The Hugger Is Back
So you might have already seen my
review of the 2010 2LT CTF (?) Camaro my dealership had at the local Corvette show. Well, I got to drive it this evening!
Note: This is the same car that b4z drove. I wholeheartedly understand that cars drive differently to different people, so I'm not discounting anything posted by b4z. I'm just offering my own opinions.
Last night I'm sitting at my computer and a thought occurs to me. "They've let at least two other people drive this car. I know it's going to have to go back to GM, but maybe I can get a shot before it goes!" And off I start, typing away to the guy who pre-ordered my 2SS. I ask if there's any chance I might be able to test drive the car before it leaves, mentioning that it's perfectly okay if I can't or if they don't have the car anymore. I wait and wait for the response, the anticipation rising.
"You are more then [sic] welcome to come drive the silver Camaro." My eyes fly over the words and my pulse quickens. "The only thing is, this isnt [sic] our car, it belongs to Chevrolet. They will be picking it up soon, so if you want to drive it, you need to come right away. It would be a good idea to call when you are leaving, the driver of the transport told us he will be picking it up either today or tomorrow." Fantastic. I have the opportunity and I know my time line.
I get off work and call the dealership and sure enough, they've still got the Camaro and don't expect the driver of the transport to be there until tomorrow! I walk in, ask if I can test drive the car and speak with the nice gentleman I spoke to at the car show. He takes a photocopy of my license, all the while, I'm expecting him to walk me over to the car. Much to my amazement, he hands me the key and says "well, I guess we'll see you in a few minutes."
I walk over to the car, probably trying to hide my joy. I grab the door handle and get in. Everything feels
great. Mind you, I'm 6' tall and weigh about 180 lbs and the car fits me like a glove, literally and figuratively. I've got plenty of headroom and then I realize that the seat is actually up. I push the button to lower the seat but find I prefer where it was, much to my amazement.
After adjusting my mirrors and turning on the headlights (it's drizzling by now), I start her up. "Oh, that's nice for a V6," I think as the car comes to life. I ease off the lot and take a right onto the highway.
Yes, the car feels big. But only for about 100 ft. After the initial jitters from driving a car that definitely feels bigger than my G35, I'm at peace and I start to cruise. I find the first intersection and head down the road. I'm really liking how the car feels on the road, despite our bad weather. The wiper blades swish back and forth, reminding me of switchblades, leaving a drought in their path.
Honestly, I took it easy for a while. There was a Yukon behind me and I didn't know the road well, so I just kept cruising. Finally, I came across another intersection and headed right again. This gave me a chance to make a three point turn and I didn't have any problems.
Heading back, I decided to have a
little fun. Shifting into manual mode, I drove until I was alone. I down-shifted to first and stomped the gas, shifting up until I hit 65 mph. Even for a V6, that was a rush! And, much to my pleasure, I found that the paddle shifters were more responsive than those in my Infiniti.
Driving back to the dealership, I had to wait at a light. Once green, I got to test the acceleration a bit again. This car will get up there quickly, if you let it.
I pulled back into the lot and backed the Camaro into the space it left earlier (a much easier feat than I was making it out to be). Time to go home. I shared my thoughts with one of the salespeople and handed back the key. Getting in my G35 seemed a bit lackluster, but familiar. All in all, this was a phenomenal experience. I'm in love.
Now for the specific stuff I noticed. I drove the car to see whether my fears about the visibility would still play out. Thankfully, I didn't have any problems with the visibility while actually driving the car. Like I said, the car fit me like a glove and I still think GM hit a home run with this one. Backing up wasn't bad and driving was just great! The interior feels amazing to me. I love the seats and thoroughly enjoy the center console, having had a large armrest in my previous cars that have prevented me from resting my hand comfortably on the shifter. Some may not like the things I like, and I'm perfectly okay with that. But for this version of the Camaro, I will forever salute GM.
So again, thank you GM, for making my dream car come alive. I can't wait to get my 2SS.
