AWC new’s

Like Bumblebee on his interstellar voyage from Cybertron, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro has taken years to arrive. If we take the Transformers analogy further (bear with us), the Camaro has landed after a few Decepticons – the Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang and Nissan 370Z – have already begun staking out territories. More than the others, the Camaro has to justify its place in the battle, while at the same time backing up three years of unrelenting hype.

Follow the jump to find out if Chevrolet has brought the required weaponry to fight to the death for muscle car supremacy.

Like every other gearhead on planet Earth, we’ve been champing at the bit for the Camaro to arrive in production guise since its debut as a concept in 2006. Furthermore, when we made our way to San Diego for some long-awaited wheel time, we hoped beyond hope that its achingly attractive exterior would be backed by a chassis and drivetrain primed for global domination. We didn’t need the Camaro to turn into a Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robot, but gut-rocking thrills were the minimum standard.

Walk up to the Camaro, and it’s a spitting image of the coupe we’ve seen in a variety of forms for the past 1,100 days. It’s big, it hunkers and it’s angry – or at least perturbed. Built on a modified Zeta platform that underpins the Pontiac G8, the changes to the Camaro versus its sedan sibling include tweaks to accept larger wheels, a shorter wheelbase thanks to the rear wheels moving farther forward by about three inches, the base of the A-pillar was pushed back and lowered, and the front strut tower height was dropped to allow for a lower hood line.

Regarding its stance, the car has been designed to maintain the same tire-to-fender gap regardless of tire size: three fingers in front, four fingers in back. And while the massive face of the car appears to present various expanses of uninterrupted surface, take a closer look and you’ll notice that a substantial amount of detail work has gone into its fascia.

The “trap hood”, which means it’s fully enclosed by body panels, features a negative angle along its sides where it meets the fenders. The windshield washer nozzles are hidden under the rear edge of the hood for an uninterrupted line. The reverse mohawk in the roof is meant to tie the car to the twin-cockpit silhouette of the Corvette. The side mirrors conform to legal standards, yet remain true to those on the concept. There are subtle crisp lines that tie the roof and C-pillar into the rear, and the deck features a diagonal cut line that gives the trunk a unique profile when raised.

Get in the car, and the Camaro’s size asserts itself: it’s dark inside. The high beltline, low roof and black interior don’t let bundles of excess light to play within the cabin. It isn’t dire, but it is somber. An optional sunroof can brighten things up, of course, but if you get the sunroof you lose the sculpted roof.

The interior is utterly straightforward. Fabric inserts in the doors and on the dash save you from being overwhelmed by black plastic. The controls and the contrasting materials, in a palette of slight variations, are clustered in such a way that even as a passenger they pull your eyes from the black expanse on the non-drive side.

While Ford’s Mustang can be had with an astounding touch-screen, sterling navigation operation, dual-zone climate control, six-disc CD changer and a reversing camera, the Camaro gets no such fripperies. Climate control is an entirely manual affair, handled with two large knobs and four small buttons housed within. The best you can get from the factory is a single CD player, although Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port and iPod controls come with the Connectivity Package. There’s also talk of an audible parking sensor system available further down the road.

Creature comforts aside, the cabin is striking. The deeply dished steering wheel is an attention-getter – and not only because it’s huge. The seats, even in cloth, are compellingly sculpted. The optional analog gauges on the center tunnel break up the space, are a retro treat and are supplemented by an electronic display in the center of the dash when you want the kind of precision expected post-millennium…