By Frank S. Washington | SACOBSERVER.COM WIRE SERVICES

DETROIT (NNPA) – Ford’s Mustang has a problem and it’s called the Chevrolet Camaro.

Frank S. Washington

Ever since the two cars hit the market, the Mustang went on sale three years before the Camaro, Chevy’s muscle car has ran second to the Ford Pony car. But things have changed.

The Camaro again finished second to the Mustang in sales last year, 61,648 v. 66,623. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. The Camaro didn’t go on sale anew until last March; production was halted in 2002, while the Mustang was available the whole year.

And if the first month of this year is any indication, the Camaro will out sell the Mustang for the first time ever. In January, Camaro sales were 5,371 while the Mustang sold 4,747.

It’s early and the numbers are close but in a new sales system where domestic manufactures produce only the number of cars that people want to buy, what’s called the pull system just might favor the Camaro. In other words, incentives won’t have as much to do with sales as the emotional response of buyers.

The point is that the Camaro is the new car on the block and it looks good, real good. I think the Chevy muscle car is moving out the door on its good looks and in a down market that’s not a bad thing.

The Camaro looks bigger but lower and it has an edgy sleek design. The car has the sort of sinister look, fore and aft, that performance enthusiasts want. It looks as fast as it can run. And run is the point.

Although the distinctive styling is selling the Camaro, its reputation was, is and will be planted solidly on what’s under the hood. Chevrolet understands this fact. That’s why the Camaro has three engine selections. Get this:

The LS and LT are powered by a 3.6-liter direct fuel injection V6 that makes 304 horsepower and 273 pounds-feet of torque. Pricing starts at $22,995 and $24,630 respectively.

The SS has two engine selections. Both are 6.2-lter V8s but the L99 makes 400 horsepower and 410 pounds-feet of torque. The LS3 makes 426 horsepower and 420 pounds-feet of torque. Pricing starts at $33,745.

Six speed automatics and six-speed manual transmissions are available for all of the models. I had the SS with the six-speed automatic and I didn’t like it. Not that the car was unsatisfactory it just that it would have been a lot more fun to drive the manual.

The rear-wheel-drive car was chock full of all sorts of stuff: Bluetooth, satellite radio, OnStar, heated seats, remote start and 20-inch polished aluminum wheels. Still, there was snow on the ground during my week-long test drive that curbed my enthusiasm to push the pedal to the metal.

I still don’t care for the Camaro’s instrument panel. It looks a lot better at night with its turquoise backlighting. I think ultimately when the Camaro is freshened; Chevrolet will have to redesign the Camaro’s instrument panel.

Still, it seems that buyers don’t to care. It’s about exterior style and my 2010 Camaro SS Coupe had bunch of it. Then there was the 400 horsepower V8 under the hood which meant the car could go as fast as it looked.

And for less than $40K, my test vehicle was $37,450; the new Chevrolet Camaro is an excellent choice.

Frank S. Washington is managing partner/editor of AboutThatCar.com and AboutThatCar.blogspot.com.