Skip to main content

Bitchin’ COPO Camaro: Chevy to build just 69 of the drag racers for 2013

2013 Chevrolet COPO Camaro
Image used with permission by copyright holder

 The General Motors Central Office Production Order (COPO) allowed the order of some very special cars in the 1960s.

Though the office was formed for fleet vehicle orders, some clever customers were able to spec out a few very specialized cars. Most notably among them was the 1969 Camaro ZL1 with an all-aluminum 427 cubic-inch V8, an engine which had been designed specifically for racing.

For 2013, Chevy is bringing the COPO Camaro back in a very limited run. Only 69 will be built. The 2013 COPO Camaros will be offered with three engines and two transmission options with a solid rear axle and gearing to match the various engine and transmission specs.

Chevy will bolt either a 350 ci V8 producing 325 horsepower, a 396 ci V8 producing 375 horsepower, or a 427 ci V8 producing 425 horsepower under the hood. Customers can opt in to help construct the engine at the assembly plant. For an extra cost, the customer can also order an extra motor that will be numbers-matched to the car, should they blow up the original powerplant. Bolted to the racing V8s will be an optional Powerglide automatic transmission or a new manual gearbox.

If this COPO Camaro program is beginning to sound like a throwback to American Pony cars of old, you’re right. Each COPO Camaro is fitted with an NHRA-approved roll cage and other safety equipment, along with racing chassis and suspension components. The classic American racecar is finished off lightweight Bogart racing wheels and Hoosier racing tires.

After 3,000 customers indicated interest in a new special run of COPO Camaros for 2013, Chevrolet has been urged to opened up the order sheets for a 2013 run of the distinctive racecars. Starting March 11th, interested parties will be able to sign up on the Camaro Mailing List at chevroletperformance.com.

Just 69 lucky customers will be randomly chosen to participate in the program.

Don’t rush to sign up willy-nilly, though, these rare rigs start at $86,000. So if you’re not ready to plunk down some Nissan GT-R-level money for a factory-built American racecar, don’t bother.

If you do have the money in the bank, though, you could be a part of one of the most hands-on and individualized car buying experiences this year.

Editors' Recommendations

Nick Jaynes
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…
The Apple Car was reportedly dubbed ‘the Bread Loaf’
A man checks his phone in an Apple retail store in Grand Central Terminal.

A 2020 prototype of the so-called "Apple Car" was dubbed "the Bread Loaf" for its looks, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

In a deep dive into the costly project, which Apple canceled last month, the report described the vehicle as “a white minivan with rounded sides, an all-glass roof, sliding doors, and whitewall tires [that] was designed to comfortably seat four people and inspired by the classic flower-power Volkswagen microbus.”

Read more
The Rivian R2 SUV is up for preorder for only $45,000
Rivian R2

You can now get a Rivian without spending more than $70,000. After months of rumors and leaks, Rivian has finally taken the wraps off of the Rivian R2, its newest SUV, and the first to be built on the new Rivian R2 platform. The R2 is built to be Rivian's "Model 3 moment," or its attempt to build a car that's more accessible to the general public and thus could be sold at a much higher volume than the R1S or R1T ever were.

The R2 certainly cuts some corners to achieve the lower price point, but it actually still has a lot going for it -- especially as an electric SUV in this price range. It goes up against the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mustang Mach-E, and Kia EV6, but it's much more of an SUV than a crossover-sized car and should appeal to those who want something larger and with Rivian's design sensibility.

Read more
The R3 is Rivian’s surprise electric crossover
Rivian R3

Rivian didn't just announce the R2 platform at its latest launch event -- in a surprise twist, it also announced the R3 crossover. The R3 is Rivian's smallest car yet, offering a size much closer to the likes of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 than the SUVs that came before it.

Of course, not only is the Rivian R3 smaller, but presumably, it's also cheaper. Rivian didn't reveal actual pricing for the car, but it did say that it would be less than the R2's $45,000 price. Also, it may be some time before we start seeing the R3 on the road -- the car will follow the R2, which isn't set to be available until the first half of 2026.

Read more