2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

2013 Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

The fifth-generation Camaro SS isn't supposed to act like the 1LE. It's supposed to plow into corners when pressed hard. Its helm should feel as artificial as AstroTurf. It's supposed to pivot, accelerate, and grip like the 4000-pound car it is. Not anymore. Those gripes have been largely addressed by diligent GM engineers keen on honing their ponycar into a Ford Mustang Boss 302-killer.

Exterior treatments include a ZL1-inspired (a lot of the 1LE package takes from the ZL1 parts/idea bin) and downforce-inducing front splitter and rear trunk spoiler, wrapped matte black hood and radio antenna, and 20-inch forged aluminum wheels covered in gummy 285/35R-20 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 rubber. The 426-horse, 6.2-liter V-8 is left alone, but it does get a glorious two-stage exhaust system lifted from its 'roid ragin' 580-horse brother. Forget WOT blasts (though they are AH-MAY-ZING) -- startups are the bee's knees, and will likely set off some car alarms. Inside, you'll find a flat-bottom steering wheel wrapped in a suede-like material and an easy to navigate MyLink media system with a touch screen.

The Camaro still feels like a behemoth—that problem is deeply rooted in its squinty greenhouse and a curb weight we estimate at 3900 pounds—but the newfound eagerness scrubs away its greatest dynamic flaw. The electronic power-steering system (standard on all SS models and shared with the ZL1) is a fine representative of the breed, with a progressive weighting and natural feel. The 1LE doesn’t represent as comprehensive a revision as does its direct competitor, the Boss 302, but neither is it quite as expensive.

For 2013, both the SS and 1LE equipped with manual transmissions offer a dual-mode exhaust system like that on the ZL1, where baffles open under increased load. The car we drove had it, and we wouldn’t recommend any Camaro owner try to live without it. For such a dramatically shaped vehicle, the SS sounds kind of wimpy. This exhaust gives the car more of the tympanic-membrane-shredding roar that makes the Corvette such an aural treat.

The 1LE’s sub-$40,000 starting point represents a premium of about 10 percent over the SS’s base sticker.