So I took a long lunch today and brought a couple of my coworkers with me. I believe there was at least one other person from Camaro5.com but do not recall his name, although he is in one of the pics! Got to Terry Labonte Chevy in Greensboro, NC around noon. Probably ended up with a few hundred folks. People and dealers were asking me about the website too since I wore the shirt and were excited about seeing the thread. You could feel the excitement. There were 3 cars wrapped in their covers and to me they were like Christmas gifts I couldn't wait to open. People started multiplying soon, signed in, entered in some drawings, and signed up for test drives of the LT. I signed up for the 3:15 slot. They provided lunch, which was an added bonus. The local news crews were there with their cameras, and a couple of mustangs and challengers showed up (and the mustang owner ended up trading his for an SS). About 45 minutes later, they removed the covers off the cars and underneath lied a black LT, a silver SS and a SS Pace Car all tricked out. You could hear a collective gulp when the covers were removed.
Terry Labonte was there and gave an introduction and signed autographs. The silver SS there was VIN # 002 owned by Rick Hendrick, along with his 1969 silver Z-28. Also on tap was a 2002 "Dick Harrel" special SS with a 427 cid putting out 630 hp, with Corvette brakes and Fiske forged wheels. For those that do not know, Dick Harrel was a pretty famous Chevy drag racer back in the day.
So there were intros on the 3 new Camaros and a little meet and greet. I didn't hear too much though--I was drunk off looking at the SS! So I take a bunch of pictures (which are attached) and then head back to the office where it was hard to concentrate on working, knowing I'd be test driving the car later. So I come back to the dealer at 3 and I finally get to test drive it (the LT). It was so cool to see the dealers as excited as everyone else, because this is the first time they have had the cars there also. We do about 4 mile test drive on local streets. My first impressions were that the steering wheel was solid, a good thickness and very comfortable, the seats were well bolstered and felt great, the cockpit had an indescribable feel. I punched it right when I got out of the lot (dealer with me) and that was the smoothest V-6 I've driven--sounded fantastic, took it to red line, tested the cornering and braking. I got to an intersection and a guy in a BMW almost wrecked into someone with tires squealing because he was checking out "my" ride!
I put the pedal down after coming out of the intersection and hit about 75 mph. The suspension handled like it was on air, didnt' feel alot of bumps and the exhaust sounded stout from both inside and outside the car ( I saw a previous test driver pull out on my way in). This was an automatic so i tested out the paddle shifters and was pretty pleased. I won't rant about the visors but man, they are small as everyone has said. overall, loved the car, my heart was racing and I'm definitely getting one and it was everything I thought it would be--and that's just the V-6. The event confirmed my need for the Camaro for sure.
The guys at Terry Labonte are great, were very excited and are not selling any Camaro above MSRP like alot of other dealers and brands and they're not pushy and are very knowledgable. I'll be working with a dealer here soon on getting me one ordered, which will be at least September before I would receive though.
Well, my pictures are attached, hope you all enjoy. Oh, and to top it all off, I won the drawing they had for those who test drove--and it was for tickets to the 2009 Sprint Cup All-Star Race at Charlotte Lowe's Motor Speedway on May 16!
