The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is not the car you want to use when trying to fly under the radar.  This conventional RWD

Hot! It's impossible to drive by unnoticed in a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

midsize coupe turns more heads than Linda Blair at a witchcraft convention, particularly when dressed in Inferno Orange paint and leather, together with cyber gray metallic exterior striping front-to-rear. 

Even when traveling at legal speeds, police officers will swivel to take a look (as they ticket others).  Surfers headed for their morning rides pull alongside to wave and give thumbs up; children press their laughing heads against their own car windows to get a closer look.  A spittoon strategically placed at any parking space will remedy salivating hordes.

When initially reintroduced, the Camaro looked vastly different than the machine that came before it.  Thoroughly modern with high haunches and muscular fore and aft creases accented by slit-like windows, the Camaro SS looked mean from the get-go, even with its small, trunk-mounted rear mini-spoiler.

This

Familiar lines if you're into classic Camaros, the new 2010 model pulls from the past while delivering a thoroughly modern package. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Camaro SS, my tester in 2SS trim, backs up the looks with its machinery, built on GM’s Zeta platform (shared with the soon-to-be-lamented Pontiac G8).  Under the long hood is a form-fitted 426-horsepower (at 5,900 rpm) 6.2-litre V8 engine that boasts 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm.  The rumble from this Camaro’s big twin pipes is music to any auto aficionado’s ears.  Redline is a healthy 6,400 rpm and the speedometer on my US-spec car accommodates 180 mph (290km/h). 

On our test car, a 6-speed automatic transmission with button (TAP) shifters handles the up and down gear changes, rather than the standard 6-speed manual transmission.  It does the job admirably (and includes remote start), whether left in Drive or placed in Manual and used (or abused).  Manual shifts are crisp and direct; left in automatic, shifting is as smooth as pedal application directs.

Chevy fits

A fully independent suspension, gorgeous rims and sticky tires make for competent handling. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

fully independent multi-link (front) and 4.5 link rear suspension and happily places big Brembo ABS-equipped disc brakes at all four corners, attaching PZero Pirelli P245/45ZR front and P275/40ZR rear 20-inch tires on five-spoke painted alloys.  Pedal feel is reassuring in all instances and while the suspension is firm, in no way is it jarring. 

The power-assisted steering is not lightweight but extremely direct and produces an excellent 11.5-metre (37.7-foot) turning circle on this midsize coupe of 4,836 mm (190.4 inches) length, 1,918 mm (75.5 inches) width, height of 1,377 mm (54.2 inches) on a 2,852-mm (112.3-inch) wheelbase.  Curb weight is 1,746 kilos (3,849 pounds), and while the Camaro SS is the heavier than most others of its breed, it handles that weight with complete agility and does an admirable job handling any distractions thrown at it.

With similar colour combinations inside and out, the 2010 Chevy Camaro SS is quite easy on the eyes – even in orange.  The accent stitching on the sport seats (as well as leather steering wheel,

Loud and proud interior is well put together. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

shift knob, door armrest and centre console) is both handsome and functional.  Seats offer tremendous lateral and lumbar support, just right for those days when hard cornering is a necessity (every day in this car).

Chevy fits a full complement of gauges, placing the red-rimmed black speedometer and tachometer (with inset temp and fuel readouts) directly in front of the driver.  At the base of the centre stack lie oil temp and oil pressure gauges, voltmeter and transmission temp indicators.  All are easy to see, even though the latter four are best consulted when at a stoplight.

Windows have one-touch operation in both directions and despite their small size – and that of the outside, heated mirrors – give good visibility to the rear.  With its prodigious horsepower and complementary chassis dynamics, most drivers

Retro gauge package is cool. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

will be using that rearward vision as they leave everyone in the 2010 Camaro SS’s wake.  HID headlamps and fog lights give excellent forward visibility.

Aside from the entertainment from its machinery, Chevy packs a great audio system with nine speakers from Boston Acoustics keeping the sounds flowing beautifully about the well insulated cabin.  XM satellite radio is included in the package. 

The info system lies on the left stalk and has novel operation, ratcheting fore and aft to deliver digital speedometer, trip odometers, range and average mph and mpg.  One can direct the information in either direction, making the system very user friendly.

It’s a

Rear seating is tight, but doable. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

bit difficult for two passengers to access the rear seats – this is a four-seater, after all – because only the front seatbacks tip forward, but once in the back, those passengers have comfortable sport bucket seats of their own.  While there’s ample head- and leg-room up front, in typical coupe fashion those dimensions are minimal in the rear.

The trunk can be opened using the key/fob or via a remote on the driver’s door.  Lift-over for the 320-litre (11.3-cubic-foot) space is a bit high and the trunk is a mite shallow.  There is no spare tire but Chevy does include a pump. 

For passive safety, GM fits front, side thorax airbags and head curtain protection.  There is a tire pressure monitoring system as well.  The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS

The heart of the beast! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

feels superbly constructed and safe as a house, its active safety capabilities fully trumping all the federally mandated on-board items.  The build quality is excellent and all seams are conforming.  This is one solid piece of machinery.

With the automatic transmission, the EPA rates the Chevy’s Camaro SS mileage figures at the equivalent of 14.7/9.4 L/100km from the 72-litre tank.  Using regular fuel (there was no indication Chevy required premium) I averaged nearly 10.7 L/100km in broad usage, going through city and highway cycles.  Considering the machinery, that’s not bad at all.

Chevy’s got a 3 year/60,000 km warranty with powertrain coverage for 5 years or 160,000 km.  Total cost on the 2010 Camaro 2SS as driven is a suitable $41,430, coming from a base of $37,065 including transportation.  I wouldn’t remove a single option on this car.

The Camaro nameplate seemed to be gone way too long, but it’s back with a vengeance.  With a vehicle that truly is the sum of its parts, the 2010 Camaro SS lives up to its hype – and then some.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc