Chevrolet Camaro Convertible

Convertibles are as synonymous with South Florida as elderly restaurant-goers are to the early-bird special. Thus, as a newly (re)minted South Floridian, I was eager to claim the keys to this 2018 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertible to take in the sights, sun, and sounds of Miami Beach with nothing but the sky above my head.

The Capable Camaro:

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Although enthusiasts will turn their nose at the heavier Camaro Convertible and instead embrace the daintier coupe (with a curb weight of 3,943 pounds, this Camaro SS Convertible packs more than 250 pounds of extra mass relative to its coupe counterpart), consumers looking to enjoy the thrill of top-down driving with the performance of a thoroughbred, four-seat sports car will find contention behind the wheel of the bow-tie-badged pony car – provided the top stays down, that is.

A Camaro without a V8 engine is a bit like Van Halen without David Lee Roth. Simply put, it doesn’t sound right. That’s not to say opting for the entry-level $31,905 Camaro Convertible 1LS and its 335-horsepower engine is a bad choice, it’s just not necessarily the right choice.

Of course, getting into the V8 Camaro SS Convertible isn’t cheap, and doing so requires writing a check for $43,000. Still, that’s $1,690 less than the eight-cylinder Mustang GT Convertible. Alongside its m...