, stripped down version, tuned suspension an LSD out back with sport seats and close ratio 6-speed please. You can keep the leather and DVD-GPS navi.... Oh, and proper pedal placement and brake boosting... so you can properly heel-toe the car. One thing I couldn't stand about the 4th Gen Z28 I used to have, pedals were all wrong and the brakes were too sensitive. Hate a mushy pedal.

I dealt with a car with no heater/AC and no radio for 2 years. All I had to listen to was the high revs and turbo. Best music of all if you ask me.

Z28 please. https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[-The Stig-]

Found this on the net, looks like GM is cranking them out! :)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2009/03/attachmentphpattachmentid16857stc1d12364-1.jpg

Is it me, or does it look like those are all V6's?

Don't the SS's have chrome tipped exhaust?

I know most of the Camaro sales will be V6, which now with that peppy 3.6L... I don't really mind that. But... still... V8 please!:yum:

[Doug Harden]

They're not...V8's get the slot in the front fascia.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[shortrack]

The front is my favorite part about the car.

The short front overhang and louvered wheel openings show the European influence in the modern day F body.

I passed a black one coming the other direction today.....its growing on me.....something like the front end on the last gen Camaro

[shortrack]

They're not...V8's get the slot in the front fascia.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

Whoa.....all these shots of my hometown!

Rick Hendrick was in town to pick up his official serial number 00001 last week......made the front page of the local paper.

[CRCRFT78]

I noticed there are no body kits, sunroofs or stripe kits on any of the Camaros pictured. Are these all dealer installed items when ordered?

[Doug Harden]

These were captured fleet cars and while they're hard to see, there were plenty with the sunroof, but no body kits...stripes are installed later I think.

[Steve1968LS2]

I noticed there are no body kits, sunroofs or stripe kits on any of the Camaros pictured. Are these all dealer installed items when ordered?

They are on the way.. along with upgraded exhaust systems and hurst short-throw shifters.

I have pics of everything...

[zbugger]

I have pics of everything...
Steve, I only hate you because my jealousy tells me to. The rest of me doesn't mind you so much.

[Derek69SS]

Anyone have a pic of the new Camaro next to a new Challenger? I'd like to see how they compare in size, and use it to reference for the purpose of razzing the fans of the Challenger, which has more pork than the latest stimulus bill. :lmao:

[tony byram]

Steve, lets see the pics of one with stripes and a few of the upgrades. Want more info....by the way congratulations on your new Camaro! Will be getting mine soon.:twothumbs

[trapin]

Did Steve buy a new Camaro?

[Steve1968LS2]

Steve, lets see the pics of one with stripes and a few of the upgrades. Want more info....by the way congratulations on your new Camaro! Will be getting mine soon.:twothumbs

No new Camaro for me.. I just borrowed one from GM for a day. lol

I need a truck to haul parts, engines, and wheels...

[cmraman]

I noticed there are no body kits, sunroofs or stripe kits on any of the Camaros pictured. Are these all dealer installed items when ordered?

Some of the Camaros at the launch had sunroofs. Non sunroof cars have what GM calls a reverse mohawk. And sunroof cars have flat roofs.

[AJSZR2326]

dont like them ! gm did a terrible job i'll stick to the 1st gen's

[6'9"Witha69]

steve, i only hate you because my jealousy tells me to. The rest of me doesn't mind you so much.
+1.