So, today I went to check out a yellow IROC-Z which I'm considering buying, and right across the street is a Chevy dealer. I figured, while I'm here.....


The car I drove was a 2SS, six speed, with the RS pkg and sunroof. It stickered for $36,xxx. And it was black. I have a thing for black cars and I have to say it looks just gorgeous in that color.

The car drives really nice. The LS3 is magnificent, although strangely, my "butt dyno" was expecting it to be faster. Acceleration felt very similar to a 4th gen LS1 - that is again, according to the "butt dyno". Brakes are stroooooong. I had a chance to take it down a twisty road and the car's dynamics feel well balanced and responsive. I was particularly interested to sample the steering, considering the remarks we've heard in all the reviews. The steering is 'good', but I can see exactly what they're talking about.

The interior? Well, what do you want me to tell you guys? I think it's just plain weird, nothing is going to change that. The shifter ball has kind of a goofy shape to it too, which doesn't necessarily feel good in my hand.

Overall though, this is a really nice package. Is it big? Yes. Does it feel heavy? Yes. Do you have the best visibility in the world? No.
I think Geoff Chadwick posted here afew days ago that he thought the G8 GT felt more nimble than the Camaro. I didn't really get that impression. I thought the Camaro I drove was quite abit better than the G8 - but if you've driven a G8, you get the jist of what Camaro's chassis dynamics feel like.

Camaro Team - good job overall. But I think everyone here knows what I want. If this car were alittle bit smaller, and alittle bit lighter and alittle bit more nimble it would truly be off the charts as a driver's car. As is though, it's very good. Go get yours...

 

 

All right, who got ahold of Charlie's login?

It would have been even more interesting if you were able to get out, drive over to the Ford dealership and test drive a new Mustang GT. I get the sense that the magazines thought highly of the Camaro's handling just as you have....until the actual comparison test where they like Mustang's even better.

I'm assuming you couldn't really toss it around at its limits....

 

No ****ing way.

 

What about the IROC?

I know what you mean about the shift ****. That thing would be gone before I got home. I'm even considering swapping out the one on our A6 because it feels so strange. The 4th gen Hurst ****, and the stocker from my C6 are my all time favorites I think.

 

Ohhh very funny....

Actually, it's been awhile since I drove a Mustang and I haven't sampled the latest one with a Track Pack, but my recollections are that it did feel more nimble with better steering than the SS. It was an '06 or'07 M5 GT, BTW.

With that said, the Camaro's chassis feels very balanced. That twisty road I mentioned, I went down pretty briskly. Not ***** out, but certainly exceeding the speed limit by a good margin, (if my insurance agent is reading this, I'm a big liar and you can't believe a word I say ). I can imagine though, pushing it to the limits, it's sheer size and mass would bite me.

Put it like this, for what the Camaro Team was given to start with, they did a great job.

 

Well, I'm looking for another IROC. Either a silver '85 w/red interior or a yellow '85-'87. TPI or L69 preferred.

This one was pretty solid, but very tired. It had almost 150K on it - and looks it. It also looks like it has a dirty little secret in it's past - the radiator support came from a red car. But, it's pretty cheap. And that's the dilemma. Do I buy a cheap one which requires a freaking ton of money to fix, or do I just pay a freaking ton of money for a low miles, primo one and just enjoy it? Right now I've got a line on two yellow ones in the first category and one silver one in the second.

 

this

 

I can't believe you liked it! I'm glad you at least tried it though, it makes your opinion more acceptable IMO.

On the thirdgen note: A secret car I desire is an 87 yellow 350 IROC, I bet not many of those were built though.

 

 

Like Z28Wilson said, it would have been great if you also drove down to the Ford dealership and compared the Mustang... unless you already have?

 

+1.

 

You sign the papers yet?

Glad you liked it...no more for you....

 

Nice review, Charlie.

 

Dude, you should have been on the focus group.