Autoblog

2013 Chevy COPO Camaro announced with two new engines and manual option

Jeffrey N. Ross — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

Chevrolet is following up the 2012 COPO Camaro with another limited run of the drag-strip-ready production car for 2013. Ditching the superchargers, the 2013 COPO Camaro can only be equipped with one of three naturally aspirated V8 engines, and other new features include the option of a manual transmission, new front springs, some minor styling changes and a lower starting price of $86,000. All cars are designed to abide by the rules of the NHRA's Stock Eliminator or Super Stock classifications, depending on in which series buyers wish to enter their Chevrolet Camaro.

Returning for 2013 is the 427-cubic-inch V8 producing 425 horsepower, but the new engines include a 325-hp 350-CID V8 and a 375-hp 396-CID V8. Buyers can select to purchase all three engines, and each will be matched with the sequence number of that car; the track-only COPO cars will not have vehicle identification numbers and can't be registered for street use.

Chevrolet is also offering unique enthusiast-specific options such as a COPO Build Book and the opportunity for owners to help assemble their car's engine at the Chevrolet Performance Build Center in Wixom, MI.

Like last year's model and the original COPO Camaro from 1969, only 69 of these cars are being built. If you want the chance at getting your hands on one of these rare Camaros, today is the last day to make your purchase intention known (by visiting chevroletperformance.com) before a third-party company randomly selects available buyers. Those chosen to purchase a COPO Camaro will be contacted on March 11. General Motors says that more than 3,000 people showed interest in the 69 cars built for 2012. More information about the new COPO Camaro is posted in a press release below.

Continue reading 2013 Chevy COPO Camaro announced with two new engines and manual option

2013 Chevy COPO Camaro announced with two new engines and manual option originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Mar 2013 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet Camaro COPO Convertible jumps from SEMA to Barrett-Jackson, pockets $400k for charity [w/video]

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:10:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Auctions, Videos

Back at the 2012 SEMA event in Las Vegas, Chevrolet unveiled the car you see above, a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro COPO Convertible. Actually, that's not quite accurate - this car is THE 2012 Chevrolet Camaro COPO Convertible. As in, the only one ever sold. There was one more produced, but it's not leaving the GM Heritage Center any time soon. This one was just sold at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale for $400,000 exactly.

That sum will be donated to the American Heart Association, and the winner will take home this Inferno Orange Metallic COPO, complete with a 327-cubic-inch V8 topped by a 4.0-liter supercharger. The engine sends 550 horsepower to the rear drag slicks through a three-speed Powerglide automatic transmission. Perfect for a run down the quarter mile, top-down style.

Check out our high-res image gallery from the block at Barrett-Jackson above, and don't forget to watch a video of the COPO being auctioned below, along with the car's official auction description. And don't forget to play along with the crowd at the Hagerty Fantasy Bid game online for a chance to win a custom 2013 Shelby GT500.

Continue reading Chevrolet Camaro COPO Convertible jumps from SEMA to Barrett-Jackson, pockets $400k for charity [w/video]

Chevrolet Camaro COPO Convertible jumps from SEMA to Barrett-Jackson, pockets $400k for charity [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Jan 2013 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible is an Inferno Orange charitable donation

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Convertible, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet, GM, Specialty

Interested in getting your hands on an extremely limited edition Camaro? You're in luck.

Chevrolet is using the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas to pull the wraps off its very last 2012 COPO Camaro. Car number 69 of 69 is a convertible, and just the second topless COPO created. Thing is, the first COPO convertible is sitting pretty in a General Motors museum and it ain't for sale.

One of 20 built with a 327-cubic-inch V8 plus 4.0-liter supercharger, this Inferno Orange Metallic (the only 2012 COPO in this hue) machine sends an NHRA-certified output of 550 horsepower to the rear wheels (connected by a solid rear axle for drag racing use) through a beefy three-speed Turbo 400 automatic transmission. Needless to say, it'll be very fast in a straight line.

Want this one-of-one Camaro for your own garage? Get your bidding number ready - this car will be auctioned off at the 2013 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in January, with benefits going to the American Heart Association.

Alternatively, you could wait until 2013, as Chevy has announced plans for another run of 69 COPO Camaro models in 2013. Or, you could grab hold of Chevrolet's so-called 2013 Build Book and order all the parts to put one together yourself.

Check out all the details in the press release below, but not before perusing our live photo gallery from the SEMA show floor.

Continue reading 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible is an Inferno Orange charitable donation

2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible is an Inferno Orange charitable donation originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch a COPO Camaro in the 8s out of the box

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

If this YouTube video is to be believed, then Chevrolet definitely did not forget to put the FAST in the COPO Camaro. Car number three and its 327-cubic-inch engine topped with the 4.0-liter blower ran what looks like an 8.88-second quarter-mile at the strip, out of the box.

That puts it at the pointy end of the three-way competition between it, the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet and the Mopar Challenger Drag Pak. Ford has said the Cobra Jet will run in under 10 seconds, while the Challenger Drag Pak did a 9.43 out of the box last year. We're sure this is just the beginning of what will be a long, and very loud, rivalry. Have a look at the video below to see the latest round.

Continue reading Watch a COPO Camaro in the 8s out of the box

Watch a COPO Camaro in the 8s out of the box originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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COPO Camaros start delivery, hear them roar

George Kennedy — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Videos, Chevrolet, Racing

Back in March, we told you that Chevrolet was actually going to build the Whitesnake-level-awesome COPO Camaro after the drag-ready Camaro was showed off at SEMA as a concept.

The first four COPO Camaros have filed out of the COPO Assembly Facility. COPO numbers 3, 5, 7 and 9 were rolled onto the transport truck, and car number seven was caught on video, highlighted by the roar of its monstrous engine. Throw in a massive cowl induction hood and Hoosier slicks, and the mullet-inducing awesomeness of the COPO is hard to beat.

At the drag strip, the COPO will go against the supercharged Ford Mustang Cobra Jet and the Mopar Challenger Drag Pak, complete with a 512-cubic-inch V10. The COPO will take them on with a choice of engines that include a naturally aspirated 427 and two supercharged 327 options (one with a 2.9-liter supercharger, the other offering a 4.0-liter screw).

Click play on the video below to listen to the glorious engine note and try to figure out which mill is powerplant is under the hood.

Continue reading COPO Camaros start delivery, hear them roar

COPO Camaros start delivery, hear them roar originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy will build 69 COPO Camaro drag racers

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Chevrolet, Racing

If ever a car made us think of mullets, Cragars, racing suits and Natty Light, this is it. And we don't mean that in a bad way. The COPO Camaro concept that Chevrolet showed off at SEMA last year is officially becoming a production reality for everyone; however, only 69 people will be able to own it. In celebration of the 69 COPO Camaro ZL1s built in 1969, Chevrolet is building just that many of its modern drag-strip-only racer.

Two engine choices have been mentioned previously: a 427-cubic-inch V8 for AA Stock racing and a 327-cubic-inch V8 with a 4.0-liter supercharger for A Stock racing. Now, a third engine choice has been added: another 327-cubic-inch engine but with a 2.9-liter supercharger for B Stock. If you want all three engines Chevy will install one and provide the other two, all with matching numbers. Shifting is handled with a Powerglide automatic, and color schemes include Metallic White, Semi-Gloss Black, Inferno Orange Metallic and Chevy Racing Blue.

The price of entry is $89,000. How can you be one of the lucky? Chevrolet isn't saying. An "independent third party" chose the initial buyers, but it isn't clear how many slots are left or how they'll be distributed. Follow the jump for a press release with more info.

Continue reading Chevy will build 69 COPO Camaro drag racers

Chevy will build 69 COPO Camaro drag racers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevy releases COPO Camaro concept drag racing featurette

John Neff — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet

It seems you can't offer a pony car these days without also making available a full race-spec drag racing version. Ford was first with its Cobrajet, then came Dodge with the Mopar Challenger Drag Pak, and soon we'll have an offering from Chevy.

That car will be based on the COPO Camaro Concept, which debuted last month at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and whose name, COPO, harkens back to a time when sly dealers could order a Corvette-powered Camaro from the factory without the big wigs knowing. But unlike most concept cars, the COPO Camaro Concept is a rolling prototype for the production version that's to follow.

As such, engineers from General Motors have been working on the car's development for over three years, and today they released a video featurette showing the concept's first run out in the real world. According to the video, engineers ran the car all day long with a number of engine set ups and it "met or exceeded" all expectations.

Watch the video for yourself after the jump. Now all we need is some three-lane drag strips to see these straight line ponies face off at the same time.

Continue reading Chevy releases COPO Camaro concept drag racing featurette

Chevy releases COPO Camaro concept drag racing featurette originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Dec 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chevrolet COPO Camaro Concept lives life a quarter-mile at a time

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:10:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Motorsports, SEMA Show, Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, GM, Racing

What's a COPO, you ask? Back in the heyday of American muscle cars, COPO was an acronym for Central Office Production Order, which was, for all intents and purposes, a way for Chevrolet and its enterprising dealer network to sneak high-performance option packages and oversize engines past the bigwigs at General Motors and into the waiting hands of automotive enthusiasts.

With ancient history out of the way, what's COPO mean in 2011? Well, it still means performance, but there's certainly no way Chevy is going to bypass the powers-that-be at GM HQ, especially not with a Camaro proof-of-concept that's destined to live out its life at the drag strip in NHRA Stock Eliminator drag racing competition.

According to Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, the COPO Camaro that is debuting this week at SEMA "is a clear indication that Chevrolet intends to homologate the Camaro for sportsman drag racing." Seems pretty clear to us, too - in lieu of the standard independent rear suspension setup is a straight axle that's perfectly suited to straight-line racing. Plus, there's a full roll cage for safety.

Buyers of the COPO Camaro, if and when it becomes available, will be able to fit one of two suggested engine packages: one 427-cubic-inch naturally aspirated V8 (7.9 liters for A Stock racing) and one 327-cubic-inch supercharged V8 (5.3 liters for for AA Stock racing). The car you see in our live images is powered by a prototype version of the supercharged 327.

Check out all the details in the press release after the break.

Continue reading Chevrolet COPO Camaro Concept lives life a quarter-mile at a time

Chevrolet COPO Camaro Concept lives life a quarter-mile at a time originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Two Chevy dealers offering special 700-hp Camaro models - just like Yenko and Berger [w/video]

Jeff Glucker — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Car Buying, Videos, Chevrolet, GM

The COPO Camaros are back (sorta) - Click above for image gallery

There was a time when dealers utilized General Motors' Central Office Production Order to the fullest, giving us some truly terrific muscle car options. By judiciously picking hi-po OEM performance parts to augment some already formidable performers, COPO Chevrolet Camaros from the late '60s put a few dealers on the national map, and today, we know about Berger, Nickey and, of course, Yenko. Well... the Camaro is certainly back, but where are the modern COPO versions? If you live near Albany, New York or Claxton and Jessup, Georgia then the cars are right down the street at your local dealerships.

DeNooyer Chevrolet of Albany has dipped into GM's Performance Parts catalog and come out with an LSX454 engine. After stuffing it into a Camaro, they know have a 620-horsepower coupe prowling their lot. In Georgia, NeSmith Chevrolet also took a look into the catalog and put in an order for supercharged LS9 normally found in a Corvette ZR1. Their NeSmith Storm Camaro puts out nearly 700 horses. In other words, the COPO is back! Check out our gallery below and then hop the jump to see video clips of both cars. Thanks for the tip, Tony!

Gallery: COPO Camaros for the 21st Century

[Source: The Detroit News | Image: DeNooyer Performance Division]

Continue reading Report: Two Chevy dealers offering special 700-hp Camaro models - just like Yenko and Berger [w/video]

Report: Two Chevy dealers offering special 700-hp Camaro models - just like Yenko and Berger [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Dec 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barrett-Jackson 2009: Yenko and COPO Chevrolet collection

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Performance, Auctions, Chevrolet

Click above for a high-res gallery of the COPO Chevrolet collection at the 2009 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction

Way back in the day, things took place a bit differently. Exhibit A: Chevrolet's Central Office Production Order system, which allowed dealerships a back door around GM's officially-sanctioned packages and options. For instance, it was possible to order a Camaro right from the production line that featured an engine that was otherwise reserved for the range-topping Corvette. Perhaps the best-known of these unique products came from Yenko Chevrolet, and bidders at Barrett-Jackson had a very nice group of these rare machines to choose from.

First up was a 1981 Camaro Z/28 that sold for $79,200.00, which was followed by an LT-1-powered 1970 Nova "Deuce" that went for $110,000.00. The compact Nova was followed by three 1969 Camaros, the first of which was a COPO 9561 with the L72 427/425hp engine that sold for $132,000, which actually strikes us as a pretty good deal. Next up was a COPO 9560 with the famed aluminum 427 ZL-1 engine, which sold for $319,000. Lastly, another COPO 9561 hit the block, though this one's status as 1 of 3 that was sold specifically for drag racing in the NHRA helped it earn $297,000.

Gallery: Barrett-Jackson 2009: Yenko and COPO Chevrolet collection

Gallery: Gary Holub Yenko Collection

Barrett-Jackson 2009: Yenko and COPO Chevrolet collection originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 18 Jan 2009 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Money for nuthin'?: Musclecar VIN Decoder

Scott Davis — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Auctions, Marketing/Advertising

Musclecar collecting is as speculative as the oil market. Prices on the same model can vary as much as 1000% depending on how they are optioned. HEMI, Boss, Shelby, RS/SS, Z/28, COPO, Cobra Jet, L89. To the musclecar enthusiast, these legendary nomenclatures are musclecar gold.

With the vast array of information available today, the unscrupulous among us have become quite adept at building "clone" cars. These cars began life as an entry-level model and are transformed, quite accurately, into the fire-breathing monsters that bring the big bucks. That's where the website http://www.decodethis.com steps in.

From any Internet connection, even mobile phones and PDA's, they can decode the VIN for many of the hottest musclecars. 1965-73 Mustang, '67-'71 Camaro and Firebird, '53-'74 Corvette, any 1966-70 Chrysler (Dodge, Plymouth or Chrysler), '60-'69 Fords, and '60-'65 Chevrolets, quite a comprehensive list.

Take a minute to check this out. You guys at the auctions now have one more tool to be sure that the Hemi Dart you are bidding on wasn't born with a Slant-Six! Wherever there is money, counterfeiters will surely follow and as we all know, money doesn't always come with brains attached.

Thanks to Richard Brown for the tip!

[Source: decodethis.com]

Money for nuthin'?: Musclecar VIN Decoder originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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