Every Angle of the 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS Automatic

That's not to say that other things haven't changed. The Camaros of the 1960s, with their deep-set gauges, had a real vibe to their cabins, and the modern, sixth-generation car carries that tradition on to perhaps a deleterious extreme. If you're the sort of driver who cares little about seeing what's behind you, Chevy's contemporary pony car is your steed.

Mash the throttle and pray that those within spitting distance of your blind spots assume you're as aggro as the Camaro's angry mien suggests you are. Cabin materials also feel a step behind the most recent Dodge Challenger's and at least two behind the latest Ford Mustang's. The Camaro's trunk opening struggles to swallow a large duffel bag. And its revised-for-2019 nose, particularly on the SS model, is quizzically reminiscent of the new Chevrolet Silverado full-size pickup's, perhaps crossed with the face of the titular alien creature from the Predator films.

GM's 10-speed gearbox, however, quickly makes you forget the lazy days of the Turbo 350 three-speed slushbox that was often tasked with routing power to the rear tires of Camaros of yore. Co-developed with Ford, the Camaro SS's new $1595 optional transmission is a paradigm of torque-transmitting splendor.

It takes the LT1's 455 lb-ft of twist and transmutes it into a solid 3.9-second zero-to-60-mph run and a 12.2-second quarter-mile pass at 118 mph—quicker than examples featuring the standard six-speed manual yet about the same as what the SS could manage with its previous eight-speed automatic.

Although a contemporary Mustang GT fitted with essentially the same transmission is a tenth of a second quicker in both measurements, GM's tuning of the 10-speed lends it a smoother, more cohesive action in casual driving around town. And on our 75-mph highway test loop, the SS posted an impressive 30 mpg, 3 mpg better than its EPA estimate and 6 mpg better than the equivalent Mustang GT along the same route.

Chevrolet has blessed the Camaro SS with a comfortable ride, capable handling, and what is perhaps the best-balanced naturally aspirated V-8 the company has ever produced.

But the everyday livability of the chassis remains tinged by unfortunate packaging and ergonomic issues, and the car's updated visage is significantly more visually challenging than the evocative, throwback designs of its two primary competitors.

Our example's not-insignificant $49,270 as-tested price—which included the Camaro's 2SS trim level, the automatic, $1695 for adaptive magnetorheological dampers, $1595 for Recaro sport seats, $895 for the must-have active performance exhaust, and $495 for Chevy's Infotainment 3 with navigation—further softens its appeal.

Underneath, the 2019 Camaro SS is without doubt a worthy heir to the halcyon halo of Chevy's first-gen pony cars.

But with the excellence of the Mustang's recent refresh (it usurped the Camaro on our 10Best Cars list for 2019) and the surprising marketplace staying power of the ancient-yet-continually-updated Challenger, the suddenly ungainly Camaro SS finds itself a car in search of a very specific customer—a fact that doesn't change whether you opt for the new 10-speed automatic or not.

While the Camaro has certainly earned its share of accolades over the years, both on the street and the racetrack, GM has historically either thrown a heap of resources at the Camaro program or left it to wither on the vine.

Still, over the course of 52 years, the cumulative effect of all those resources adds up, and GM's Alpha platform is as fine as any that underpins a front-engine sporting coupe. In standard SS guise, the package isn't wrapped up quite so tightly as it would be with the Camaro's optional 1LE track package.