The word subtle is defined by Merriam-Webster’s dictionary as being hardly noticeable. It is synonymous with other words such as understated, quiet, delicate, bland, and sometimes even boring. This adjective is used in the automotive world to describe vehicles that can aimlessly ‘fly’ under the radar and allow drivers to live their lives without any attention. Subtle cars and trucks are often found in rental car parking lots, in front of office buildings or simply not found at all. The word subtle is a perfect descriptor for numerous vehicles on the road but not accurate for all. The 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible for example, does not know the definition of the word subtle and probably never will.
The fifth generation Camaro is a marvel of retro design blended with new-age muscle. Since its release in 2009 as a 2010, the newest Chevrolet muscle car is rapidly gaining various levels of trim and the Convertible is the latest. Released for the 2011 model year, all Camaro Convertibles offer every feature found in the coupe, including drivetrain options. Just like the RS Convertible we tested a few weeks prior, the SS rides on General Motor’s Zeta platform that is borrowed from Australian Holdens. Built in Oshawa, Ontario Canada, the Camaro is still the only Zeta currently produced for the United States. It may be Canadian, but this brawny knuckle dragger is deep down all Detroit iron.
Even though it shares the same interior and chassis as the last Camaro Convertible we tested, our tester is much different. Loaded as a 2011 2SS, our Camaro came equipped with such standard features as a heads-up display, Boston Acoustics eight speaker stereo with 10 inch subwoofer, the ‘4 Pack’ auxiliary gauges, fog lamps, and a limited slip differential. Options included the $500 Interior Accent Package, $470 Black Stripes, $325 Inferno Orange Metallic paint and the $1,200 ‘RS’ package which adds the same style 20 inch wheels and body trim found on the V6 Convertible we drove. Those options added to the SS Convertible’s base MSRP of $39,650 for a total of $42,995 including destination charge.
Unlike the RS Convertible with its 312 horsepower and very peaky V6, the SS gets GM’s legendary LSX V8. At 6.2 liters, the LS3 found under the hood of our tester produces a stout 426 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque from a surprisingly simple design. It may have variable valve timing, but in the LS3 there is no direct injection, fussy forced induction or even complex overhead valve weight to fool around with. This is one of the reasons why GM’s LS series of engines have been so praised since their debut in 1997: it’s simplicity that simply works. Equipped with the heavy-duty TR6060 six speed manual transmission, our tester features the epitome of a modern muscle car power-plant. The combination of eight cylinders and three pedals found in our SS was absolutely wonderful and made for a truly special ride.
Drivetrain wise, the SS Convertible is flat-out remarkable. At first start-up, the Camaro entices its driver with an unmistakable rumble that only Detroit could produce. That rumble settles into a deep thump that actually manages to shake the entire car ever so slightly. As thing get moving, that thump turns into a rumble and as revs climb, the rumble becomes a legitimate roar. The noise that is emitted from the SS Convertible is never really obtrusive, even on the overrun where the exhaust pops and crackles. It simply adds to the joy of driving and is a welcome alternative to the V6 model’s somewhat raspy note.
In order to get things moving, a driver will surely be delighted as the clutch is the right balance between solid weight and easy engagement. The pedals are placed close enough to allow heel-toe downshifting and low rpm gear changes never became ‘jerky’. Initially on the stiff side, the six speed shifter and its short movements become second nature after just a few miles. It is placed just right for fast shifts or lazy right hands and has a heavy, but solid feel. This is by no means a delicate transmission and just from driving the SS, a driver can get a sense of just how well-built and strong this drivetrain really is. Where the V6 model felt engineered, the SS feels much rawer and even organic. The engine and transmission in the SS was grown, not made.
Even though it produces a large amount of horsepower and torque, the SS Convertible is still very heavy. At 4116 lbs, our SS Convertible with the manual transmission is the second highest weighing Camaro on the market today. The V8 adds 140 lbs to the similar V6 automatic Convertible we tested and that weight can be felt in the handling and steering. Oddly, the SS did not feel as precise as the V6 model nor did it feel as trusting in tighter corners. The grip was there, but the added weight to the SS was put all up front which hinders communication between the driver and what the front end is actually doing. The SS Convertible is much more comfortable simply cruising or bombing down the highway than racing around tight corners. Fortunately, the added power of the V8 puts the our tester into legitimate Grand Touring territory where the V6 couldn’t really break into to. Power comes on anywhere in the rev range and passing is never an issue unless in sixth gear. Not ravenous or shocking, the Camaro SS Convertible surges forward in a very composed manner. It is a very fast car but is oddly mature about the way it builds speed.
Adding to wonderment of the SS Convertible is the fully electric, power soft top. After a lock release and the longest 20 seconds of this driver’s life, the Camaro’s profile morphs into something that is actually unique. Unlike a lot of convertible variants of cars, the Camaro Convertible doesn’t look ‘out of place’ or ‘unfinished’ with its top down but instead manages to look better than its coupe counterpart. The face is still just as menacing, the fenders are just as bulging and the rear is still long and low. In Convertible form, the Camaro simply works and will receive more attention than almost anything else on the road. On every trip, our tester received numerous ‘thumbs up’, head nods, open compliments and even the occasional “WOW” from onlookers. It is utterly impossible to go unnoticed in the Camaro Convertible and that will be the case for the next few years if not more. People simply like the fifth generation’s classic lines and the Convertible adds to the appeal. But unlike the V6 model which has more bark than bite, the SS actually has the power to justify its looks.
For 2011, Chevrolet has built a car from a recipe book that must have been written in 1969. The Camaro SS Convertible is so retro in its looks and feel that it actually has something that is hard to find in modern vehicles: character. It is a kind of heavy metal car that is just as synonymous with America as apple pie. And even though it is loud, big, and fast, the SS is surprisingly efficient. On the highway, the long range sixth gear and massive torque allowed this driver to see 26 mpg which is equal to if not better than other similarly priced grand touring cars. In town, however, is a whole different story where we averaged anywhere between 17 to 15 mpg. That rating is a little more ‘retro’ than say an Infiniti G Coupe or BMW 3 Series Coupe but neither of those cars can drawl the same amount of attention that the Camaro can. It is that attention that makes the Camaro Convertible the type of car that only a special type of buyer should consider. Bathed in the brightest of oranges and showcasing its black, war paint stripes, our tester was simply unable to go unnoticed no matter what and there are serious doubts as to if a different color combination would cause a change. Fortunately, the SS can get away from those crowds at an extraordinary pace if needed and will do so in a composed and comfortable fashion. But of course, once a driver slows down or stops, they will become the center of attention as the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible does not know the meaning of the word subtle.
