Film, music and literary critics have long pointed out that nearly all fictional narrative from the Los Angeles area takes place in either blinding sunlight or cinema noir darkness. If this is true, we certainly had the right cars for the job. Hoping to beat the morning rush hour, we motored north out of L.A. in the wee hours of the morning and drove through the pitch-dark chill with our two pony car convertible tops securely in the up position, heat blasting away.
After breakfast in the aptly named beach town of Summerland, just south of Santa Barbara, the sun rose warmly over the Coastal Range and the tops went down. From Raymond Chandler to the Beach Boys, with just the flipping of a few latches and the push of a button—and 5 minutes fooling around with the somewhat wonky top covers, but we’ll get to that later. Anyway, it was suddenly time to get the sunscreen out. Hence the name “convertible,” I guess. The best of both worlds.
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And what we have here are not just a pair of convertibles, but ragtops with real horsepower and an all-American heritage that goes back to the halcyon days when the Beach Boys really were boys. And it must be said the cars have aged somewhat better than those of us who still own “Help Me Rhonda” in the original vinyl.
The Camaro SS, for instance, has independent rear suspension for an improved ride, and, while the Mustang GT still uses a traditional live rear axle, both cars have engines that put out more than 400 bhp. They also have 6-speed transmissions with tall gearing to reduce the old ’60s roar to a calm heartbeat at highway cruising speeds. And real brakes to slow them down—ventilated discs all around. So these two updated rivals are similar in many ways, but are still not exactly the same car, as we shall see.
2011 Camaro SS Convertible
2nd Place - Points 383.8





Let’s start with styling. All of us on this comparison trip agreed that the Camaro looks nicer—and feels better to drive—as a convertible, just because it’s lost some of that bunker look that its low top and window line normally give the hardtop. As a convertible, its lower body lines look more cleanly chiseled and less Pixar-like.
The Camaro’s top also folds flatter into the body than the Mustang’s, leaving less of a hump, but it does intrude into what is already a much smaller trunk. And if you have too large a suitcase in the trunk the Camaro won’t let you lower the top, while the Mustang’s trunk compartment is entirely separate from the top well. The Camaro has a single pull-and-twist central top release at the leading edge, while the Mustang has two side levers. Both tops retract electrically—and rather slowly. When they’re fully down, you have to take a thick plastic/foam cover from out of the trunk and install it over the fabric top. Both designs seem like an afterthought and take a few minutes to secure and tuck in. These covers take away a little of the spontaneity you might enjoy in, say, a Porsche Boxster, where the front part of the convertible top is its own cover. You can leave these covers off, of course—as long as it doesn’t rain while you’re in the restaurant—and I suspect most drivers will.





The Camaro’s interior design is modernistic but slightly untethered in time, neither starkly modern nor pony car traditional. The large tach and speedo faces are rectangular with plastic rims that stick out, ear-like, above the steering wheel, and the center control console has ’70s science-fiction robot look to it, with a bulge in the center. On the positive side, all controls are easy to find, and the Camaro has two of our favorite convertible-friendly buttons—those with little pictures of heated seats on them. It also has an excellent full set of engine gauges below the center heat/sound system controls.
The Camaro’s seats are supportive and very comfortable, lacking only adjustable lumbar support to be perfect. The built-in lumbar curve, however, is pretty good. Wind flow over the steeply raked windshield is good with the top down, but there is some wind noise at the rear side windows with the top up.
On the road, the Camaro’s personality is dominated by the big 6.2-liter V-8, which cranks out 426 bhp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque and makes wonderful throaty noises when you put your foot in it, yet is remarkably smooth and refined both on the highway and around town. It winds out cleanly and pulls with docile willingness at low revs. It’s geared taller than the Mustang, however, so you can find yourself a little flat-footed when moving out to pass in 6th gear. Fifth is a better choice, and 4th is absolutely ferocious.





The 6-speed manual transmission is very good—if not quite as slick-shifting as the Mustang’s—though both drivers noticed that you have to keep a light rightward pressure on the gearshift to go from 6th to 5th to avoid accidentally dropping into the 3rd gate.
Ride quality is excellent in the Camaro and the steering is direct and nicely weighted, with just an occasional trace of kickback over rough surfaces. Grip with the Camaro’s beefy 20-in. Pirelli P Zero tires (larger and wider [in back] than the Mustang’s 19-in. Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar rubber) is excellent and the car can be thrown around confidently on mountain roads, with seemingly limitless stick.
Even so, the smaller-tired Mustang still bested the Camaro in both our slalom and skidpad testing. Some of this difference is no doubt due to the Camaro’s hefty curb weight of 4190 lb.—445 lb. heavier than the Mustang! Yikes. Interestingly, the Camaro and Mustang both recorded exactly the same braking distances from 60 and 80 mph.
Overall, the Camaro is a fast, smooth, pleasant car to drive, but that extra weight does make it feel like more of a chunk than the Mustang—albeit a more solid chunk. A little dieting would increase the fun factor and reduce the acceleration times, which are generally just a tick slower than the Mustang’s.
2011 Mustang GT Convertible
1st Place - Points 394.8





Might as well get the styling part over early, as we did with the Camaro. It’s our (okay, my) belief that the previous generation Mustang was more distinctive-looking, particularly in the hindquarters, where the new version is more tapered and less bold. The old one evoked a bit of the first-generation ’Stang, with a fair amount of 1967–1968 Fastback thrown in, while the new one is more ’70s. From The Doors to Disco, you might say. I like The Doors better.
That said, the previous generation could appear a bit slab-sided from some perspectives and the new one is more refined and shrink-wrapped, imploded rather than exploded. Still, with Mustangs, you never want to lose sight of that 1964½ to 1966 purity of line, sez I.
If it’s a little diluted on the outside, the interior of the new Mustang is very nice indeed—simple, traditional and handsome. Upgraded and less plasticky than before. Round instruments, textured aluminum dash, nice symmetrical steering wheel, unlike the Camaro’s somewhat melted shape. The seats, too, are comfortable and good-looking with their lighter center panels and stitching—and they have adjustable lumbar support. One thing they do lack is the Camaro’s seat heat.
Here’s the deal: If you build a convertible, you should probably put the wheels on first, but right after that you add the seat heat. Anyone who owns a convertible knows what I’m talking about. It almost doubles your top-down days—and nights. Two big points for the Camaro here.





Outside that missing feature, the Mustang has several thoughtful interior touches—a small backup camera screen built into the rearview mirror; wide-angle inserts at the edge of the door mirrors; racecar-like metal pedals with rubber inserts. And even lighted “Mustang” logos in the doorsills—always good after a late-night party. (“Hey, this isn’t my Corolla!”)
Most thoughtful of all, however, is the drivetrain. The new 5.0-liter V-8 and 6-speed transmission are huge improvements over the 4.6-liter V-8 and 5-speed in my last-generation Bullitt Mustang. The 412-bhp, 390-lb.-ft. dohc 32-valve “Coyote” engine is smoother, quicker- revving and makes more torque and power everywhere at all times. And the new 6-speed manual not only gives you that extra cog but is much less notchy than the old box. As with the Camaro, the pattern’s a little tight over to the right, on the 5th-6th side, but the action is good and nicely weighted.
Another feature the Mustang shares with the Camaro is a great exhaust sound when you rev the engine hard under acceleration—or back off. It’s not loud or tiring, but has a wonderful ripping undertone that makes you daydream about GT40s on the Mulsanne Straight. If you’re that type of person.





Although the Mustang still soldiers on with a live rear axle, you certainly don’t suffer much for it. Ride quality is generally very good—if not quite as good as the Camaro’s. Grip is also excellent, but you can incite a bit of primitive—but period-correct—frog-hop if you really get on it in a bumpy corner. Like the Camaro, it also occasionally exhibits a trace of sideways pitch and trundle through the steering. Both cars have sturdy front strut braces arced over their engines and extra bracing in the chassis structure to minimize this sort of conduct and, for ragtops, they both feel remarkably stiff and solid.
When we added up all the points for diverse qualities of excellence, the Mustang finished first, just a few points ahead of the Camaro, mostly on ergonomic and design matters, such as better trunk space, seats, shift action and dash layout. The Mustang also outperformed the Camaro in the quarter mile (barely) and on the skidpad and slalom. This is probably the weight difference rearing its head, though perceived on-the-road performance between the two is so close as to be a wash.
The drivers on this trip agreed that both cars are so competent and enjoyable to drive that the decision to buy one or the other would almost come down to a “Ford buff/Chevy fan” thing, or a simple styling preference.
Our Managing Editor, Andrew Bornhop, who in the past has been more of a Mustang guy, said this time his vote goes to the Camaro, as a slightly more refined and solid-feeling car, and one that has benefited most from its convertible styling. “The Mustang is far more mainstream, a car that appeals to somebody who just wants to buy a convertible,” Bornhop said, “but the Camaro somehow suggests the owner is committed to high-performance driving.”
True enough, but both cars give you plenty of performance, and both have an excellent blend of that split sunlight/noir personality I mentioned—blithe and cheerful with the top down, yet deadly serious underneath. Kind of like the city of Los Angeles, as portrayed in a couple of old Doors songs. Jim Morrison would like them both.








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VoTED!

 

Voted!

 

Camaro all the way for sure!

 

Thanks for the info Space. Being realistic, I voted to keep the MC w/mods! Maybe if economy would get better - I would opt for Camaro Convert!

Mark in Kansas!

 

I wonder who voted Mustang....?

 

I think your the only one Rick :P

I have personally seen a convertible Camaro the other day. I didn't think it looked too Long. When i see the convertible mustang, the overall look of the car just looks WAY too long for some reason.

 

I'd mod my Monte, hands down. Reason being is that 1.) Ford? HAHA. Right. 2.) I don't like convertibles, no matter what they are. 3.) In convertibles I can't have a good sound system

Lame reason perhaps, but I do love my Monte. Now if the Camaro wasn't convertible that would be my choice...

 

Voted!
Sorry Rickakated, as much as i like the Mustang, the Camaro fits me better. I loooooove it!

 

They are both ugly with the top up.

Im looking for the Cadillac XLR-V option...