Toronto, ON: TDot TV was on the scene for the ET Canada Studio Lounge, one of the "it" events of the 34th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. Photos by James Fisher for TDot TV (JamesFisher.org).
Toronto, ON: When I received the invitation from GM Canada to take a close-up look at the 2010 Chevy Camaro I was very excited. I've been a car enthusiast for as long as I can remember and a family relative use to drive the infamous IROC Camaro back in the 80s. The Camaro is one of the most recognizable names among muscle cars with a long history dating back to 1967.
It was a cool Thursday afternoon in the King West village and several folks from the media had assembled for this close-up look at the newest Camaro. We all waited in anticipation for the arrival of the car as we enjoyed Starbucks coffee, chatted about the automotive industry, some of the new cars we admired on the road today, and the power of social media - some automotive Bloggers were in attendance.
GM provided two Camaros: a red one with a leather interior and more advanced instrumentation, and a silver model with a cloth interior. People who know me know that I am a sucker for silver so I was more than happy to drive the silver model. The first thing I noticed when the car pulled up to the curb was the bold and progressive styling; a very handsome sports car that had power, speed and bravado written all over it. (While I was out with the Camaro I bumped into Adrian Mainella, Host of Fashion File on Global TV, and he gave the car two thumbs up; this coming from a guy who knows a thing or two about style & design.)
No matter how old you get, nothing will transform you back into a giddy little kid like a new car.
When I got into the cockpit, I was pleasantly surprised by the spaciousness though anyone 6'2" or taller may have a tough time with the lower roofline. The two seats in the back are best used for small children or your laptop bag.
The instrumentation and controls are well laid out and fairly easy to get accustomed to. From a design perspective the dashboard is a fusion between futuristic and throwback. To use TV analogies: at times I felt as if I was in an episode of George Jetson, and at other times I had the feeling of sitting in Mel's Diner in an episode of Alice. I think this duality is great as it gives one a feel for a bygone era when the North American muscle car ruled the road. It has been my casual observation over the past few years that the North American automakers have recognized that nostalgia is a competitive advantage - I don't think it is a coincidence that GM, Ford and Dodge have all recently released sports cars (Camaro, Mustang and Challenger respectively) with throwback styling to an era that only they can lay claim to.
For my evaluation I drove the 2010 Camaro LT which came with a smooth shifting 6-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The V6 gives you 304 horsepower at 6400 RPM, and there is an available V8 engine that outputs a very ballsy 426 horsepower at 5900 RPM. The sonic sound of the engine on each rev was something reminiscent of a jet aircraft - engineering at its best.
Once out on the road, the car commanded the attention of many people. Some actually stopped and stared as if to say "what is that!?!" As expected, the 2010 Camaro was born to fly - it was hard for me to conceptualize what the V8 engine might be like. The acceleration was impressive as was the torque that threw me back into the seat while accelerating. Being the tail end of the afternoon rush hour there was still considerable traffic on the road, but we were able to push the car for short bursts on Lakeshore Blvd.
The Lakeshore is also a favourite hangout for the folks in blue and I was certain GM wouldn't be covering the cost of any speeding tickets! I digress.
The steering wheel has a firm feel and is responsive. The wide 19" tires hugged the sharpest curves that Lakeshore Blvd could throw at them. The brakes felt soft at first but responded well when you pushed them. Overall, the Camaro performs well and gives you the much needed feeling of security and control that you want as the driver of a very powerful machine.
THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER'S CAMARO
The traditional sports car was all horsepower and handling and not much else. Enter a new generation of sports car:
I was pleased to see that GM paid as much attention to creature comforts and entertainment in the Camaro as it did to the body design and engine. The model I test drove was outfitted with XM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free driving (off of your cell phone that is), a high fidelity 9 speaker Boston Acoustics sound system, a USB port that you can use for iPod connectivity and much more.
This is what makes a car more than simply transportation.
FINAL THOUGHTS
GM was in need of a big winner and the early signs are showing that the 2010 Camaro is it. GM Canada says that the new Camaro already has 19,000 orders - 15,000 pre-orders; impressive. At the time of this writing the car has only been available in dealerships for approximately three weeks. The product placement that GM has done with DreamWorks/Paramount in the Transformers movie was a brilliant marketing strategy, and speaks volumes about GM's desire to introduce the Camaro to a younger generation of car buyer. Tip your hat to GM's marketing team.
The 2010 Camaro represents bang for the buck with a base price around $27,000: you can get a Camaro with a similar spec to an Audi R8 for about a quarter of the price.
Overall the car is a head-turner, provides ample power and performance, has many modern entertainment features to offer, and appeals to the older buyer looking to relive the glory days of years gone by, as well as the younger buyer looking for an affordable sports car with lots of curb appeal. In either case this newest Camaro makes a statement loud and clear.
Justin Edmead