The only 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible raises $400,000 for charity

General Motors built 69 examples of their awesome 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro drag package to commemorate the original COPO Camaro in 1969 and this past weekend at the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction – 2012 COPO Camaro #69 was sold as the only convertible version of this race-only package to be sold to the public.

General Motors first introduced the bright metallic orange 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible shown on the right at the invite-only event on the eve of the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. This car was the last COPO Camaro built for the 2012 model year and to make this race purposed Camaro that much more special, they built it as a convertible. This is the only 2012 COPO Camaro Convertible that will be sold to the public with the only other drop top COPO car for 2012 snuggled down nicely in the General Motors Heritage Center Museum where it will likely never be sold into public hands. 2012 COPO Camaro Convertible #69 is also the only drag package Camaro for 2012 finished in the striking Inferno Orange Metallic exterior paint while the black accents on the hood and rear quarter panel are made unique with the addition of the #69 – indicating that this was the final COPO Camaro sold for 2012. This car is fully built to conform to the rules governing high performance convertibles in the NHRA so, in theory, the person who won the auction for COPO Camaro #69 could take this car directly to an NHRA sanctioned event and go very, very fast.

2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible #69 was fitted with the 327 cubic inch engine option topped with a 4.0L Whipple supercharger, sending 550 horsepower (the NHRA limited for horsepower for this racing class) to the rear wheels via a GM 3-speed Turbo 400 automatic transmission. COPO Camaro #69 was one of just 20 units equipped with the 327 engine and the 4.0L Whipple blower – making this a car that should easily tear down the quarter mile in the 8 second range. As an interesting key point, this is also the only COPO Camaro that has an engine built by General Motors U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell. This is clearly a very special car and the bidding reflected that – with the winning bid coming in at an impressive $400,000.

The proceeds of the auction of 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible will go to benefit the American Heart Association so in addition to the winner getting an incredibly fast piece of General Motors history – they also effectively contributed almost a half million dollars to help promote healthier living to prevent heart disease and stroke. Having been present for the debut of this gorgeous bright orange topless Camaro drag car, I can safely say that this is one beautiful race car that will likely serve as the centerpiece of the buyer’s collection – regardless of who that lucky bidder may be.

The last 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro to be produced joined a variety of other high performance General Motors products to be auctioned off at this weekend’s Barrett Jackson Auto Auction in Scottsdale. The most prominent GM vehicle to hit the block this weekend was, of course, the very first 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with well known NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick paying a whopping 1.1 million dollars for the right to own the first 2014 Stingray built. The proceeds of the 2014 Corvette Stingray auction will go to the College for Creative Studies and you can read more about that auction by clicking here.

We have put together a gallery of the 2012 Chevrolet COPO Camaro Convertible #69 and you can check that out by clicking any of the thumbnails above on the right. Also, there is a video below from Speed showing the COPO Camaro Convertible auction from this past weekend.