Car review of the 2011 Chevrolet Camaro 2LT Coupe, 2011 Camaro 2LT Coupe photos and pics

By Staff

All photos by Chevrolet

12/09/2010

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The 2011 Camaro 2LT Coupe continues the impressive rebirth of the 2010 model with a few notable tweaks. When the Camaro arrived for our review, I took a few moments to admire this victory red car and think about how great it is to have the Camaro back in the game! The 2011 Camaro showed us the past and the future in a skin so stylish I’d call it borderline iconic.

Exterior

The styling of the 2011 Camaro is nothing short of eye-popping and what better way to bring such an important nameplate back to life than with this homerun design. Before the 2010 Camaro hit the streets, many wondered how much of  the concept car the production model carry forward. GM answered the call and invoked the Camaro of the 60's and 70's with a new and fresh design that hit on all cylinders. The Camaro doesn't go as retro as the Ford Mustang or Dodge Challenger, making her own mark instead. The low roofline, aggressive stance, and in-your-face front end make a lasting impression for even the most discerning eyes! The lines on this car are so dead-on, from the fender flanks to the gorgeous rear, you wonder where this Camaro been hiding all of these years? The 20"x8" front and 20"x9" rear flangeless, painted aluminum wheels with midnight silver finish were teamed up with a rear spoiler and unique tail lamps for the RS model we drove. Put simply, The 2011 Camaro is one of the best looking cars on the road today.

Interior

The 2011 Camaro interior added a heads-up display (HUD) that enables you to see your MPH and radio selection projected onto the windshield. I found this to be very useful for keeping your eyes on the road. The interior of the 2011 Camaro sported black leather seating, a Boston Acoustics premium nine-speaker audio system, XM radio, universal home remote, 4 auxiliary gauges, a fabulous telescoping tilt steering wheel, and heated front seats with a six-way power driver’s seat. The 2011 Camaro 2LT Coupe interior also included a sturdy leather wrapped shift knob and full-folding rear seats with trunk passthrough. The design of the interior has a familiar but unique feel  that sat well with us. In some ways, it takes you back to the 60's with the low seating and high hood. I did find the plastic in the door panels to be too much and an upgrade in the material on the dashboard would be a welcome change. The Camaro is too good of a car to have lesser materials in the interior cabin. Beyond that, there was just one design issue I had. There are some blind spot issues that just can't be overcome no matter how hard I tried. I hate to see any changes to the overall cabin design, but something has to be done. If our friends at Chevy could incorporate some form of a blind spot monitoring system in the side mirrors, a feature that has worked well for other vehicles Bullz-Eye has driven, they could overcome a major stumbling block without serious design changes.

Detailed Chevrolet Camaro specifications and ownership information.

Performance

The 2011 Camaro 2LT coupe we drove came with the standard 3.6-liter V6 and an optional six-speed automatic transmission with remote vehicle start. The Camaro is rear-wheel drive and the underpinnings originated with the Pontiac G8, which is a great start. I found that the all-independent suspension produced superior handling when compared to some competitors. The Camaro has the kind of sharp handling you expect from more expensive sports cars. The V6 is capable of 312 horsepower and offers an impressive 29 MPG highway with the six-speed automatic transmission. That's an increase of eight horsepower from the 2010 model. The 278 pound-feet of torque at 5,200 rpm in the 2011 is five pound-feet of torque over last year’s model. Even with that kind of horsepower the 2011 Camaro 2LT still churns out 29 MPG highway. The car handles as well as it looks and the improvements from past Camaros that we have driven are almost not comparable. I owned a 1991 Camaro RS for many years so I write from experience here. In my testing, I found the six-cylinder to be gutsy and capable, but for a car this spectacular I really wanted more. I am confident that the “more” I desired can be found in the SS model, which sports a 6.2-liter V8 with 426 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. Bullz-Eye.com looks forward to driving the SS in the near future as we suspect that the SS will satisfy any appetite for more power over the V6.

Overview

Anyone out there who loves cars needs to get behind the wheel of the new Camaro. The 2011 Camaro 2LT Coupe was a joy to drivefrom the moment I shifted into gear. The Camaro has seen her glory days come and go with her last models falling off the sales charts. It wasn't an easy task to get this car back in the winner’s circle, considering the strong competition in pony cars, but Chevy did it. There also aren't many vehicles out there that invoke the passion of the Camaro. The reaction I received when testing the 2011 Camaro confirmed my feelings many times over. I drove the Camaro to an Ohio State vs. Michigan football game get together and, from scrupulous car veterans to the very young, the universal praise for the 2011 Camaro was vast and unanimous. The Camaro we drove had a sticker price of approximately $30,000. At that price point most cars wouldn't get much attention, but the 2011 Camaro stood out and claimed her rightful place in the hearts and souls of car lovers of all ages!

Click the thumbnails below to see full versions of each photo.

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