Before we get started, full disclosure: Your humble author has a rich yet somewhat checkered history with the Chevrolet Camaro.
The story begins in 1992 when a fresh-faced yours truly pulled the trigger on a ‘used’ (read: extremely janky) 1987 IROC-Z model, resplendent in its faded red paint, sporting a plastic louvered rear window cover and motivated by a tired 305 TPI V8 that had seen better days. Overall, it was a car that is fondly remembered for the most part. Aside from wearily explaining to friends and family that no, IROC stood for International Race of Champions (and not ‘I Run On Cologne’) and begging the 305 to start on many a morning, it was the gateway drug that cemented a lifelong yearning for V8 powered, rear-wheel drive fun on the cheap. That is, until the 305 gave up the ghost on a deserted rural road on a frigid fall night, gushing coolant in a torrent of shame while the crankshaft made its last, heroic revolution before falling silent forever.
Years later, a decent 2003 SS version powered by a lusty LT1 V8 making a heady (for the time) 275 horsepower combined with a socially irresponsible Magnaflow exhaust system (procured from a very questionable dealership whose office was a dilapidated construction trailer) rumbled into my life. It was a sensational car, but one that had to be sold after a short time given that I struggled to afford the high-octane gas it greedily swilled- not to mention the many speeding tickets and increased insurance premiums that resulted from indulging in untold trips to the redline spurned on by the rorty 5.7 litre V8.
Aside from a very brief stint in a friend’s 2014 Z/28 limited production model- an epic track car powered by GM’s heroic 7.0 LS7 titanium valved V8- the Camaro largely faded into the background as the years went by, especially so after we became awestruck over Ford’s flat plane Voodoo powered Mustang GT350 in 2016.
Our interest was rekindled when GM’s public relations team let slip that a 2022 Rapid Blue liveried, 2SS 1LE trimmed Camaro SS had a vacancy in late summer, we decided to see what’s what after eight years of ambivalence towards Chevy’s pony car. We had an inkling it would be a good week- but we were not prepared for the unmitigated swooning that followed even after driving it for only a few minutes.
That’s right folks- the Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE is one of the best cars we have had the pleasure of driving all year. Not only that but we have arrived at the conclusion that it is one of the best and wholly realized sports cars you can buy, full stop.
So how did we get here? The Camaro has been relentlessly dogged over the years trying to shake off its old reputation of being labelled a mouth breathing, knuckle dragging oaf. Looking back at my own experiences, that doesn’t seem to be wholly inaccurate. But since it was decided back in 2016 that the 6th generation Camaro would be built on GM’s lauded Alpha platform, those abrasive stereotypes began to lose traction quicker than my dear old IROC shod with nearly bald Goodyear Eagles on a rain slicked road.
Today’s Camaro in all its forms, ranging from a turbocharged four-cylinder, middle child V6 all the way up to the mighty SS has steadily reclaimed some the respectability that has eluded it for so long. It has always made for a compelling alternative over its Ford Mustang/Dodge Challenger pony car brethren- especially to the loyalists who’ve stuck with the model through thick and thin, many of them likely sporting a bicep tattoo of Calvin urinating on a Blue Oval or Mopar badge wearing his trademark mischievous grin. The 1LE package Chevy brings to the table transforms an already capable car into something that can more than hold its own against some very serious performance machinery hailing from across the pond.
Don’t believe it? Back in 2016, the folks at Car and Driver subjected an LT1-powered, 1LE trimmed Camaro to the crucible that is their Lightning Lap competition held yearly at Virginia International Raceway, one of the more challenging racetracks in North America. Get this: not only did it match the formidable Ferrari 488 GTB for lateral grip in one of the faster corners, but it also dominated the climbing esses section of circuit to the point where it carried more speed through that sector than the McLaren 570S. We don’t have to remind you how vastly cheaper the Camaro is compared to these bona fide exotics, but we will take this opportunity to save you from a trip to Google in telling you that it put down a lap time mere eye blinks behind some of the greatest sports cars of the day, namely the the Audi R8 V10 Plus and the Porsche Cayman GT4.
Before we delve into the Camaro SS ILE’s incredible sports car prowess, we should probably tell you about some of the goodies served up when you tick the 1LE box on the order sheet ($8,495):
- GM’s Magnetic Ride Control
- Electronic Limited-Slip Differential with a track friendly 3.73 axle ratio
- Brembobrakes with 6-piston monobloc front calipers up front, 4-piston rear calipers out back
- Track Cooling Package compete with engine oil, differential and transmission coolers
- Dual-mode performance exhaust system
Suffice it to say, the asking price of the 1LE package is an insane bargain. Try to replicate that kind of hardware in any sports car of your choosing- we’ll save you the trouble by telling you that it simply cannot be done, at least not without paying a whole lot more over the 1LE’s price of admission.
Some of the bits exclusive to the 1LE can be found inside the cockpit, the most notable being an Alcantara trimmed shift lever and steering wheel combined with Recaro bucket seats. The latter are much better realized than the uncomfortably snug versions Ford specifies for the Mustang and are just as adept at holding you firmly in place as cornering g’s ramp up as they are comfy on long trips. Plus, they offer both heating and cooling capability where the ‘Stang does not. Some of us frowned at that the choices Chevy made for interior finishings, complaining that they fall on the wrong side of cheap- and they aren’t wrong- but we had way too much fun wringing out the 1LE to give them much notice.
After all, exploiting the SS 1LE’s potential is the reason you buy this car, not for carefully executed French stitching on the dash. To that end, the Camaro is blessed with a sensational drivetrain- a bellicose gem of a 6.2 litre V8 hooked up to a slick shifting 6-speed manual sending its power to the rear axle and its very trick eLSD. One of the things General Motors does better than anyone else in the industry is its Performance Traction Management (PTM) multi-stage traction control that gradually allows less intervention and more lurid slip angles as your confidence level allows. It can make even the most ham-fisted drivers look much more heroic than their skill level would leave you to believe. If you like, it can be fully shut off should you choose to explore the lofty limits of the Camaro’s handling but doing so anywhere else other than a racetrack is ill-advised. Another bit of technology GM has perfected over the years is their Magnetic Ride Control suspension which blesses the Camaro with the duality of enormous grip coupled with astonishingly agreeable ride quality when you’re not clipping apexes.
The active exhaust system that comes standard offers similar bandwidth. Don’t want to wake the neighbours when setting off early in the morning? Activate Stealth mode and slink away mostly unnoticed. On the other side of the spectrum is Track mode, which allows the bellowing V8 to sing its knee-weakening soundtrack at full volume, complete with delightful pops and bangs when you lift off the throttle.
When it comes time to rein in the glut of speed effortlessly summoned by the LT1, the upgraded brake calipers chomp down on larger two-piece rotors fore and aft with a vengeance and never once showed signs of fading. That seems like a good time to tell you that this is one of the best attributes of the 1LE- it seems to thrive on abuse where other cars wither and pathetically skulk back to the paddock in limp home mode after a few hot laps. Its plethora of coolers, tireless brakes and stout components mean that you can (and should) lap this car to your heart’s content without worrying about overheating or damage.
By now you get the idea that the Camaro SS 1LE is a truly world class drivers’ car by any metric. Is it perfect? No, but as far as we can tell there are only three flaws you’ll be asked to out up with if you buy one. The first is that from an ergonomics standpoint, the Camaro is a headscratcher. The infotainment display is canted downwards as if it was glowering down on the shifter. Your right hand will get cold and clammy when you blast the A/C on hot days because the HVAC vents are way below where you expect them to be and send chilly air not quite where you want it. The most glaring issue of all is one that has been talked about ad nauseum and that would be the outward visibility, or lack thereof. The sightlines out of the Camaro are kind of atrocious and you will rely on the blind spot warnings like you never have before when changing lanes. Lastly, the trunk has an opening that makes loading bulkier items a chore and will mandate you to pack light on longer trips because it isn’t exactly commodious. At least the rear seats, which are laughable for even smaller humans to utilize, offer additional storage space.
All these gripes are legitimate, but trust us when we say that you’ll be having too much fun to care. The only other negative bit would-be Camaro SS 1LE owners will have to deal with is the same chides your humble scribe dutifully navigated back in the day, and that is the snarky and misguided comments that people make towards a car that is massively misunderstood. “It’s a ‘Bro’ car”, some remarked on more than one occasion. Hearing that, we’d just shrug and smile inwardly, secure in the knowledge that this is a truly special car.
The fact is, the Camaro SS 1LE is one of those cars that embodies the philosophy of ‘if you know, you know.’ It is a truly extraordinary car, hiding in plain sight even if its nuances take some time to uncover before revealing themselves. That journey of discovery is one we relished, so much so that we will go on record repeating what we said earlier- that it was easily one of the best and most memorable cars we drove all year. The Camaro isn’t a tool that you might use for errand running or for schlepping the kids to hockey practice (although you can do those things with it.) No, this is a car that is purpose built to deliver driving nirvana, and it nails that objective perfectly. Cars like this are on borrowed time and will be terribly missed when the production line inevitably goes dark in the next few years.
We found the perfect antidote for this forecast of doom and gloom while driving the Camaro SS 1LE. Settle into the Recaro seat, slot the shifter into first gear and chase the big V8’s redline to your hearts content. Just try and keep that goofy, ear-to-ear grin off your face. Maybe it’s time your author looked into adding a third Camaro to his automotive resume…
2022 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS 1LE - Specifications
- Price as tested: $61,038
- Body Type: 2-door, 2+2 passenger Coupe
- Powertrain Layout: Front engine/rear-wheel drive
- Transmission: 6-speed manual
- Engine: 6.2 litre V8, 16 valves, OHV
- Horsepower: 455 @ ,000 rpm
- Torque (lbs-ft.): 455 @ 4,400 rpm
- Curb weight: 1,718 kg (3,788 lbs)
- Observed Fuel Consumption: 12.5L/100km (19 mpg)