Maybe you already knew this, but the 2010 Camaro SS comes with a competitive driving mode. When activated, it relaxes the car's stability control system to allow a bit more of a slide than normal before corrective action is taken. It's activated by pushing the traction/stability control button twice. (Launch control is also activated via this way.)
Of course, holding the button down for about five seconds turns it all off. But the competitive driving mode could be useful for someone taking his or her Camaro to an autocross or high performance driving event for the first time as it allows you to learn the car's limits and still have a safety net.
Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor
stingray454 says:
11:52 AM, 02/18/10
It's a great system. Best in the business, IMO. It allows for a surprising amount of leeway before intervening, and when it does intervene, it is subtle, corrective actions, rather than punishing cut-offs. It's almost too good of a system: you can easily end up relying on the system too much and using it as a crutch, rather than focusing on improving your driving skills.
canadaphant says:
12:10 PM, 02/18/10
Cool system, but would it be too much to ask for a fan speed style dial-I guess like a Ferrari style knob? If you've got different settings, just label them and make a simple switch so this takes less than a second to turn on. I'm envisioning different sized grins the more it's turned off, or maybe bigger clouds of tire smoke. That'd get the right message across, right?
stingray454 says:
12:30 PM, 02/18/10
That is a great idea, canadaphant. The press the button thing is slightly annoying, and it's slightly confusing as the button mode sequence is different between my '02 Z06 (press and hold for 3 seconds) and my '10 CTS-V (double press like the Camaro). A simple dial switch would eliminate any confusion, and as an added bonus, it would stay in the same setting rather than defaulting to all on every time you start the car.
lmbvette says:
12:37 PM, 02/18/10
Hey stingray, I do like the fact that the CTS-V's button is on the steering wheel. How about you?
stingray454 says:
01:19 PM, 02/18/10
I think I like it, but I'm not sure yet. I have to get used to it. There was nothing wrong with having it on the center console either, like the Z06. I guess my only minor complaint is there was already a lot of buttons on the steering wheel, and this is just one more. It is nice having it right there though - no reaching or searching for it. Much better than the location of the VDC Off button on my G35 coupe, which was in one of the dumbest locations I've ever seen: all the way down on the lower panel by your knees, below the steering column. Not only was it hard to reach for, it wasn't back lit at night, and you couldn't even read the label without getting out of the car! I guess they really didn't want you to turn it off, because there was no 'competitive mode', and off wasn't really off.
roadburner says:
03:36 PM, 02/18/10
I know the E46 M3 ECU can be reflashed so that Sport mode is the default setting. I don't see why a tuner couldn't develop something similar for GM performance cars.
stovt001 says:
09:58 PM, 02/18/10
I agree that radial knobs, like the drive mode select knob on the WRX STI, would be a better interface than a button.