Chris Bonnell’s 2010 Camaro SS/RS Is “Just The Ticket”

Chris Bonnell Camaro

When Chris Bonnell owned a V6-powered 2011 Cyber Gray Camaro LT, he was pretty content with the car. Of course he had plans for it, but before he could initiate them, he saw this car at a Chevrolet dealership during a spontaneous visit. Chris knew a change had to be made. “As soon as I saw the SS on the lot and test-drove it, I was sold,” Chris says. Chris knew the need for speed would eventually take over, and that he would someday replace the LT, and this SS/RS provides the mechanical motivation he needed to step up his game.

The engine compartment isn't home to just performance mods, the area also has been customized with various vinyl-wrapped components, Classic Industries' accent panels, and a strut tower brace with TPIS brackets.

The engine compartment isn’t home to just performance mods, the area has also been customized with various vinyl-wrapped components, Classic Industries’ accent panels, and a strut tower brace with TPIS brackets.

The interesting part of Chris’ story is that after seeing the movie Transformers, he really wanted an Inferno Orange Camaro. However, at the time, the gray LT won him over. Knowing GM was scrapping the Inferno Orange color, once he saw the SS/RS, he knew the car presented a rare opportunity to own a Camaro in this color.

“I told myself I was going to keep the car as-is, and not go crazy,” Chris says. He thought he was content with the newly-found power at his disposal. However, in true car-guy fashion, he was unable to keep from modifying the car. In Chris’ words, “who am I kidding? Have you ever heard of the mod bug.” So, soon after acquiring the car, the modifications started in earnest.

And now, three years later, what you see is the result. “The car went from a generic-looking 2010 Camaro SS, to a full 360-degree head-turner,” Chris says. He also says that before adding any exterior modification, he would digitally add it to the car before making a final decision. That allowed him to see what the car would look like before spending a dime. As such, many of the car’s modifications focus on its looks. The Camaro RS/SS features a ZL1 grille, and an Inferno Orange GM-sourced splitter, side skirts, and a rear diffuser. An MPD1 Z-Force hood commands attention up front, while a spoiler from the same company finishes off the look on the back. The 3D Carbon fender vents have been painted Inferno Orange, while the Camaro’s fender emblems have been painted black. Chris added a set of Forgestar F14 wheels, wrapped with Nitto Invo treads. Further improving the Camaro’s disposition is a set of Eibach Pro lowering springs.

Among the Camaro's exterior mods, the car's roof is wrapped in black matte vinyl, which helps accent the  Forgestar wheels, which also feature carbon fiber center caps.

Among the Camaro’s exterior mods: the roof is wrapped in black matte-finish vinyl, which helps accent the Forgestar wheels.

The stock performance of the Camaro SS/RS was light years ahead of Chris’  LT, but as time has moved along, more and more performance mods have been added to make the car even faster. Kooks 1 7/8-inch long-tube headers lead back to high-flow catalytic converters, out to a Borla Atak axle-back exhaust with MBRP square exhaust tips. RKTuning’s Rob Kats tuned the car to make full use of the exhaust mods, the engine’s Cold Air Inductions air intake, and VMAX throttle body.

As you can see, it has been a busy three years for Chris. “I was never much into the car scene,” he says, “but after owning this car and connecting with people via Social Media, it has become such a great group to be involved with.”

About the author

Michael Johnson

Michael Johnson brings his years of experience in the Mustang aftermarket and performance industry to StangTV. He has been passionate about cars since childhood, with a special affinity for the Mustang.
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