Drove the new Camaro today!

[Zedder]

I should know better, but here goes...You can't compare these modern muscle cars to the cars of the past as they are just far superior in every way... except at idle I've had LS6 Chevelles, '67 Z-28's, '67 L78's, BB Corvettes etc. and this car would likely beat any of them. That being said, my Z06 Corvette is the only car that I have owned that actually scared me a time or two when I wasn't used to it. The car is just pure raw. I was hoping that they LS3 Camaro would be close in feeling to the Z06 from a raw acceleration and sound perspective, but it isn't. It is very civilized feeling, rides really well (much better than the Z06), and corners really well. It is very quiet at idle, but does wake up some when you give it some gas, but still nothing to write home about in comparrison - much like the base C5 or C6. The interior is very nice and comfortable and I had no trouble with legroom or headroom (I'm 6 ft/190 lbs). I could see this being a very comfortable daily driver. The exhaust will not get you noticed at all when you pull into your local cruise night, so you will need to go aftermarket if you like to hear your car. As for looks, everyone was gawking at the car! GM did a nice job on it as far as I am concerned. Personally, I think the lighter colors will show off the body lines better and I am not a huge fan of the current wheel offerings, but there will be lots of aftermarket choices here too.

It's a great car overall!

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by 1fastdog

I think so... Yep...Looks like me in the mirror. Identity verified.

Haha wow! Nice to have you on the site. I loved the ambush interview Chris/Jason did with you about the LA Auto Show.

[PatrickfromMD]

Originally Posted by Zedder

I should know better, but here goes...You can't compare these modern muscle cars to the cars of the past as they are just far superior in every way... except at idle I've had LS6 Chevelles, '67 Z-28's, '67 L78's, BB Corvettes etc. and this car would likely beat any of them. That being said, my Z06 Corvette is the only car that I have owned that actually scared me a time or two when I wasn't used to it. The car is just pure raw. I was hoping that they LS3 Camaro would be close in feeling to the Z06 from a raw acceleration and sound perspective, but it isn't. It is very civilized feeling, rides really well (much better than the Z06), and corners really well. It is very quiet at idle, but does wake up some when you give it some gas, but still nothing to write home about in comparrison - much like the base C5 or C6. The interior is very nice and comfortable and I had no trouble with legroom or headroom (I'm 6 ft/190 lbs). I could see this being a very comfortable daily driver. The exhaust will not get you noticed at all when you pull into your local cruise night, so you will need to go aftermarket if you like to hear your car. As for looks, everyone was gawking at the car! GM did a nice job on it as far as I am concerned. Personally, I think the lighter colors will show off the body lines better and I am not a huge fan of the current wheel offerings, but there will be lots of aftermarket choices here too.

It's a great car overall!

Did you by chance hop in the back seat? How does it fare against earlier Camaros?

[Supermans]

Originally Posted by Zedder

I should know better, but here goes...You can't compare these modern muscle cars to the cars of the past as they are just far superior in every way... except at idle I've had LS6 Chevelles, '67 Z-28's, '67 L78's, BB Corvettes etc. and this car would likely beat any of them. That being said, my Z06 Corvette is the only car that I have owned that actually scared me a time or two when I wasn't used to it. The car is just pure raw. I was hoping that they LS3 Camaro would be close in feeling to the Z06 from a raw acceleration and sound perspective, but it isn't. It is very civilized feeling, rides really well (much better than the Z06), and corners really well. It is very quiet at idle, but does wake up some when you give it some gas, but still nothing to write home about in comparrison - much like the base C5 or C6. The interior is very nice and comfortable and I had no trouble with legroom or headroom (I'm 6 ft/190 lbs). I could see this being a very comfortable daily driver. The exhaust will not get you noticed at all when you pull into your local cruise night, so you will need to go aftermarket if you like to hear your car. As for looks, everyone was gawking at the car! GM did a nice job on it as far as I am concerned. Personally, I think the lighter colors will show off the body lines better and I am not a huge fan of the current wheel offerings, but there will be lots of aftermarket choices here too.

It's a great car overall!

Thanks for further explaining how you felt in the car. Obviously to most of us who have not experienced that much horse power, we will probably be knocked off our feet driving the Camaro. It is good to hear that the car should be a comfortable daily driver as it should be.. Overall an honest review and with aftermarket parts we can make it growl at idle as well..

[Visual_Perfection]

To touch base on how GM should have made the camaro sound, being it seems to be quiet etc.. I Just watched Transformers AGAIN, and I know the Camaro in the movie has a LS2, and there are sound effects etc.. but GM should make the camaro sound like it does in that movie! Man does it sound beautiful!

[rray200]

Originally Posted by Visual_Perfection

To touch base on how GM should have made the camaro sound, being it seems to be quiet etc.. I Just watched Transformers AGAIN, and I know the Camaro in the movie has a LS2, and there are sound effects etc.. but GM should make the camaro sound like it does in that movie! Man does it sound beautiful!

I don't know what all the fuss is about regarding the sound. Based on that brief clip in this thread, and others I've seen for these cars, I think this 5th gen SS is one of the baddest sounding cars I've heard in awhile, considering its a stock exhaust system. Its sounds alot meanier than the current generation Mustang, IMO, and I like it better than the hemi exhaust note on the Challenger. Both the Mustang GT and Challenger SRT8 are fairly silent at idle too. So no big difference. This Camaro SS, even with very light throttle sounds extremely menacing. The guy backing up the Orange SS was barely tapping the gas and I thought it growled like a tiger in the wild. I think we'll all like the sound of the LS3 in this beast alot better when we hear it in person.

[zebra]

thanks Zedder for the video. that's just crazy how i'm thinking that's a nice VR til he backed up & hit the light. IOM really changes a lot depending on the light. that startup was nice, but it would've been even more awesome if you could've got some footage of him stepping on it a little. either way, it's great that you got video & thanks again for sharing!

[s.norman]

there is a video out there of like the last 3 generations of camaros all in single file-when each car got to a certain point they began revving the engine all the way!!! the 2010 ss was last and it was LOUD AND MEAN AS HELL....isn't that what the car sounds like??

[zebra]

Originally Posted by s.norman

there is a video out there of like the last 3 generations of camaros all in single file-when each car got to a certain point they began revving the engine all the way!!! the 2010 ss was last and it was LOUD AND MEAN AS HELL....isn't that what the car sounds like??

and you didn't put it up or even post a link?

[CamaroSSforme]

Originally Posted by 1fastdog

No, I admit that I did not note that element of your post.

A bit tired on this end, but not the least weary.

My only response is an apology, a virtual offer of a friendly handshake, one fan to another.

No worries man. Yesterday was a lonnnnnggg day

[SScattergunSS]

Hey GM, we Camaro guys are a little nuts...we want our cars LOUD, real LOUD!!! If you do that for us right from the get go, and not leave us wanting, we'll love ya's more than I can tell you!!!!!!!! Make it roar like a lion....

(P.S. ...and not just on the LS3, but on the L99 too for us automatic buyers.)

[CamaroSSforme]

Originally Posted by SScattergunSS

Hey GM, we Camaro guys are a little nuts...we want our cars LOUD, real LOUD!!! If you do that for us right from the get go, and not leave us wanting, we'll love ya's more than I can tell you!!!!!!!! Make it roar like a lion....

(P.S. ...and not just on the LS3, but on the L99 too for us automatic buyers.)

Actually, no I don't want loud until I want it to be loud. His description of it being tame till he hits the throttle is exactly what I was hoping to hear. Calm during normal driving , but unleashed you know what you are driving. Yeah baby

[1fastdog]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

Haha wow! Nice to have you on the site. I loved the ambush interview Chris/Jason did with you about the LA Auto Show.

Right, the 'ambush"...

I love those guys and their site. Great folks.

I'm sitting here in a hotel in Dallas getting ready to head to the Convention Center for the show. I'll be here through Sunday and it should be a large time as we have some nice 5th gens for folks to see and one to hop into.

Thanks for the shout out!

[UCF w00t]

Originally Posted by Zedder

I should know better, but here goes...You can't compare these modern muscle cars to the cars of the past as they are just far superior in every way... except at idle I've had LS6 Chevelles, '67 Z-28's, '67 L78's, BB Corvettes etc. and this car would likely beat any of them. That being said, my Z06 Corvette is the only car that I have owned that actually scared me a time or two when I wasn't used to it. The car is just pure raw. I was hoping that they LS3 Camaro would be close in feeling to the Z06 from a raw acceleration and sound perspective, but it isn't. It is very civilized feeling, rides really well (much better than the Z06), and corners really well. It is very quiet at idle, but does wake up some when you give it some gas, but still nothing to write home about in comparrison - much like the base C5 or C6. The interior is very nice and comfortable and I had no trouble with legroom or headroom (I'm 6 ft/190 lbs). I could see this being a very comfortable daily driver. The exhaust will not get you noticed at all when you pull into your local cruise night, so you will need to go aftermarket if you like to hear your car. As for looks, everyone was gawking at the car! GM did a nice job on it as far as I am concerned. Personally, I think the lighter colors will show off the body lines better and I am not a huge fan of the current wheel offerings, but there will be lots of aftermarket choices here too.

It's a great car overall!

Thanks. Of course it's more like the base Vette than the z06, it has the same engine! So this is about what I expect.