Lust Object

I could see myself in one of these…

(Images are screen-shots from the downloadable brochure. Click for larger, of course.)

That would be the 2010 Camaro, which comes in several flavors… ranging from mild to wild. But even the “mild” version comes with a standard 3.6 liter (217 cu. in.) V6 that puts out an astounding 304 hp while getting an estimated 18 miles per gallon (city) and 29 mpg on the highway. Just to put that in perspective… The Second Mrs. Pennington’s 1992 Corvette (which later became mine) put out 300 hp and got all of about 18 mpg on the highway… if you kept your foot out of it... which was pretty danged hard to do, given that 300 hp is a LOT of fun!

The base Camaro begins at $22,995.00… and a moderately tarted-up V6 LT2 model has an MSRP of $27,330.00. That sounds pretty danged reasonable to me, and it also makes me wonder if GM has changed its long-standing policy about not allowing the GM employee discount on new models. I suspect they just might have done so, given the current sales environment. (Full disclosure: The family and I are eligible for that discount by virtue of me being an EDS retiree. SN1 just used the discount last month to buy a new Tahoe.)

But… back to the car. If the base V6 ain’t enough for you and you happen to be a serious horsepower freak… there’s always the 426 hp 2SS model that begins at $34,180.00. Or, as the brochure sez:

If you seek the ultimate, why not own the ultimate — the SS. Call it the extreme Camaro, with performance credentials that compare to many supercars. Its standard 6.2L V8 lays down an incredible 426 hp and a massive 420 lb.-ft. of torque when mated to the standard short-throw six-speed manual — all without a federal gas-guzzler tax.

That last bit I highlighted is pretty danged impressive, in its own right. But 304 horsepower seems like enough for YrHmblScrb. Insurance being a consideration, and all that…

Motor Trend likes the new Camaro, too. The Camaro SS was the winner in a shoot-out between the Camaro, the Mustang GT, and the new Dodge Challenger. Watch...