Chevrolet Camaro

+Trim:

MSRP
Base MSRP	$27,965.00
Federal Excise Tax - Air Conditioning	$100.00
Freight and Delivery	$1,495.00
Administration Fee	$499.00
OMVIC Fee	$5.00
Etching	$299.00
Total MSRP	$30,363.00

Summary
Media
Article
Features
Options

Fuel Economy

City
12.3
L/100K

Highway
6.8
L/100K

Vehicle Dimensions (mm)

4836

1918

2852

1377

2012 Chevrolet Camaro 1LS
Fuel City	12.3L/100K
Fuel Highway	6.8L/100K
Transmission	Manual
Max Power	233 KW 312 HP
Body Type	Coupe
Number of Doors	2
Engine	3.6l
Drive Wheels	Rear Wheel Drive

2011 Chevrolet Camaro RS Road Test Review

Owning a fast car is one thing, but owning a muscle car like the new 2011 Camaro from Chevrolet brings a whole new “cool” factor

Cool? You bet! (Photo: Jason McLoughlin, Canadian Auto Press)

to any average Joe.

Whenever anyone my age that I know looks back at our old photographs from the seventies and eighties and see the hairstyles and goofy looking clothes we wore, we can’t help but say, “What the heck were we thinking?” But whenever we see the muscle cars from that era we still drop our jaws and begin to drool. There’s something to be said for the styling of these timely old classics that can still motivate the heartbeat today. But owning a classic muscle car, whether an original or a modern-day version, is more than just ownership. It’s a lifestyle.

Stepping into the new 2011 Camaro RS, there really isn’t much to it as far as luxuries go. Actually it’s downright plain inside, by the standards of most manufacturers these days. But looks can be deceiving. General Motors has done a great job in

Sweet! The Camaro is 100% pure muscle. (Photo: Jason McLoughlin, Canadian Auto Press)

maintaining the original look and styling of the old classic, and has obviously made some upgrades since then, which I’ll share with you shortly.

In the old days, muscle cars were basically a body on a frame with a large engine sending tons of power down to big fat tires needed to keep it stuck to the road. Now if you keep that same mindset and add in some of the latest technological advances, such as traction and stability control (Stabilitrak), anti-lock brakes (ABS), direct-injection, variable valve timing, and an independent rear suspension for far superior handling, you’ve got yourself a Camaro RS. It’s a modern-day classic that looks as cool as anything from Chevy’s past, but drives like a thoroughly updated road car.

The new Camaro

Some original design elements, but it's pretty plain. (Photo: Jason McLoughlin, Canadian Auto Press)

RS comes with a 3.6-litre V6 VVT (Variable Valve Timing), Direct Injection engine that creates 312 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque, maintaining the same torque figure from last year but now up an extra 8 horsepower. That’s quite a bit more than what than the original Camaro had under the hood, even with the optional V8. The Camaro is also available as an SS with a 6.2-litre V8 that pushes out more than 400 horsepower. After driving both versions of the Camaro, you can definitely feel the power difference between the two, but that doesn’t mean the lighter RS isn’t fun to drive.

Earlier generation muscle cars were known for their performance in a straight line, much to do with solid rear axles and much less weight than anything produced these days. For these reason you’ll probably see a few originals at your local drag strip any given Sunday.

The new Camaro's handling is surprising! (Photo: Jason McLoughlin, Canadian Auto Press)

Due to previous experience with older Camaros I was pleasantly surprised at the way the new one handled when pushed into some tight corners. The car felt as well balanced through the curves as it did when stretching its legs on long straight-ways.

During the summer of 2010 I had the opportunity to show off a 2010 Camaro SS at an exotic car rally in Chicago. Honestly, I was questioning what the heck I was doing at an exotic car event with a classic muscle car wannabe, but when lined up beside all the fancy European metal it stole the show. I was even fortunate enough to take a few celebrities out for a drive, like Chicago native Scotty Pippen and actress Bai Ling.

Without going too far off topic, I was really trying to explain that the new Camaro, SS or RS since the body styling is the same, really commands attention.

One of the slimmest greenhouses anywhere. (Photo: Jason McLoughlin, Canadian Auto Press)

With large 20-inch polished aluminum wheels and high rear “body builder” shoulders, it gives the impressions of a fierce beast ready to pounce on its prey.

As mentioned, Chevy kept the interior styling similar to its classic low-key predecessors, but gave it some of today’s features to accommodate market expectations for luxury and convenience. Such upgrades include a leather wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, a leather-wrapped shift knob, Bluetooth connectivity, a high-end sound system from Boston Acoustics, and XM satellite radio.

The Camaro

The vantage point you're most likely to see. (Photo: Jason McLoughlin, Canadian Auto Press)

RS version that I drove also came with the Hydramatic 6T70 six-speed automatic transmission, making for effortless shifting during city driving and lots of gears to choose from out on the highway, which improves fuel economy for those longer trips by keeping the engine revs to a minimum.

The new 3.6-litre doles out gobs of power from it’s direct injection technology while delivering excellent fuel economy compared to V6 models of GM’s past. The Canadian rating is estimated at 12.4 L/100km in the city and 7.1 on the highway with the manual gearbox and 11.4 / 6.9 with the automatic. Even better, it only needs cheaper regular fuel.

Pricing for the Camaro RS version as tested in 2LT trim with metallic paint and 20-inch rims is $36,710 including destination, which is more than reasonable for a modern-day classic that can be driven all year round.

Interior

Seating: 4 passengers
Audio system with AM/FM radio, CD player
(reads MP3 format) , satellite radio
Cruise control
Driver and passenger vanity mirror
Service interval indicator
External temperature
Luxury trim: alloy look on doors and
alloy look on dashboard
Seat upholstery: cloth
Rear seat center armrest
Rear seats: folding bench/sports with
seating for two
Power steering
Ventilation system with cabin filter
Rear view mirror
Front power windows with 2 express
Compass
Audio Connectivity: AUX jack

6 speakers
12V in front
Front reading lights
Main dashboard display
Tachometer
Trip computer: includes avg speed, avg
fuel econ and fuel range
Floor mats
Front seat center armrest
Front driver seat and Front passenger
seat : sports with 1 power adjustment
Steering wheel ; includes tilting
adjustment and telescopic adjustment
Cupholders in front row and rear seats
Air conditioning
Rear window with defroster
Navigation system: arrows and voice info
Fuel consumption(L/100km) : city= 12.3 ;
highway= 6.8 ; combined= 9.8 ; vehicle
range: 733 km / 455 miles

Exterior

Element antenna
Driver and passenger door mirror: body
colour, power adjustable
Spare wheel: spacesaver with steel rim

Metallic paint
Windshield wipers with variable
intermittent wipe
Doors: driver and passenger : front
hinged

Mechanical

Remote control trunk/hatch release
Rear mechanical limited slip
differential
Emissions data: CO2: 4,714 kg/yr
Fuel: unleaded ( 87 octane)
Transmission: 6-speed manual ; incl.
shifter on floor

Rear-wheel drive
Electronic traction control (via ABS &
engine management)
Fuel system: gasoline direct injection
Independent front strut suspension with
stabilizer bar and coil springs,
independent rear multi-link suspension
with stabilizer bar and coil springs
Powertrain type : combustion

Safety

4 disc brakes (4 ventilated)
Painted front and rear bumpers
Headlights: halogen with complex surface
lens
Daytime running lights
Remote keyless power locks ; speed
sensing
Front side airbags
Front seat belts with pre-tensioners for
driver and passenger
StabiliTrak stability control
Brake assist system

ABS
Immobilizer
Headlight control with dusk sensor
Front to rear curtain airbags
Intelligent driver front airbag,
intelligent passenger front airbag with
occupant sensors
2 height adjustable head restraints for
front seats, 2 head restraints for rear
seats
Rear seat belts for driver and passenger
Electronic brake distribution
Low tire pressure monitor displays
pressure

Dimensions

External dimensions: overall length
(mm): 4,836, overall width (mm): 1,918,
overall height (mm): 1,377, wheelbase
(mm): 2,852, front track (mm): 1,618,
rear track (mm): 1,628 and curb to curb
turning circle (mm): 11,500
Cargo capacity: all seats in place
(litres): 320
Fuel tank: 72 litre capacity
Power: 312 hp @ 6,400 rpm; 278 ft lb of
torque @ 5,200 rpm
Front and rear steel wheels: 18"x 7.5"

Internal dimensions: front headroom
(mm): 950, rear headroom (mm): 897,
front leg room (mm): 1,077, rear leg
room (mm): 757, front shoulder room
(mm): 1,444 and rear shoulder room (mm):
1,080
Engine: 3.6L V 6 DOHC with VVT
Front and rear all-season tires 245/55/W
Weights: published curb weight (kg):
1,718

Misc

Charges: Air Conditioning Tax $ 100.00
Voice activating system; includes phone
and naviagtion system
Bluetooth

Delivery/freight charge: $ 1,495.00
OnStar telematics system : includes
engine shut down

(K05) Engine Block Heater

Block heater

(J004) Standard Black Paint

Black paint

Excludes: [J005] Standard Gloss Paint And [R6P] Premium Paint