It's not as derogatory as it seems.
The new Camaro is just, well, it's a little lazy. But by lazy, I mean easy going.
This weekend Southern California baked in its first official heat wave. My house, which is within a nuclear blast radius of the beach, saw the temps hit 88 degrees. Couple that with a 'track' temperature which had to be in excess of 130 degrees and you get a recipe of misery when you're stuck in traffic.
The Camaro? Well it couldn't be bothered. The combination of its huge engine (let's not forget that this thing is over 6 liters!), massive A/C compressor, ridiculously tall gearing and massive flywheel made for an effortless afternoon of parts hauling and errand running. Couple all that overbuilt goodness with a low greenhouse and you've got what could be the perfect car for shrugging off a hot summer day.
With a murderous passion, I still hate the steering wheel.
Kurt Niebuhr, Photo Editor @ 18,897 miles
pat1usmc says:
05:18 AM, 07/20/10
I bet that picture would be amazing if the car was black or that deep red color.
And what is the deal with SoCal? A heat wave is 88 degrees and when it rains its newsworthy. I'm in the wrong state.
audisport says:
06:57 AM, 07/20/10
"With a murderous passion, I still hate the steering wheel."
Well put!
ed124c says:
07:55 AM, 07/20/10
Warm air rises. A low greenhouse means you are breathing in the air just below the roof-- the warm air that has risen, as per basic physics.
On the other hand, a cramped greenhouse means the inside will cool off faster (fewer cubic feet to cool)
A wash?
How about testing the Camaro vs. the Terrain. Put them out in the sun for a few hours-- with windows closed-- and start them up with air on full and one driver in each.
Drive the cars in a convoy until:
(Using two identical thermometers), one vehicle, the winner, reaches 72 degrees at the drivers head.
jason31480 says:
09:09 AM, 07/20/10
pat1usmc +100.
Saw a SS in black last night on the way home, though I am not a Camaro fan, but that car just looks amazing in black.
desmolicious says:
02:01 PM, 07/20/10
@ Pat
The SoCal heatwave had temps in the 100s in the valleys, up to 110 (not including deserts).
LA area was 88-90+
Beaches 75.
The beaches are pretty much 75 all the time during summer. Which is why I live in Venice.
yamahr1 says:
05:00 PM, 07/20/10
I suspect that if the exact same steering wheel were in, say, a Nissan Z, you'd completely overlook it.
Kurt Niebuhr replied to comment from yamahr1
08:15 PM, 07/20/10
You suspect incorrectly. I would hate this wheel no matter what car it was bolted to. It's one of the worst steering wheels in the history of steering wheels.
bimmerjay says:
08:23 PM, 07/20/10
@yamahr1,
"I suspect that if the exact same steering wheel were in, say, a Nissan Z, you'd completely overlook it."
Have you actually seen the Camaro's steering wheel in person? It's atrocious. It deserves no excuses. And if you don't think Edmunds criticized the 370Z perhaps you should review their long-term test of that vehicle.
coolb944 says:
10:20 AM, 07/21/10
I live in Long Beach, CA, which is in the LA metro area, and it was hot, hitting about 88-93 last week. And it was mildly humid, which is not the norm for Southern California. It was icky. Farther inland saw high 90s and low 100s.
Yes, that is most DEFINITELY a heat wave, especially when you consider that Long Beach in the summer is normally about 75-80.