Price as tested $30,025
Engine type 5.7-liter ohv V-8
Horsepower 325 bhp @ 5200 rpm
Torque 345 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Transmission 6-speed manual
Tires Goodyear F1, 275/40ZR-17
0–60 mph 5.5 sec
Braking 60–0 129 ft
Lap time 2 minutes, 16.46 sec
Slalom 60.0 mph
Skidpad 0.87g

Price as tested $43,743
Engine type 3.2-liter dohc 24V I-6
Horsepower 240 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque 236 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm
Transmission 5-speed manual
Tires Dunlop SP Sport 8080; 225/45ZR-17 f, 245/40ZR-17 r
0–60 mph 5.4 sec
Braking 60–0 121 ft
Lap time 2 minutes, 17.28 sec
Slalom 63.0 mph
Skidpad 0.89g

"Value." If there's a better word to describe the Chevrolet Camaro SS, I can't think of it. Sure, it's fast and fun, handles well and makes all the right V-8 sounds, but when it comes to trading dollars for speed, the SS stands alone. Even its faster, racier and more modern Corvette Z06 sibling (an incredible value too), is hard-pressed to compete with the Camaro's bang-for-buck factor.

For roughly one-half the cost of the Porsche 911 Turbo's engine, you can have a chest-thumping, all-American, 325-bhp pony car that will do 0–60 mph in 5.5 seconds and lap a racetrack faster than many more sophisticated (and expensive) sports cars. Admittedly, it accomplishes all this in a traditional way, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with how the SS achieves its numbers.

Out on the open road, the SS proves it's more than just a straight-line performer. Thanks to wider 275/40ZR-17 Goodyear F1 tires, a stiffer shock/spring package and a larger front anti-roll bar than the standard Camaro, the SS handles exceedingly well for a car considered by many as "low-tech." Overall grip and predictability are good, and after getting over the rather high ride height, you can push the car with an increased degree of confidence.

At the racetrack, the SS raised more than a few eyebrows. Everyone expected it to rocket down the straights, but it ended up cornering well too — proof that high tech isn't necessarily the only show in town. While it certainly could work better over bumps and through quick transitions, the SS is generally stable, predictable and as such, surprisingly fast. Grip doesn't measure up to the sticks-like-glue adhesion of the Z06, but with less power, it's not as big an issue.