I drove a 2010 SS today!
02-15-2009, 02:49 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 1998
Location: Oakville, Ontario
Posts: 679
I drove a 2010 SS today!
A friend of mine works at the assembly plant, and he brought a new SS out to give some of us a chance to look at the car and even let a bunch of us drive it!
I got to drive it about 10 miles or so, but the road was very straight, so I didn't get to see how it cornered. I did get the chance to go full throttle a couple of times, it feels about the same as a stock LS1 f-body unfortunately. I figured they would be quicker, but it feels like about a 13.3 at 105 to me. It's got 426hp, but weighs probably 3800 lbs so that obviously hurts performance. The suspension is nice, it felt very comfortable over the bumps, not harsh, but still firm and sporty. I found the seating position odd, it was a lot different than what I'm used to in my C5 Corvette. The gauges are kind of odd looking, IMO, it would take me a while to get used to them. But the entire dash layout is pretty cool, especially the four gauges down low in the console (including trans temp and oil temp, those are nice touches!)
I'm not sure what the name of this color was (I'm sure a lot of you guys in here will tell me what it is), in the pictures it just looks like Victory Red but it's actually a metallic red that has a very strong orange look to it in the direct sunlight.
This car was the 210th one off the assembly line, and I believe they are going to start being sold to the public in mid March. It was very cool to be one of the select few people (outside of GM employees and the automotive press) to have driven one!! It's amazing how fast time flies though, it seems to me like it was just yesterday when I got the chance to see one of the very first 98 Camaro SS pre production models before anyone else saw them.
Here are some pics:
I got to drive it about 10 miles or so, but the road was very straight, so I didn't get to see how it cornered. I did get the chance to go full throttle a couple of times, it feels about the same as a stock LS1 f-body unfortunately. I figured they would be quicker, but it feels like about a 13.3 at 105 to me. It's got 426hp, but weighs probably 3800 lbs so that obviously hurts performance. The suspension is nice, it felt very comfortable over the bumps, not harsh, but still firm and sporty. I found the seating position odd, it was a lot different than what I'm used to in my C5 Corvette. The gauges are kind of odd looking, IMO, it would take me a while to get used to them. But the entire dash layout is pretty cool, especially the four gauges down low in the console (including trans temp and oil temp, those are nice touches!)
I'm not sure what the name of this color was (I'm sure a lot of you guys in here will tell me what it is), in the pictures it just looks like Victory Red but it's actually a metallic red that has a very strong orange look to it in the direct sunlight.
This car was the 210th one off the assembly line, and I believe they are going to start being sold to the public in mid March. It was very cool to be one of the select few people (outside of GM employees and the automotive press) to have driven one!! It's amazing how fast time flies though, it seems to me like it was just yesterday when I got the chance to see one of the very first 98 Camaro SS pre production models before anyone else saw them.
Here are some pics:
02-15-2009, 03:07 PM
#2
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 1997
Location: Nashville, TN area
Posts: 11,157
WOW...just like when you saw the 1998 Camaro SS, one of our first articles here on CamaroZ28.Com...12 years ago! I remember that day like it was yesterday, and I'll bet I won't remember this one, either! It is cool you got to do that, I just put this one on the front page of the site...again! 
Thanks, old friend!
Thanks, old friend!
02-15-2009, 03:09 PM
#4
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Annapolis MD
Posts: 2,802
A friend of mine works at the assembly plant, and he brought a new SS out to give some of us a chance to look at the car and even let a bunch of us drive it!
I got to drive it about 10 miles or so, but the road was very straight, so I didn't get to see how it cornered. I did get the chance to go full throttle a couple of times, it feels about the same as a stock LS1 f-body unfortunately. I figured they would be quicker, but it feels like about a 13.3 at 105 to me. It's got 426hp, but weighs probably 3800 lbs so that obviously hurts performance. The suspension is nice, it felt very comfortable over the bumps, not harsh, but still firm and sporty. I found the seating position odd, it was a lot different than what I'm used to in my C5 Corvette. The gauges are kind of odd looking, IMO, it would take me a while to get used to them. But the entire dash layout is pretty cool, especially the four gauges down low in the console (including trans temp and oil temp, those are nice touches!)
I'm not sure what the name of this color was (I'm sure a lot of you guys in here will tell me what it is), in the pictures it just looks like Victory Red but it's actually a metallic red that has a very strong orange look to it in the direct sunlight.
This car was the 210th one off the assembly line, and I believe they are going to start being sold to the public in mid March. It was very cool to be one of the select few people (outside of GM employees and the automotive press) to have driven one!! It's amazing how fast time flies though, it seems to me like it was just yesterday when I got the chance to see one of the very first 98 Camaro SS pre production models before anyone else saw them.
Here are some pics:
I got to drive it about 10 miles or so, but the road was very straight, so I didn't get to see how it cornered. I did get the chance to go full throttle a couple of times, it feels about the same as a stock LS1 f-body unfortunately. I figured they would be quicker, but it feels like about a 13.3 at 105 to me. It's got 426hp, but weighs probably 3800 lbs so that obviously hurts performance. The suspension is nice, it felt very comfortable over the bumps, not harsh, but still firm and sporty. I found the seating position odd, it was a lot different than what I'm used to in my C5 Corvette. The gauges are kind of odd looking, IMO, it would take me a while to get used to them. But the entire dash layout is pretty cool, especially the four gauges down low in the console (including trans temp and oil temp, those are nice touches!)
I'm not sure what the name of this color was (I'm sure a lot of you guys in here will tell me what it is), in the pictures it just looks like Victory Red but it's actually a metallic red that has a very strong orange look to it in the direct sunlight.
This car was the 210th one off the assembly line, and I believe they are going to start being sold to the public in mid March. It was very cool to be one of the select few people (outside of GM employees and the automotive press) to have driven one!! It's amazing how fast time flies though, it seems to me like it was just yesterday when I got the chance to see one of the very first 98 Camaro SS pre production models before anyone else saw them.
Here are some pics:
02-15-2009, 03:11 PM
#5
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Annapolis MD
Posts: 2,802
WOW...just like when you saw the 1998 Camaro SS, one of our first articles here on CamaroZ28.Com...12 years ago! I remember that day like it was yesterday, and I'll bet I won't remember this one, either!
02-15-2009, 03:14 PM
#6
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 1998
Location: Oakville, Ontario
Posts: 679
WOW...just like when you saw the 1998 Camaro SS, one of our first articles here on CamaroZ28.Com...12 years ago! I remember that day like it was yesterday, and I'll bet I won't remember this one, either! It is cool you got to do that, I just put this one on the front page of the site...again!
Thanks, old friend!
Thanks, old friend!
Jason it does feel just like yesterday when I saw that 98SS for the first time! It brought back all those old memories this morning when I was checking out this new Camaro! The best part was being able to drive this one! In 98 when I got to check out that first SS I wasn't able to drive it.
02-15-2009, 03:17 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 1998
Location: Oakville, Ontario
Posts: 679
That looks like Inferno Orange maybe? Im Jelous that car looks better and better. Did the steering wheel feel tight and give good road feedback? I know you said you only drove on a straight road but sometimes its seems to me you can feel the steering wheel a bit tighter in your hand.
02-15-2009, 03:19 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Upland, CA
Posts: 12
That is awesome! I really like that color too. So overall, were you impressed, disapointed...what was your thoughts after you drove the car? I know you said the seat positioning was odd compared to your vette...but were the seats comfortable? Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
02-15-2009, 03:30 PM
#9
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 1998
Location: Oakville, Ontario
Posts: 679
That is awesome! I really like that color too. So overall, were you impressed, disapointed...what was your thoughts after you drove the car? I know you said the seat positioning was odd compared to your vette...but were the seats comfortable? Thanks for sharing your experience with us!
Overall I would have to say I was disappointed that the car didn't have that major rush of acceleration I was expecting, but very impressed overall with the entire car and especially with it's quality feel. The seats were very comfortable for sure, I just found the more upright position a bit different than what I've been used to.
It's also entirely possible that this car could be quicker in the quarter than the LS1 f-body, but just doesn't feel as fast since the LS3 is such a smooth engine and also doesn't have that peaky nature of the LS1 (which tends to feel sluggish down low but then kicks in hard at 3500rpm or so and hits you with a rush of power)
02-15-2009, 04:46 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 243
Overall I would have to say I was disappointed that the car didn't have that major rush of acceleration I was expecting, but very impressed overall with the entire car and especially with it's quality feel. The seats were very comfortable for sure, I just found the more upright position a bit different than what I've been used to.
It's also entirely possible that this car could be quicker in the quarter than the LS1 f-body, but just doesn't feel as fast since the LS3 is such a smooth engine and also doesn't have that peaky nature of the LS1 (which tends to feel sluggish down low but then kicks in hard at 3500rpm or so and hits you with a rush of power)
It's also entirely possible that this car could be quicker in the quarter than the LS1 f-body, but just doesn't feel as fast since the LS3 is such a smooth engine and also doesn't have that peaky nature of the LS1 (which tends to feel sluggish down low but then kicks in hard at 3500rpm or so and hits you with a rush of power)
