2010 Camaro SS Supercharged - Chicago Motor Cars Video Test Drive Review with Chris Moran

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An incredible machine...a Supercharged Camaro SS with over 700 Horsepower!
Driving the cartoonishly cool 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is like mowing your lawn naked: passersby will gawk and ask questions, and you'll probably be having too much fun to notice. Either that or you won't see the gawkers in the first place, thanks to the Camaro's extraordinarily high beltline and enormous rear blind spots.

But compromised sight lines seem a reasonable price to pay for the Camaro's killer exterior styling, which made even our long-term Nissan GT-R supercar look comparatively mundane down in the company garage. Throw in rear-wheel drive, a 426-horsepower V8 (400 hp with the automatic) and a capable chassis, and you've got yourself a certifiable thrill ride no grassy yard or exhibitionist streak required.

Measured against rival performance coupes, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS doesn't always come up roses. The six-speed manual transmission's tall gearing means downshifts are required with unbecoming frequency in hard driving, and there's no performance rear axle option à la the Ford Mustang GT and its available 3.73 ratio.

Also, the Chevy lacks the classic V8 exhaust rumble that both the Mustang GT and the Dodge Challenger R/T have in abundance. And while the Camaro SS is a willing and well-balanced dance partner on twisty roads, it can't break it down like an Infiniti G37 coupe or BMW 135i.

Nonetheless, this Camaro has more all-around appeal than just about any performance car in the $30,000-$40,000 price range. For the muscle-car crew, it's got a burnout-ready combination of big V8 power and rear-wheel drive. For the image-conscious, it boasts one of the most inspired and distinctive shapes on the road today. For automotive enthusiasts of all stripes, it offers scintillating speed and reasonably sure-footed handling. Small wonder that the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is flying off dealer lots, even in these tough times.

Performance
Transmission choice determines the power output for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS. Our test car had the hefty yet precise six-speed manual, so it was treated to the full-bore 426-hp 6.2-liter LS3 V8; opt for the six-speed automatic and you'll be downgraded to the still-formidable 400-hp L99 V8.

At the test track, our Camaro SS roared from zero to 60 mph in 5 seconds flat en route to a 13.1-second quarter-mile at 109.4 mph -- a whopping 7 mph faster than the last Mustang GT we tested. On our slalom course, however, the Camaro swapped places with that 'Stang, snaking through at 65.8 mph to the Ford's 68.4. Braking performance was beyond reproach: Our Camaro's Brembo binders hauled it down from 60 mph in just 111 feet.

In the real world, the Camaro SS is really fast. Constant vigilance is required on the highway, as felonious speeds are shockingly easy to attain thanks to the Corvette-derived LS3 V8's rare combination of force and refinement. Our only complaint concerns the manual transmission's relatively tall gearing, which had us downshifting into 2nd with Honda-like frequency on twisty roads -- not exactly what you'd expect from a Camaro SS. Perhaps Chevy will see fit to offer an optional shorter rear axle ratio in the not-too-distant future.

In the handling department, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS acquits itself quite well for a 3,894-pound muscle car -- the couchlike Challenger R/T, for example, doesn't stand a chance -- but it's ultimately outdone by the nimbler and more tossable Mustang GT, not to mention the G37 and 135i. Part of this deficit is due to the Camaro's elevated beltline and cowl, which sap driver confidence by making it impossible to see the corners of the car.

The Chevy would also benefit from more responsive steering: Our test car was beset by a noticeable delay between steering input and response, which further eroded our eagerness in quick transitions. Overall, though, the Camaro SS handles well enough to satisfy most shoppers in this segment, and in true muscle car fashion, its enormous V8 power alone is bound to win over some naysayers.

Comfort
Hop behind the 2010 Camaro SS's wheel and you'll immediately notice one of its most obvious flaws — the wheel itself. We concluded that whoever designed this deep-dish contraption must not have human hands, as the wide rim just isn't shaped and contoured properly; give the standard nine-and-three hand position a shot and you'll see what we mean. Otherwise, the Camaro SS is an impressively comfortable sport coupe.