Driving Impressions

Even in its base form, the Camaro feels pretty sporty to most drivers. The low driving position and low center of gravity contribute to a hunkered down, responsive feel, no matter how briskly or sedately the car is driven. The Camaro's mechanical layout, with a front engine driving the rear wheels through a live axle, might seem outdated, but it's quite capable and very successful on the race track. The engine is positioned so that most of it is behind the centerline of the front wheels, thus placing it in the category of front mid-engine design. This distributes the weight more evenly. The result is a car that bends into corners with eagerness and grip and accelerates away from those same corners hard and true. Compared to the Mustang, the Camaro will feel lower, wider, more stuck to the road and more responsive. It's more sophisticated than the Mustang, feels better when driven hard, and works better. Moving even higher on the performance scale is the Z28 Camaro, a car that offers remarkably good handling, better than many that wear the "sports car" label and cost a good deal more. Driven conservatively the ride is well controlled and smooth enough for "sports car" expectations. Driven with more enthusiasm, the Z28 has exceptional directional stability and good feedback through the wheel. It turns into corners with linear precision. It'll make you look for the long, crooked way home. We can't emphasize enough the significant role the excellent 5.7-liter LS1 V8 plays in this. Most people have never driven a car that runs this hard. The engine revs and pulls with gusto all the way to redline. The chassis is balanced well and contributes to the commendable driving experience. But as good as the Z28's chassis is, the heart of the car is really that Corvette engine.

Final Word

This kind of car isn't for everyone. Interior room is modest and the swoopy styling, responsive performance and exceptional handling mean the owner must be willing to accept some compromises. But if your willingness to accept those compromises lines up with what the Camaro or the Firebird can deliver, then you could be looking forward to a lot of miles of driving pleasure -- without busting your budget.