Test Drive: 2015 Chevrolet Camaro V6 Convertible

The latest generation of the Chevrolet Camaro has been one of those cars that, to me at least, looks pretty interesting, but I have never felt the urge to drive. While planning a trip to visit some friends and their toddler in Northern California, I stumbled upon a rental car deal using my AAA membership that was too good to pass up. When I left the Enterprise desk at the airport, I ended up driving off with a bright red, 2015 Chevrolet Camaro V6 convertible...for $35 a day. Considering that it was only a mere $3 more per day than whatever crappy sub-compact car I was originally going to get, I definitely call this a worthy upgrade.

Daydreams: F-Body Camaro SS and TransAm WS6

GMs F-body cars have always had a particular appeal to me. It could be that I got hooked after growing up as a huge fan of the Pontiac TransAm that served as the basis for KITT on the 80's classic TV show Knight Rider. It could also be that I just loved the long hood look of this traditional RWD platform. Even the classic Camaro's from the first-generation of this platform, which started the iconic look are oft admired, though mostly from afar. Of course, growing up in the 90's meant that it was the Fourth Generation F-Body cars, the Camaro and Firebird, that stuck in my mind. Those swoopy designs with all of the crazy body kits and powered by push-rod based American V8 muscle were among the more attainable cars that I lusted after as a kid and it still makes me smile to see the rare pristine example driving on the road.

Events: Herb Chambers Cars and Coffee July 2014

Last October, I attended the Cars and Coffee event put on by local dealer mogul, Herb Chambers. The event was great as it drew lots of enthusiasts of all stripes and included lots of people who genuinely appreciate cars. The variety of both cars and people who attend is astounding and I had the good fortune to find one more opportunity to check out the event this year. This time, instead of Sharon, MA, the event was held at Flagship Motorcars, a Mercedes dealership in the Herb Chambers family located in Lynnfield. It is well situated on a side street off of a major highway, allowing, one again, for a spectacular show as drivers departed the event. What sets apart these Cars and Coffee events from the official one for the Boston area is the fact that the dealership has access to a huge selection of exotic cars that they are not afraid to trot out and put on display. This means that even if participants are not able to make it, at the very least there is plenty of eye candy for all to see.

Click past the jump to access the photo gallery and to see select photos and videos from the event.

Road Trip: National Harbor to Richmond, VA

The day was already off to a less than auspicious start. My flight into National Airport, just outside of DC, had gone smoothly enough despite being a bit late. The shuttle to National Harbor was uneventful enough, despite requiring a much longer wait than originally expected. Things started to come apart at the seams, however, when I stopped at the Hertz rental car counter in the hotel to pick up the car I had reserved. Apparently, they had a few cars that were delayed in coming back and despite the fact that I had a reservation to pick up the car at 3:30PM, the earliest a car would be available would be 6PM. Since I was expected to be in Richmond, about 2 hours away, for dinner, that just wasn't going to cut it. Throw in some surly service from an overwhelmed counter rep and my patience was wearing thin. Figuring that the airport location would have more cars, I called for a shuttle and headed back to the airport.

Arriving at the airport location, I headed for the Hertz counter. The large number of people sitting around waiting should have been a clue, but I was hoping for the best. I approached the counter and as the guy pulled up my reservation on the computer, it was looking like things would finally be going my way. We went through nearly the entire process before the rep at the counter informed me, with an air of "sucks to be you," that there was a 90-minute wait for a car. Running out of time, I gave the rep a piece of my mind, in no uncertain terms, before canceling my reservation. Taking a step back, head full of steam, I looked down the row of rental car counters and picked out Budget, mostly because there was absolutely no one in line. Before I even began the process, I asked the counter rep if they had cars available immediately and he assured me that he did, although they only had coupes left: one Mustang and one Camaro. Before deciding, I inquired as to whether the cars were V6 or V8 versions - the Mustang was six-cylinder, but the Camaro was an SS with the V8. Jackpot!

News: Hertz expands rental of performance and exotic cars

An original Mustang GT350H, part of the Hertz
Rent-a-Racer program of the 1960's.

Once upon a time, the American enthusiast was able to go to his or her local Hertz rental counter and indulge themselves with the rental of a Carroll Shelby tuned Mustang GT350H. Some customers were purported to have taken the cars and actually gone to the race track or drag strip. Others claimed to have taken the motor out of the Hertz Shelby to install in their personal race car for the day, returning the mill to the rental car before dropping it back off at their rental car location. People came up with all sorts of creative ways to enjoy the cars and it was genuinely a golden age for enthusiasts. By offering this on-of-a-kind Rent-a-Racer program, Hertz generated a great deal of loyalty among enthusiasts. However, while the program was a success for customer loyalty, the cost to maintain the high performance fleet became excessive and eventually, Hertz did away with the program entirely.

Fast forward to 2013 where Hertz is back with a selection of high performance and exotic cars available for rent through the Hertz website. The list of models is quite extensive with options ranging from the Ford Mustang GT and Chevy Camaro to exotics like the Audi R8, Mercedes SLS AMG, and even a Tesla Model S. The cost varies greatly depending on the model of car, but something like a Porsche Boxster can be had for a not totally unreasonable $395/day. The only real restriction is that only 75 miles are included with the rental with additional mileage available at a fixed rate per mile. Other normal rental car rules and policies apply, but it is an opportunity to get behind the wheel of an otherwise less attainable vehicle for the average enthusiast.

Read more about the program after the break.

Test Drive: 2011 Chevy Camaro SS 6MT

The modern retro revival theme, originally started with the introduction of the Ford Mustang, was continued when GM brought out the new Chevrolet Camaro. Billled as a true pony car successor to the F-body version that had been so popular during the late 90's before its demise, the new Camaro borrows themes from the classics and gives them a modern interpretation, creating an exciting looking car, powered by the ubiquitous LSX motors shared with the Corvette and several other GM products. The car was an exciting entry when it came out, promising a cool look and great performance to rival the latest Mustang and Challenger. But does the Camaro deliver as a performance car or is it an anachronism dressed up in modern mechanics?