On consecutive weeks this month, I had the pleasure of renting a Chevy Camaro convertible and Scion FR-S on business trips. It wasn't planned, it just worked out that way. Enterprise offered me a free upgrade to the 2015 Camaro when I got off a train in Albany, N.Y. Dollar tempted me by having the 2014 FR-S parked in front of its rental office by the St. Louis airport, and I took the bait for a few extra dollars.
What's a middle-age businessman and car buff think about these two very fine but affordable sets of wheels assembled in different parts of our world? Well, let me tell you.
The Camaro convertible renewed my enthusiasm for American muscle. It was a solid piece of metal, painted red to draw the attention of other drivers, pedestrians ... and police officers. Fortunately, its cruise control was easy to use and prevented me from going much above the speed limit.
The Camaro's exhaust note made my smile even wider whenever the light turned green and my foot pressed the gas pedal. Rolling through the Catskills on a spring day with temperatures in the 60s and the top down, I couldn't imagine a finer automotive experience.
Then, I drove the FR-S. Lightweight and nimble, this Toyota-Subara joint venture of a car just wanted to keep moving. And, like a great ride in an amusement park, I never wanted to step out of it. It also featured a great exhaust note and, better yet, a pair of paddle shifters within an easy grip of the steering wheel.
Wanna experience the joy of manual transmission and convenience of automatic? Behind the wheel of the FR-S, you'll have the best of both worlds: easily pushing the six-speed transmission smoothly through its paces without having to continually press a clutch in crawling traffic.
To be sure, neither car is very practical. Both have tiny trunks and laughable back seats. A Camaro convertible just doesn't make sense to a lot of people today. And, an FR-S might have many people feeling a bit claustrophobic after a while. But, if you're traveling alone for a couple of days, who cares? The two cars made my two business trips that much more enjoyable.
It's impressive how refined the reborn Camaro is. GM should rightfully be proud of the justice it has done to the sports car which many American men recall fondly, if not lustfully. It's also impressive how two Japanese automotive giants can team up to make the FR-S so exhilarating. It will remind many Americans of the joy of driving they once felt, or always wished they could experience.
Which of the two would I choose the next time I want to smile and have some fun driving? I'll take the Scion FR-S ... unless it's a perfect spring day and the road goes on forever.
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