The small-block engine is currently offered with direct injection, and few LTs are as proficient as the LT1 in the Camaro SS. The question is, can the naturally-aspirated pony car keep the turbo sixer BMW M340i at bay?
From the spoiler in the headline, it’s pretty obvious the Chevy has the upper hand on the strip. Filmed at Barona Drags in California, the 1/8-mile drag race in the featured clip ends in a humiliating defeat for the sports sedan.
Not only does the rear-driven BMW react a little slow at launch, but its turbocharged 3.0L straight-six powerplant simply cannot outperform the 6.2L small-block mill in the Camaro SS. To whom it may concern, we’re dealing with a 2020 model year M340i and a 2018 Chevrolet Camaro SS.
Currently listed from $54,700 excluding taxes and options like xDrive all-wheel drive, the Bavarian sedan promises 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) in 4.4 seconds. Even at that price, BMW charges extra for features that should have been standard, goodies such as Lane Departure Warning.
What’s more, BMW has the audacity of charging $2,400 for the Cooling and High-Performance Tire Package although we’re dealing with an M Performance family member that should, in theory, perform as intended.
Over at Chevrolet, the biggest of the Big Three in Detroit used to sell the Camaro SS with a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed box. The automatic option, funnily enough, is more frugal on the highway and in the city even though it weighs 12 pounds (almost 5.5 kilograms) more.
The Camaro SS leveled up to a ten-speed transmission for the 2019 model year, but to no avail. The Mustang’s biggest rival continues to sell worse than ever before, and there is talk the Camaro will be phased out in 2024.
GM is rumored to replace it with an all-electric sports sedan, essentially going the way of the Dodge Charger but without the glorious V8 burble.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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