2010 Chevrolet Camaro

Transformer of a new kind

Dan Lyons / autoMedia.com

After a seven-year hiatus, Chevrolet’s Camaro pony car returns to the showroom ready to take on its old school rivals, the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger, as well as import sport coupes like the Nissan 370Z. Camaro’s return was long awaited, and many expected a blockbuster introduction. But a funny thing happened on the way to the marketplace. Just as Chevy was about to shout their return from the highest mountaintop, the mountain crumbled beneath them into a sea of red ink. What followed was one of the lowest key launches of a high profile product in automotive history. The 2010 Camaro is here, but a lot of people don’t even know it’s back.

Wolf in Chic Clothing

Back it is, available for the first time since 2002, and offered as a two-door coupe in three models: LS (MSRP $22,995), LT ($24,630) and SS ($30,995) models. An RS package can be added to LT and SS cars for an additional $1,450. Once word of its revival got out to the Camaro faithful three plus years ago, the debate centered on the design direction for the car: retro, or no? The outcome is more new than not. While keeping the traditional, long hood/short deck pony car dimensions, the 2010 Camaro has a wide, low-slung look. The narrow greenhouse lends a flattened, chopped top vibe to the car, while the long, egg crate grille channels the 1969 models. Seen in profile, flared fenders, wide hips and tall wheels (18-inch to 21-inch available) compete for attention. The heritage cues continue, with vertical “gills” along the rear fenders. In back, there are quad taillights above tiny backup lights. A blackout panel below houses the dual exhaust outlets, and breaks up the monotone expanse. Overall, it’s a modern, muscular shape.

Six in the City

LS and LT models get a direct injection V-6, linked to a standard six-speed manual or optional ($1,185) six-speed automatic transmission. The V-6 is rated at an impressive 304 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. Chevy says that the Camaro’s V-6 will get from 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds. The new Camaro has a relatively quiet cabin at highway speeds, and the exhaust tone is muted. Absent the usual aural cues, the V-6 doesn’t feel as fast to your ears as it does to a stopwatch. Considering its 300+ horsepower, Camaro posts a rather gaudy number for estimated fuel economy. The EPA says you’ll get 29 mpg on the highway, and 18 around town. In an extensive road test with a V-6 automatic-equipped RS, we matched the EPA estimate in city driving, and topped out at 27 miles per gallon on the highway, albeit at keeping-up-with-traffic speeds.

Plus Eight

For its return engagement, Camaro got a little help from its posse. Big brother Corvette’s contribution was the gift of giddy-up. Camaro SS gets the 6.2-liter V-8 found on base models of Chevy’s fiberglass flier. The engine boasts an aluminum block, aluminum heads and, depending on your choice of transmission, nearly identical power output to the base Corvette. SS models equipped with the optional automatic transmission like our test car receive the L99 version of the V-8, rated at 400 horsepower (@5,900 rpm) and 410 lb.-ft. of torque (@ 4,300 rpm). Manual transmission models receive the LS3 V-8. It posts 426 horsepower (@ 5,900 rpm) and 420 lb.-ft. of torque (@ 4,600 rpm). This compares to 430/424 for Corvette. Power is abundant and wide-ranging, and Chevy says that LS3-equipped cars are capable of sub-five second 0-60 times.

Power Chord

Like the V-6, the V-8s are sneaky fast, thanks to a subdued exhaust note. Six-cylinder models attract more mainstream buyers, so the use of cabin-friendly pipes is understandable. However, V-8 pony car buyers are a different matter. They’re accustomed to (and often, fond of) more engine and exhaust notes, and Camaro SS is notably tamer through the tailpipes than either Mustang GT or Challenger R/T. If you like a stealthy soundtrack for your musclecar, you’ll enjoy the stock SS setup. But in case you don’t, GM has just announced a dealer installed exhaust option to tune up the tone. For an expected MSRP of $800-$900, V-6 or V-8 owners can buy the combination of Borla mufflers and wide-mouth tailpipe tips with bowtie logos. The EPA estimates fuel economy for automatic equipped SS cars at 16/25 city/highway. In a week behind the wheel, we netted a combined 18 mpg. We didn’t have the opportunity to sample stick shift versions of either V-6 or V-8 models, though the automatics were smooth shifting, with gearing well suited to the power bands of their respective motors. Steering wheel mounted paddles are standard on all automatic-equipped cars for drivers who want to shift it themselves sans clutch.