Not an afterthought! The new 2011 Camaro Convertible was conceived at the same time as the coupe. The automotive industry hiccup that was 2010 is over, but it did delay the development of the Camaro Convertible until now. In fact, it’s arriving at your local Chevy dealership as you read this.
Like the coupe, the Camaro Convertible will come with the same 3.6-liter V-6, now rated at 312 bhp, or the 6.2-liter Corvette V-8 with 426 bhp. The 6-speed manual transmission remains standard, with an optional 6-speed automatic that has shift buttons on the steering wheel for rev-matched downshifts with either engine. Interestingly, in response to some slight criticism of the Camaro SS’s handling performance, a running change has been made to improve the car’s road-holding ability and turn-in steering feel. The minor changes include stiffer subframe bushings, a noticeable increase in rebound damping and improved front tire grip courtesy of an updated compound for the 20-in. Pirelli tires. You can spot the better new front rubber because they have this tire performance criteria specification stamped on the side: tPc spec 1334.
The changes to the handling are reflected in the coupe as well. The Chief Engineer of Camaro, Al Oppenheiser, says the goal of the Convertible Camaro was to keep the handling and performance the same. Chevy didn’t want to soften the suspension to accommodate a flimsy chassis, instead focusing heavily on keeping the chassis rigidity on par with the coupe’s. This means the suspension is the same on both models. It’s impressive; few soft tops feel as stiff as the new Camaro Convertible. Under Oppenheiser’s direction, the team added an additional lay of stamped steel to the unibody chassis in specific locations. Where the frame rails are formed by two outer layers on the coupe, the Camaro Convertible gains a third pinched between the two. The result? Improvements in bending and overall chassis rigidity, what is typically lacking in a car that has lost its roof. Adding to the structural stamping changes are several under-body braces that for the most part bolt on and could be applied to the coupe. This is definitely true for the strut tower brace, which is standard on the Camaro Convertible. Another result of all this strengthening is an extra 247 pounds of curb weight, which doesn’t seem to hurt the driving feel much when compared to the coupe.
Driving a 2SS convertible with an optional Hurst short-shifter that decreases throws by 25 percent, I found myself having an easy conversation with Oppenheiser riding shotgun. Top down at 75 mph, the Camaro slices with ease through the warm San Diego morning, the cockpit hardly disturbed by the gently wafting air. Oppenheiser tells me about his personally restored 1968 Camaro Convertible that’s fun to cruise in, but admits that it can’t hold a candle to this new car.
Chevrolet paid particular attention to minimizing vibration in the steering wheel and at the cowl. The steeply raked windshield helps keep air moving smoothly over the car, but it places the windshield header right near the drivers head, as in the Dodge Viper. I could hardly sense any vibration, and with my left arm propped on the sill and holding onto the top of the A-pillar, I couldn’t feel much movement, even on rough roads. I’d say this Camaro Convertible is as stiff as the coupe. The benchmark for stiffness, of note, was the BMW 3 Series Convertible, and Chevy says its Camaro Convertible is actually a bit more rigid than the Bimmer.
With the Camaro’s top up, the interior is quite cozy. It takes about 20 seconds to raise or lower the top, and that can only be done when parked. The triple layer top is thick, good insulation for the four seats. As in the coupe, the Camaro Convertible has a bunker- like feel, the windows a bit like narrow gun ports. From outside the car with the top up, the Camaro Convertible looks much like the coupe, the soft top not altering the Camaro’s fine overall shape. One little gripe: The top requires a tonneau cover for proper stylistic concealment when down. It takes a bit of effort to collapse the cover, and takes up some space in the trunk when not in use. With the top up, the trunk volume is about equal to that of the coupe (10.2 cu. ft.). Top down, though, it’s limited to only 7.9.
Rear seat room is tighter than in the coupe. The seatbacks are more upright, and overall it’s a narrower space. I could, however, wedge my 6-foot tall self behind the driver’s seat that I’d just been sitting in, and probably survive a 20-minute ride back there. To preserve trunk space, the stereo’s 10-in. subwoofer was moved under the top’s storage tray. The woofer ports into the passenger cabin via a soft ventilated mesh that is situated discreetly between the rear seats.
During my scenic morning tour in San Diego’s backcountry, I focused on the steering feel, and how it’s changed. There is a perceptible improvement in immediacy, most likely attributable to the strut-tower brace and subframe bushings. On the twisting back roads it became clear that the front wasn’t washing out easily, and that it required less steering input than the last 2010 coupe I drove. Is it enough to chase down the 2011 Mustang GT? Maybe, as Oppenheiser says the changes have improved the cornering performance of the new Camaro to 0.90g on the skidpad.
Although the Camaro is currently out-selling the Ford Mustang, is it worth $2000 more than Ford’s convertible? Or is the Camaro Convertible worth an extra $6000 over the coupe? Buyers will need to decide for themselves. For the money, the Camaro Convertible offers greater performance, as the Mustang Convertible isn’t nearly as rigid. For my money, this is the only question I’d really have: Are the Camaro Convertible’s optional $470 Rally Stripes an absolute necessity?
