Chevy Camaro Deemed by Car Connection “Best Performance Buy for 2020”

Aaron Cole is the experienced and well-versed editor for The Car Connection, and he began his latest feature about our prized Camaro by lamenting that “These are halcyon days for horsepower”. In regards to the best reasons to purchase one, he opens up with saying that nothing provides as “intoxicating a mix” in regards to the horsepower and throaty V-8 for the price. The SS model focuses heavily on the 6.2-liter V8, which cranks out 455 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. It is paired with the 6-speed manual transmission that Aaron ranks as the most engaging out there, and rises up from zero to 60 mph at around 4.3 seconds.

When compared to the LT1 model, the SS features a larger 8.0-inch touchscreen, Brembo Brakes, performance tires, and a digital instrument information display as standard. The SS also provides the addition of available magnetic dampers that really mold the car into a shining star on the track. After the additional finesse of a 1LE suspension tune, the SS is ready to take on anything track-related, with a lot of heart and sheer muscle.

When stacking up the Camaro to it's prominent crosstown rival in the form of the Mustang, the Car Connection team points out that they love the 5.0-liter V8 that makes 460 hp, but the Camaro beats out the Mustang when it comes to handling. In regards to the Mustang GT, it is improved with a Performance Package 2 upgrade, but after extensive driving, was still not deemed as nimble when it came to navigating every single little bump and turn on the track. It was not long ago that cars that boasted more than 400 horsepower were usually going to hover around the six-figure range, and all of us here at West Chevy of Knoxville agree that these are exciting times for anyone who wants to experience this type excitement on a bit of a  budget.

This is the longstanding “pony pride” of the Chevy line that Car and Driver bills as “endlessly enjoyable to drive”, and offers up something for everyone as far as driving experience overall. For 2020, the lineup also saw the addition of a new Rally Green paint color  and a few other options to hone in and personalize your Camaro. The LT1 Model is the entry point designed to make V-8 power more accessible to the masses, but the SS is where you see truly linear power delivery, and heart-pumping acceleration enhanced by the dual-mode exhaust.

The professionals who have years of experience with high-performance cars that have driven the Camaro as of late say that the brake performance is fantastic: aggressive and assuring responses are the norm, and every time you engage it's obvious that years of research and development more than paid off. Key safety features include available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, forward-collision warning, and available rear parking sensors.