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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, June 23, 2010 · 24 $ 8 OFF any oil change package Coupon required. Expiry: July,31 2010 Code: 5582 345 Speers Rd. (at Dorval), Oakville 905-842-9299 Valid at all GTA locations. The Camaro SS more than lives up to the legacy Story and photos by Jim Robinson Metroland Newspapers Carguide Magazine There is something so satisfying about the feel of the unfettered torque of a big bore American V8. And then there's the sound. There are several overhead cam European V8s on the market now but they just don't have that thumping pulse of an overhead valve engine. The Camaro was announced in 1965 as a competitor to the then new Ford Mustang. The early ones were, considering the engineering of the day, entertaining especially in Z28 form. Then the rot set in. I owned a 1977 Camaro RS with 305 cu. in. V8. In the post "Oil Crisis" years, every American manufacturer cut power and leaned engines out. My Camaro put out a meager 140 hp about the same as a good four-cylinder these days. It was so slow acceleration times could be counted in minutes, not seconds. That was the second last new Chevrolet I ever bought. The last was a Citation X11. Eventually, I threw in the sponge and bought a second-hand BMW 530i. The Camaro soldiered on until 2002 getting less relevant every year until GM finally closed the production plant in St. Therese, PQ, vowing it would never build a Camaro again. So after 35 continuous years in production, the Camaro was dead ... or so it seemed. Much to my surprise and that of many others, GM showed a Camaro concept in 2006 followed by a convertible concept the year after. I think we all knew Chevy was going ahead with it and, sure enough, it was launched in 2009 as a 2010 model. Highly stylized and based loosely on the 1969 model, this fifth generation Camaro has wildly exaggerated fenders, a super wide track and bigger than life 20-inch wheels. It looks super. In terms of its engineering, the 2010 bears nothing in common with Camaros that have gone before except for the engine in the front and drive at the rear. Al Oppenheiser, the chief engineer on the project has said, "I think the single biggest engineering feat we pulled off in the new Camaro is chassis control." You can tell how stiff the chassis is just by the solid feeling it imparts. High and ultra high strength steels were used in the unibody to great effect. The front suspension is based on MacPherson struts but it goes far beyond with progressive rate coil springs and double ball joints with stabilizer bar. The suspension is fully adjustable for toe in/out, camber and Everything about the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is big from its 20--inch wheels and expansive fenders to the 6.2-litre V8. caster. The rear suspension is fully independent with progressive rate coil springs over shocks with stabilizer bar, and like the front, the whole thing is adjustable for toe and camber. And get this; a limited slip rear differential is standard. Also standard are ABS and brake assist, stability control with traction control as well as six airbags. A six-speed manual transmission is standard with six-speed automatic with sequential manual shift mode optional. The manual is sourced from Tremec and is very positive in its shifts. You can also tell this transmission can handle lots of torque. You can feel that the shifter is connected to a bunch of very big gears in the box. Delicate like a Miata it ain't, but it perfectly suits the character of the car. There are three engines starting with a four cam 3.6-litre V6 with direct fuel injection producing 304 hp and 372 lb/ft of torque. This is found on the entry level LS, 1LT and 2LT trim levels. Next up is the SS (for Super Sport) with 6.2-litre OHV V8 producing a full 426 hp and 420 lb/ft of torque. Premium gas is recommended. Fuel consumption is rated at 13.2/8.2/11.0L/100 km city/highway/combined. The other engine is also a 6.2-litre only on the SS with automatic. With Active Fuel Management it produces 400 hp and 410 lb/ft of torque. There are two trim levels, the 1SS and the 2SS. Pricing for the 1SS starts at $37,065 and comes with a number of goodies like 20-inch alloy wheels, Brembo four-caliper disk brakes at all four corners, performance suspension and OnStar for a year. The car tested here is the top line 2SS ($42,880 as tested including $1,350 shipping fee) with 426 hp motor which brings with it a nine-speaker, 245-watt Boston Acoustics sound system, heated front sports seats and Bluetooth connectivity. On the transmission tunnel are four stylized gauges based on the original Z28 for volts, oil temperature, oil pressure and transmission fluid temperature). But the most important addition is the 20inch (8-in front/9-in rear) alloy wheels with high performance tires. Because of the very high belt line and low roof, getting in takes a little contortion of the hips and you have to watch the big and heavy door doesn't come back on you. Once in, you're very in -- meaning the dashboard is almost at eye level as are the doorsills. Luckily there is backup sonar. To the front, the hood goes out a long way and then drops off. This is a car where you have to know where the four corners are. This is due, of course, to the way the car is styled and you can accept a few compromises for the way it looks. One of the compromises is the trunk. Due to the shape of the rear fenders, the opening more like a hatch. There is a full 370 litres (11.3 cu in) of cargo space, enough for three golf bags but you'll need to take the drivers out of the bag to get them in. Luckily the back seatback folds forward and this is a pass through. All that is forgotten with a twist of the ignition key that leads to a grunt as those big pistons start to move. As it catches, you get the first sound of a big V8 rumbling into life. The clutch isn't heavy but it's not light. Chevrolet Camaro SS 2010 At A Glance: BODY STYLE: Performance sportscar. DRIVE METHOD: front-engine, rearwheel-drive. ENGINE: 6.2-litre OHV V8 (426 hp, 420 lb/ft). FUEL ECONOMY: Premium recommended: 13.2/8.2/11.0L/100 km city/highway/combined. Tow Rating: NA PRICE: $42,880 as tested including $1,350 shipping fee. WEB: www.chevrolet.ca Travel is smooth and measured so you don't come stumbling off the line. Then the V8 gods take over and you can actually feel the torque at the rear as the tires dig in. I'm sure you could turn off the stability/traction control and "burn rubber" but why? It's so much fun to feed in the power with your right foot and change up a gear twothirds of the way to the redline. I spent the better part of a day taking back roads through small towns and villages where the pavement was hot in the sun and perfect for the fat and sticky tires. Passing cars was child's play and taking Sbends without slowing down was wonderful such was the level of grip and tractability of the suspension. For the money, this has to be one of the best sports car bargains on the market today. Made right here in Canada, the Camaro is showing just how good the new GM can be.