(continued from above)
National records for quarter-mile times in these contests are in the
nine-second range. As such, the COPO Camaros are expected to be the quickest Camaro ever offered
by Chevrolet.
"The COPO Camaro is going to shake up the sportsman drag racing ranks this
summer and give Chevy fans a great new reason to cheer on the Bowtie," said Jim
Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles & Motorsports. "COPO
builds off the strengths that have made the Camaro the best-selling sports car
in America. And while it was developed strictly for the drag strip, the COPO
Camaro is infused with the same performance pedigree that every Camaro shares."
The 69-car production for the 2012 COPO Camaro matches the number of "ZL-1" COPO Camaros made in 1969. COPO stands for Central Office Production Order and was
Chevrolet's special-order system in used by dealers to build high-performance
models in the 1960s.
The new COPO Camaros will be built using factory "body-in-white" body structures
produced at the Oshawa, Ontario plant that manufactures regular-production Camaros. They are the same body-in-white body shells available to all racers
under Chevrolet Performance part number 19243374.
Customers will order and complete the transaction for their COPO Camaro at their
preferred Chevrolet dealer with delivery at the General Motors Performance Build
Center in Wixom, Mich.
Deliveries will begin early this summer.
Highlights of the new COPO Camaro program include:
* A sequenced build number matched to the engine but sold without a Vehicle
Identification Number and cannot be registered for highway use
* Three racing-class engine are available, including a naturally aspirated 427
(7.0L) and two supercharged 327 (5.3L) V-8 engines
* Engine assembly at GM's Performance Build Center, where the buyer can opt to
participate in the engine assembly similar to Chevrolet's Corvette Engine Build
Experience and the Chevrolet Performance Build Your Own Crate Engine programs
* Engines pairing with a Powerglide automatic transmission designed for drag
racing
* Five colors: Flat Black, Summit White, Victory Red, Silver Ice Metallic and
Ashen Gray Metallic
* A COPO graphics package similar to the one introduced on the concept vehicle
available in Metallic White, Semi-Gloss Black, Inferno Orange Metallic and Chevy
Racing Blue
* Pricing starting at $89,000
* A special collector's package offering the purchase of all three engines with
the COPO Camaro - including one installed in the car at delivery - with each
engine serial number matched to the car
The three engines offered in the COPO Camaro program were developed to align
with the top classes in NHRA's various Stock Eliminator and Super Stock ranks.
Chevrolet Camaro COPO Race Car: Review (2/2)