2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS 6.2L V8 L99 6AT (405 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After a seven-year hiatus, the Camaro was back on showroom floors and was available right off the bat with its most coveted version, the Super Sport, or the SS for short, and customers loved it.

With its retro-styling appearance imagined by the Korean designer SangYup Lee, the Camaro returned to its roots from the 1967 model year. Unlike its previous two generations, which were hatchbacks, the fifth generation of this famous nameplate was a three-box sedan. The car also stirred emotions due to its role in the Transformers movie as the good hero Bumblebee. However, the first generation of the Camaro was known for its big, powerful V8 under the hood available with the Super Sport package, and that nameplate continued to ignite passions even during the Malaise Era when it became less potent than its Z28 sibling offered on the second generation of this nameplate. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS appeared on showroom floors across the U.S.A. in April 2009 and made customers happy.

Its bold front fascia with its round and recessed headlights was inherited from the Camaro’s first generation. Furthermore, the egg-crate styling for the black grille and the bold and gold bow-tie badge that took center stage confirmed the automaker’s intention to go big with the revived pony car. In addition, unlike its stablemates, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS featured a narrow gap above the grille and a cowl induction hood.

Those who grew up with a first-gen Camaro SS on their bedroom walls would definitely recognize the brand and nameplate of the fifth generation of this two-door coupe without skipping a beat. The long hood, followed by a low-slung greenhouse with narrow windows, was specific for the entire lineup. In contrast, the 20-inch alloy wheels were specific for the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS version. The automaker didn’t consider adding more details to make this version more distinguishable from its stablemate. Still, a hard-core fan of this model would recognize it. At the back, the thick C-posts met the coke-bottle-styled rear quarter panels, and they looked like modern interpretations of vehicles made during the Muscle Car Era. Out back, the automaker installed a tiny lip spoiler on the decklid that didn’t help too much with aerodynamics, but it emphasized the car’s sporty look. Finally, the rear bumper had a trapezoidal-shaped valance on the lower side flanked by the vehicle’s two round exhausts.

Like the rest of its stablemates, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS had a cabin filled with hard plastic materials. However, the high-bolstered bucket seats at the front and the rear bench seat were covered in leather to create a premium feeling for its customers. The three-spoke steering wheel framed an instrument panel designed with rectangular-shaped clusters that flanked an LCD where the navigation info was shown. On the center stack, GM installed a regular AM/FM radio with a CD player and MP3 compatibility. Surprisingly, Bluetooth connectivity was standard only for the 2SS version of the car but not for the 1SS.

Usually, the Super Sport version of the Camaro was bought by those looking for a more potent vehicle that could be fast on a quarter-mile run while being comfortable and looking good as a boulevard cruiser. The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS coupe was spot-on regarding these two factors. Its LS3 V8 engine under the hood sent 416 hp (421 PS) to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. At the same time, those looking for a two-pedal setup were provided with a 400 hp (405 PS) L99 V8 powerhouse paired with a six-speed Hydra-Matic 6L80 automatic gearbox. All SS versions featured a 4.5-link independent rear suspension and a limited-slip differential.