Automobile Reviews 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible 2SS

[Nasty1970]

I agree with the interior criticisms, its growing on me, but every time I get in my buddy's SRT8 Challenger I grumble about my interior.
If GM radically changes the interior, Ill be pissed and happy at the same time!

Ive driven lots of different kinds of cars and trucks, and its hard to give an objective review of each one. Each car I have driven had really cool, and really bad aspects about them, the best, in my opinion was a 911 GTRS2. The Porsche costs over twice what the camaro, but I liked everything about the car except for its exterior looks. The camaro looks 100 times better...but its like comparing apples to grapefruit...there just isn't a comparison. So taking it down a notch, my friends SRT8 challenger...I liked everything about the challenger, but it wasn't a drop top. My other friends Saleen Mustang....I didn't like it at all. The interior was a little better, but just didn't care for it.

Im a Camaro guy, Ive had 6 different Camaros in my life, now I have 2...Im slightly biased when it comes to the name, but I still call a spade a spade when it comes to design, and engineering. I hold GM to the fire on crappy designs!!

[PatsRS]

Obviously any Camaro owner is biased. We all bought our cars because of some attraction whether it was the looks, the power, or the speed or any combination. To each his own. Auto reviews, especially bad ones are nothing but fodder for competitors. The critics are enitled to their opinions, that is what they get paid for. GM will continue to sell these cars despite these reviews and they will outsell Mustang and Challenger too. Maybe they take heed and make some changes based on these reviews.
Comparing Camaro/GM quality to Porsche? That's just silly.

[woodj]

I don't think the reviews were bad at all. The people doing them seemed to enjoy the cars and I agree with many of their complaints. I especially feel like the reviewers who felt the SS convertible was more of a cruiser and less of a track car were right on the money. I also feel like the reviwers who preferred the automatic in the convertible were correct because of the "cruiser" feel to the car. The reviews seemed reasonable to me.

[greenrail]

Everyone has their viw of a particular vehicle and what they like and dislike about it.

There is no such thing as a mass produced perfect automobile. (Actualy, I doubt there ever will be one of any stripe (i.e. exotic).

Is the Camaro Perfect. No. Do I like my Camaro, HELL YES! and that is what is important to me.

[v6sonoma]

Pretty much what I expected.

[pnyklr]

I wonder what Jake bases this statement on.

"I find it funny that so many of the people who demand GM and Ford bring more of their rear-wheel drive vehicles that are currently sold in Australia to the U.S. don't particularly care for the Camaro."

It can't be sales, cuz the Camaro is kicking butt!

-Funk

[1o.f00t.570rk]

If I wanted a car that had 40, 50, 100k levels of performance and options...I would go buy a car that cost that much.

About the only criticism I think is fair is in comparing to other vehicles in the same price range...and there wasn't much in there other than comparing to the Mustang as being more sprightly.

The rest is just kinda .

[CamaroTransAmFAM]

thats why i hate reading magazines like car and driver,automobile,motor trend etc. i dont bother buying them,and i dont really pick them up unless its something about a GM product,these magazines cater to foreign car companies too much the Camaro is a great car,but it gets less attention because its american,i bet if it was designed the same way,but with names like toyota,honda,subaru or some other foreign garbage it would be getting unbelievable praise from these magazines,but they honor cars like the pruis,juke and civic all ugly horrible cars,i for one dont look for these magazines to give a good rating on an american car,because they will find something wrong with it,they did it with the Corvette ZR1 and that car is awesome! i betcha when the Camaro ZL1 hits the street they have something negative to say about that car too.but i dont care how they feel i love the 2010-11 Camaros

[OrangeVert]

Originally Posted by jackiea

Well, interesting article. Everytime I get in my '11 IOM Camaro Vert I smile, people give me thumbs up and heads turn. Who cares what these guys think! This car is awesome!

By the way guys...it is a Chevy not a Ferrari and there are some of us who prefer a Chevy!

jackiea, so true! I had to give a "tour" of my IOM vert to six guys who stopped to admire it outside of Harbor Freight Tools last night. So there has to be something there in its looks, design, reputation, nostalgia, etc. I think flopjack says it best too about its "soul".

Originally Posted by flopjack

I don't contend that the car is without flaw - there are a lot of flaws in the Camaro. Writers seem to forget a few critical things. In the world of sports cars, it's cheap, but many cars that cost ten times as much have just as many flaws. What makes the Camaro special is its roughness - the character that it exhibits. The lack of refinement combined with livability for the streets really gives it a personality, and that is the difference between a good car and a great one. Its got to have a soul!!!

Great observation, flopjack! It's got it, and that's what most reviewers just don't seem to get.

Originally Posted by woodj

I don't think the reviews were bad at all. The people doing them seemed to enjoy the cars and I agree with many of their complaints. I especially feel like the reviewers who felt the SS convertible was more of a cruiser and less of a track car were right on the money. I also feel like the reviwers who preferred the automatic in the convertible were correct because of the "cruiser" feel to the car. The reviews seemed reasonable to me.

woodj, that's why this car was perfect for me. I wanted a cruiser, but with the feel of a manual trans. Oh, and my wife will only drive an automatic.

[sask-man]

I would love for these reviewers to post what kind of vehicle THEY own and drive! Wouldnt that be fun to know!!!!

[GnyaTek]

I think the overall view of the critics was quite favorable and on the money.

Some folks may feel that they are harsh as the critics point out some flaws to the cars that we chose to purchase, but that truly is their job. The job of the critic is to look at the product that they are reviewing with a critical eye and give their opinion on the product, the good, the bad, and the in-between.

Comparing the product to other products of similar nature, price point, performance expectations is all a part of the critique, and I see the comparison to performance vehicles outside of the category on the upper end (Porsche, et al) as being a favorable point that they were making ... that they saw and had comparable expectations. That the expectations were not quite met should not be all that surprising, but that they even had them at all says something about the vehicle, IMO.

[ambientweather]

The Camaro is a muscle car, not a sports car. They are very different and you can not compare the two. Muscle cars are heavy, powerful, and loud. Their look and feel is classic, and that goes for the cheesy-disco interior as well.

If you want to compare the Camaro to an affordable sports car, stack it against the Mazda Miata, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Mazda RX-8, or Mitsubishi Eclipse. I know which one I would choose.

If you want a luxury sports car, super luxury or exotic sports car, the Camaro does not compete and should not be compared.

The Camaro has an older sister, the Corvette, that fairs well against luxury sports cars.

[Rencor]

Auto or Stick - I appreciate them both. You can't shift as fast as I can with my L99 off the line. But I can't control the car as well as you with a LS3. However, my wife can drive mine. And a happy wife is a husband who can upgrade till thy kingdom come!

[rjtssvert]

Originally Posted by ambientweather

The Camaro is a muscle car, not a sports car. They are very different and you can not compare the two. Muscle cars are heavy, powerful, and loud. Their look and feel is classic, and that goes for the cheesy-disco interior as well.

If you want to compare the Camaro to an affordable sports car, stack it against the Mazda Miata, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Mazda RX-8, or Mitsubishi Eclipse. I know which one I would choose.

If you want a luxury sports car, super luxury or exotic sports car, the Camaro does not compete and should not be compared.

The Camaro has an older sister, the Corvette, that fairs well against luxury sports cars.

You hit it right on the head.