teal98

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews..._ss/index.html

97z28/m6

good review.

Logansneo

It's going to be interesting to see just how much the performance numbers may change once each magazine gets their hands on their own test mule. Having testing done in temperate California or even Arizona (Edmunds) could possibly have a significant affect, especially considering test conditions in Michigan were 33 degrees. Though the cold air was better for the engines performance, it hardened up the tires a lot, as noted in several of the different reviews.

Of the Automobile review I find it curious how they achieved a maximum .94 lat G when Edmunds only got .88 and Motor Trend got .90 all for the SS. Different drivers, different times of day.

99SilverSS

Another fair review; although this is the first time I've heard any complaints about the seats. Performance is still good but 13.3's won't raise any eyebrows. Again the trap speed mph for the manual sitting at 111 means there is plenty more ET in the car for those who can extract it.

One thing that I am reading and hearing a lot that is a bit of a concern is the closterphobic feeling with the high beltline and low roof and visibility looking forward slightly obstructed by a tall dash. I worry that these issues may be more of an objection to female and younger buyers as this feel would be shared by all models. While I want my Camaro to be more masculine I understand that it needs to be tame and user friendly for the vast majority of buyers in order to move up the sales charts.
I can't help but think back to many of the interior seating position jabs that the 4th Gens took.

96_Camaro_B4C

This has been my major concern (besides along with the weight, which clearly isn't ideal but is not stopping it from hauling) since I sat in a mule a while back. I'm a long-torso 6'2", so I'm at the high end of the spectrum, but the car *feels* more closed off than my 4th gen because of the way too tall beltline and the tall dash/cowl height. This despite being an inch or two taller than the 4th gen.

94LightningGal in the Future Vehicles Forum once mentioned that she thought GM may relive the past by making the new Camaro too performance focused at the expense of daily usability and friendliness (much like the very performance-focused 4th gens vs. the Mustang). I disagreed with her somewhat, because the car will have a bigger trunk and back seat than the Mustang (I think that is true), plus with IRS and better interior packaging (e.g. no catalytic converter hump), it should do OK attracting casual drivers. The excellent V6 fuel economy will help too. BUT, the stylists went too far in form over function when it comes to the tank slit windows, and I fear the closed in feeling, despite the actual roominess of the interior, may scare some off. I've been pissed about this styling trend since the Chrysler LX cars really emphasized it, and I am not happy seeing it on the Camaro. Some may be attributed to rollover / crash protection and roof strength, I guess, such as the thick A-pillars and the upper "door frame" area. But the beltline / bottoms of the side glass could easily be dropped an inch or two and the car would look better.

Someone with even crappy photoshop skills could mock that up really easily. I messed with some pixels in MS Paint after taking a screen shot of the build your own site, and it looks much more in proportion (and LIGHTER) with a little more glass and a little less sheetmetal.

Don't get me wrong, this car looks freakin' sexy, but it could have been better, and it could have felt less claustrophobic inside.

I still hope they sell a zillion of 'em, and I hope the convertible makes it to production, as that is the model that interests me more (side benefit: lots of headroom there).

97z28/m6

imo the 4th gen has better interior space "feeling" and yes its very "closed in" feeling in the 5th gen and i do think that will limit sales.

SSbaby

I'm hoping it's just a 'characteristic' that persons attracted to the car will get accustomed to. A bit like the interior gauges and general ergonomics. At least these are the traits that attract me to the 5G. My thinking is if Camaro looked and felt just like a G8, this would turn more potential customers away than it would attract.

I'm not too concerned if it's more a claustrophobic issue than it is a problem actually accommodating taller/larger drivers.

delta_chi_03

I'm thinking about getting a new ss and the interior issues that people bring up make me want the car that much more. I like the feeling of being wrapped in a bit vs something like hey look at me in my ultra roomy caddy or mercedes.
BRAVO GM....I don't think they could have done much better besides a couple of hundred pounds being shaved off, but then they would be putting the vettes neck on the line.

delta_chi_03

I'm thinking about getting a new ss and the interior issues that people bring up make me want the car that much more. I like the feeling of being wrapped in a bit vs something like hey look at me in my ultra roomy caddy or mercedes.
BRAVO GM....I don't think they could have done much better besides a couple of hundred pounds being shaved off, but then they would be putting the vettes neck on the line.

teal98

I don't think Automobile uses the rollout that drag strips and most others do. So they'll be a couple of tenths slower in the 1/4. The mph and other times looked really good. For example 60-100 time (actually 0-100 - 0-60).

That's really the only issue for me in the new Camaro. I typically don't like cars with tiny windows. Even though the 4th gen sits quite a bit lower, the windows are bigger, giving good visibility. But I'll reserve judgement until I sit in one.

Doug Harden

Have ANY of you driven a first gen? How about a newer 300C? For crying out loud kids, it ain't no damned SUV......

Never heard such whining about the high belt line / low roof...didn't hurt the 300C's sales, doubt it'll be much of factor here neither.

Hell, I'm looking forward to it....but then again, I love the veiw out of my '69's windshield.

8Banger

Thank you for some common sense.

STOCK1SC

Yeah god forbid someone wants to be able to see around the massive blindspots, how dare they question anything. Put your kid in the backseat and you'll need to give them a flashlight to see, it's dark back there, but I forget you can't complain about anything.

96_Camaro_B4C

Doug, take a side by side look at how much glass is present (and how tall that glass is) on a 1st gen.

I love the styling of the new one, but the greenhouse should not have been so tight. Try propping your elbow up on the window sill in the new one. Your elbow will be in your ear.

I'm not talking about the more upright windshield vs. the nearly horizontal, Texas-sized piece of glass in the 4th gen. I'm talking about the side glass being shaped like gun slits in the side of a tank (like the Chrysler 300, as you mentioned).

1969:



New one:

Dwarf Killer

I have a Hyundai Tiburon winter beater and if you think you have problems seeing out of the new Camaro, just have a seat in a Tib. The front seat feels like sitting in the back seat of a 4th gen, the roof is ridiculously low and the blind spots are 3ft wide.