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The fifth generation of the Chevrolet Camaro came to the American market in 2010 after a hiatus of close to a decade. Being very synonymous with massive performance numbers, excellent acceleration times, and classy muscle car design, this Chevrolet took forward the ethos of the older generations while fixing most of the loose ends. Launched for a base selling price of $22,000, the fifth-generation Camaro was pretty much a bargain too when compared to many of its rivals from Europe.
Even though the fifth-generation Camaro ended production in 2015, it is still a preferred choice in the used car market by gearheads looking for a great bang for their buck. The LS V8 has got immense potential and the independent rear suspension means that it could put the power down effectively. The enticing design, reasonably spacious cabin, and many pristine examples for not a lot of money also add to its resume. With the fierce competition from the likes of the Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger, here are 10 things you need to know before buying the Chevrolet Camaro.
10/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Is One Of The Most Beautiful Muscle Cars Of The 2000s
The fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is a perfect combination of the retro cool American muscle car design with a tinge of modern elements, both of which make it timeless. Launched in early 2010, it still turns heads when out on the open road. The striking colors, many special editions, and clean and straightforward design are the model’s plus points.
Being part of the Transformer movie franchise, the Camaro received the Transformers Special Edition in 2010, resembling the car in the movie. Other notable special editions included Synergy Special Edition, 2010 Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Special Edition, and Neiman Marcus Edition. The massive alloy wheels, long list of optional aesthetic packages, and ideal wheelbase length make it look very appealing.
9/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Offered Better Handling Than The Older Generation
The fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro is the first Camaro to come with an independent front and rear suspension system. The front end gets the McPherson struts and the rear end comes with a multi-link setup. The coil springs and anti-roll bars on all four corners also add to the impressive driving experience of the Camaro.
The special editions such as the SLP Performance Special Edition came with 20″ 5-spoke alloy wheels and optional Brembo brakes, both of which put it a notch above what the Mustang and Challenger offered. However, if you want to experience the best, we would recommend you opt for the Camaro Z/28 high-performance variant.
8/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Can Be Had For Not A Lot Of Money
Launched for a base selling price of $22,000, the Chevrolet Camaro wasn’t an exorbitantly priced muscle car you could buy at the time. With a lot of examples sold in the USA, you could lay your hands on a good-condition fifth-generation Camaro for a price that is much lower than a new Mitsubishi Mirage.
You can have the Chevrolet Camaro for around the $10,000 mark for a car that has done over 100,000 miles. However, if you are in search of a cleaner and less driven example, expect to spend close to $18,000. Even then, the pricing seems very enticing, and you will get a lot of value for the price you pay.
7/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Z/28 Is Highly Desirable
If you want to experience the true potential of the GM Zeta platform, you need to get the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28. It comes with a lot more equipment and features, and that makes it one of the best driving machines your money could buy under the $50,000 mark.
What makes it a great buy for enthusiasts is due to the inclusion of a full aerodynamic package, a long list of interior upgrades, and the inclusion of the 7.0-liter LS7 V8 engine co-developed with the Corvette Racing. There were many suspension, braking, and cooling system upgrades on offer as well. As a result, the depreciation hasn’t hit the Chevrolet Camaro Z/28 as high as the other lower variants.
6/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Competed In Many Motorsport Events
Like the older generations of the Chevrolet Camaro, the fifth generation moniker competed in many of the motorsport events around the world. It also won many accolades in these events. It was part of the Continental Challenge Grand Sport class and a race in 2009 at Virginia International Raceway.
Other races included the 2010 Rolex Sports Car Series season and the 2010 Continental Challenge entered by TC Motorsports. The fifth-gen Camaro was also present in the NASCAR Xfinity Series from 2013 to 2017. It was successful in NASCAR Nationwide Series as well.
5/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Came With Many Engine Options
The Chevrolet Camaro did receive many engine and transmission options. This also means that there is a Camaro for everyone. The base engine on offer was a 3.6-liter naturally aspirated DOHC LLT V6 producing 335 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque. However, the 3.6-liter naturally aspirated LFX V6 replaced the LLT engine in 2012.
If you want a bit more oomph and the burble of the V8, the Camaro came with a choice of V8 engines. The 5.3-liter LSX V8 with Whipple supercharger was present in the COPO Camaro. The SS variant received the 6.2-liter LS3 V8 for the manual and the 6.2-liter L99 V8 for the automatic. However, the Z/28 received the biggest engine of the lot, the 7.0-liter LS7 V8.
4/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro With The V8 Was Pretty Fast
Even though the V6 engines that came in the Chevrolet Camaro were pretty fast, we would still recommend the impressive LS V8 engines. Coming with multiple V8 options, the 6.2-liter naturally aspirated LS3 V8 that came with the Camaro SS made it one of the fastest muscle cars of the time.
This pushrod 16-valve V8 managed to put out 426 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque with the 6-speed Tremec manual transmission. This helped the car to do the 0-60 mph run in 4.8 seconds and the quarter-mile took 13 seconds at a speed of 111 mph. If you get the one with the 6-speed automatic, the 0-60 mph and quarter-mile times are slightly better.
3/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Is A Reliable Muscle Car
The reliability of the Chevrolet Camaro is excellent, especially when considering the performance under the hood and the long list of standard equipment it came with. Even though the overall interior quality and refinement weren’t as good as what the Europeans offered, the mechanicals was quite bulletproof, making it very easy and cheap to maintain.
There aren’t many common issues with the LS V8 engine and torque converter automatic transmissions. The Tremec and Aisin-sourced manual transmissions were excellent in this regard as well. Chevroletproblems.com has mentioned that premature timing chain wear, radio screens going bad, and airbag sensor issues were the most common faults. However, none of these are major issues.
2/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Came With Many Special Editions
Like the Corvette, the Chevrolet Camaro also came with more than ten special editions in the five years of production. The most famous special editions were the Camaro Transformers Special Edition and Synergy Special Edition. The Transformer Special Edition came to resemble the Bumblebee Camaro from the movie.
The Synergy Special Edition came with many more interior, exterior, and equipment upgrades from the regular Camaro. The Camaro Indianapolis 500 Pace Car Special Edition came in 2010 and only 294 units were ever produced. The Neiman Marcus Special Edition was present only with the convertible variant and the entire lot got sold in just three minutes, making it one of the quickest-selling cars in General Motors’ history.
1/10 The 5th-Gen Camaro Offers Decent Gas Mileage
Fuel efficiency may not be the biggest factor when looking for a Chevrolet Camaro. However, you are going to be happy with the decent fuel efficiency numbers churned out by most of the engines. The V6-engined Camaro offered 17 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway, making it slightly superior to the Ford Mustang.
The combined gas mileage of 21 MPG and a massive fuel tank capacity of 19 gallons means that the tank range is decent too. If you get the 6.2-liter V8 engine that came with the SS trims, the fuel efficiency sees a slight drop to 16 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highways. However, the 7.0-liter V8 offered disappointing gas mileage.
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