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Old 06-22-2011, 10:40 PM   #9
Bond
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Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS, Black.
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 1,152
Full review at: Automobile Magazine

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After being delayed for a while because of GM's whole bankruptcy/bailout thing, the Camaro convertible is finally here, completing the reborn Camaro lineup. I guess nobody told this guy about a hot new "yet to be released" number called the ZL-1!

A convertible had been planned for the Camaro from the beginning, so the car was engineered for a topless existence. Still, the convertible does require extra bracing, including a large strut tower brace under the hood. Isn't the strut tower available on the coupe now too?? Chevrolet engineers boast that the car is so structurally stiff that they did not have to soften the suspension for the convertible version, as is often done for convertibles. But maybe they should have.

The firm-riding Camaro SS convertible I just spent a week with exhibited plenty of body jiggle over patchy pavement. While all of the other publication reviewers were suprised by the rigidity! And despite the Camaro's independent rear suspension, this car can hop sideways when it encounters a bump mid-corner. Really?? Mine glues itself to the road, and handles the bumps like a Sport Caddy! The steering, though, is nicely accurate and has natural effort levels. The deep-dished wheel has a strangely shaped rim that's not terribly comfortable to hold, but I did love the design and function of the audio system controls on the spokes. Ironically, the placement of the audio and cruise controls were consumers' biggest complaint about the wheel.

The big, 6.2-liter OHV V-8 in the Camaro SS isn't exactly quick-revving, 0-60 in 4.6 isn't quick enough for ya?? but it ultimately makes so much brutish power (426 hp, with the manual transmission) that it gets the job done. Its deep exhaust rumble can be somewhat droning on the highway but you've gotta love the crackle and pop when you lift off the throttle. I only encountered the six-speed manual's obnoxious 1st-to-4th skip-shift once during my entire time with the car, which is a lot less than in the Camaro SS coupe I drove a few months ago -- maybe I was booting the accelerator more aggressively with this car (the skip-shift only asserts itself during gentle acceleration). In other respects, I was less pleased with the stick shift this time, as the clutch seemed heavy and shift action less fluid. Don't know what to do with a performance-driven shorter throw?? Doesn't suprise me!

Chevrolet designers were able to get the convertible's soft top to very nearly match the profile of coupe's rakish roofline, Not exactly... but nice try which means that the convertible is every bit as handsome as its hardtop sibling. This is a car that gets a lot of attention and a lot of compliments. But as in the Camaro coupe, the good looks come at a price. With the top up, the convertible suffers the same claustrophobia and tough outward visibility through its slit-like windows as does the coupe. Didn't notice the missing B-pillar huh? And even with the top down, the high beltline and steeply raked windshield diminish somewhat the open-air feeling. No realization of the fact that it DOESN'T HAVE A ROOF!!

As with the coupe, the Camaro convertible offers a whole lot of performance and style for not a whole lot of money ($37,500, for a base SS). If you like the coupe, you'll like the convertible at least as much, and if you don't like the coupe, the convertible probably won't tip the balance. Its crosstown rival, the Ford Mustang GT, is probably a bit easier to live with on a daily basis, but that won't matter one bit if you're someone who likes the Camaro better or, maybe more importantly, someone who lusted after the original Camaro and not the original Mustang. TOOL!


Is he even sure he was driving a Camaro???
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