Camaro: GM's power play

Check out the Chevy Camaro on AOL Autos

The Camaro's nicely contoured steering wheel provides good feedback and it has a decent dose of heft. The Camaro doesn't have the X-Acto knife precision of a smaller sports car, but steering response is still sharper and quicker than you might expect from a something called a "muscle car." The Chevy Camaro also suffers from impaired visibility because of its cool-looking narrow windows and and its equally cool little side mirrors.

It is a heavier car than a Ford Mustang, by about 400 pounds, and you can tell. Not that it's a horrible feeling. It's just a different personality from Ford's pony car. Despite it's solid rear axle, the Mustang feels a little more eager to dance. (For now, this is based on driving the Bullitt Mustang, on which the redesigned 2010 Mustang GT is largely based. We'll know more about the new Mustang soon.)

On public roads, the Camaro feels plenty capable. In a curve, the weight feels nicely balanced and easily controlled.

Besides a drop in power and increased fuel economy, the V6 Camaro also provides a more compliant ride, if you're not the type that wants to know about every asphalt patch.

NEXT: Cockpit view