Down to the Wire Test Drives: Infiniti Q60RS vs CamaroSS

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SSo, after a couple years test driving a car here & there. I am doing final test drives to directly compare cars in a very close proximity to each other so I can get a true comparison. So I'll be test driving several cars over the next week or two and comparing them.

Today I test drove,

Q60 red sport 400HP
Q50 sport sedan 300HP

Camaro SS 460HP

Q60 vs Q50

Handling wise, they're identical, neither car handled better than the other. Last time i test drove a Q50 with DAS and hated it. This time, I drove both cars with the electro-hydraulic steering.
Steering is quick and precise, both cars have a really numb top dead center out to about 6°.
Both steering feel gets better as you go faster. Both has minimal turbo lag, but have the same aggressive response at throttle tip in. But only one goes so fast you're being thrown in your seat The RS, obviously. 300HP is fast though and navigates with ample power on the highway. Seating position is much better in the 60 and feels like a proper sports car when you sit in it.
Q50 feels like a RWD Altima SR. The RS feels so responsive, it's like the car is moving faster than your inputs while driving at speed and that's without DAS.

My biggest driving complaint is exhaust note and numb steering.
My biggest feature complaint us, no Android auto/apple Carplay. It's a $60,000 car. If Hyundai accents have Carplay?? Why not the infiniti?
Not that I care. But from a value perspective. It bothers not to have it.

The Q60 wins for overall seating position and ride height.

Next I tested the Camaro SS making it a direct competitor to the Q60. Having driven both 30 minutes apart from each other. I discovered these cars handle VERY SIMILARLY.

Now the Camaro didn't have the magnetic ride. But the RS did. have it's DIGITAL dynamic suspension. And both these cars felt identical in road feel thru the suspension and steering. But in track mode, the Camaro gets an artificial heavy, while still communicating a Lil more thru the steering wheel. Both very isolated cars inside. The Camaro SS was surprisingly higher featured than the Q for much less money ($10k less)
Interior quality was similar with a slight edge to the infiniti. The carbon fiber was the biggest interior quality advantage in the Q. The Camaro does not translate well on the interior in pictures. Both interiors in black are definitely in the same ballpark.

Both cornered really well. In reality, Camaro is easier to see out of than last gen, but the Q really has little obstruction when looking out or around.
Both corner out very similarly. The Camaro adds more drama with the right sounds coming out of the exhaust. The Q is in desperate need of a straight pipe exhaust and possibly even downpipes to get it to sound like something?

Down below are some bullets of advantages and disadvantages.

Key Infiniti features over Camaro

GT-R like acceleration feel.
It feels like its getting ahead of you in a good way.

Optional 360° overhead camera.

More precise steering

Interior carbon fiber

Standard moonroof

Superior sound system.

Higher quality paint, exterior.

Feels faster

Mildly easier to corner

Easier entry.

15% more visibility

Will impress your friends

Is faster
1


Key Camaro features over infiniti.

Cooled seats

Better overall handling

Higher resolution touchscreen

Apple car play/Android auto

3D Head up Display.

Wi-Fi installed at no extra cost

Cell phone charging pad.

Multi choice speed tach.

Track mode

Multiple choice interior ambient lighting

460HP/455lbs of tq.

30mpg highway


Where they are equally good.

General handling

Going fast

Cornering

Road manners

Mods available

Will impress the ladies
Camaro interior is only 5% lower in overall quality, but costs $10,000 with more features. So I say they're equal.

Where they are equally flawed

Numb steering if driving normal.

Minimal feedback


Where the infiniti is stronger

Refinement

Outward view

Easier getting in and out.

Where Camaro is stronger

Exhaust note

Overall steering feel

Quicker manual mode shifts.


Conclusions

I was expecting the Q to walk off easily with better features and it didn't. They were closer.

I expected the Camaro torque to feel substantially stronger than the Camaro. That didn't happen either.

Both drove really well but you can tell the Camaro is DEFINITELY more track ready. Even in standard SS guise.

My next drives are the M2 (if possible) and the Alfa Giulia. Hoping one of these will be the outline to two very SIMILAR cars for the money.

Camaro 2SS RS pkg with 1LE suspension install.

$52,000

Infiniti Q60RS with the Bose package, splitter body kit & no DAS= $60,000. Add more tech $62,000. Add das and das tech pkg. $65,000

Camaro is a huge value.
Infiniti externally almost looks exotic.

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Favorite Quote.
"I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna Bash Your Face In" Jack Nicholson-"The Shining". 1980