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Chevy donates first 2015 COPO Camaro for wounded vets

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Want to get your hands on a new COPO Camaro? Only 69 will be made this year before it's phased out ahead of the next Camaro's arrival. And the very first one will be auctioned off this weekend in Palm Beach.

That's where Barrett-Jackson will be selling the hand-built drag-racer with the serial number 2015COPO001. The vehicle is being donated by Chevy, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, a charitable organization that helps disabled athletes, especially veterans of the armed services.

Introduced last fall at SEMA, the 2015 COPO Camaro is built specifically for drag racing with a 350-cubic-inch LSX racing engine with a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger. It's got 555 horsepower, a three-speed automatic transmission (it's a drag machine, not a circuit racer after all), all the requisite safety equipment, special suspension setup, unique livery and a quarter-mile time in the mid-eights.

Look for this unique example to cross the auction block at around 5 PM on Friday, April 18, when we hope it will raise a princely sum for a good cause.
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2015 COPO Camaro No. 1 Sale to Benefit Disabled Veterans
Top bid from Barrett-Jackson goes to Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans

DETROIT – Chevrolet is selling the first 2015 COPO Camaro race car to raise money for Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, which helps wounded veterans participate in marathons and share their success within a supportive community including their families.

The hand-built car carries serial number 2015COPO001. It will be sold on Saturday, April 18, at the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach auction, with 100 percent of the winning bid going to Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, a non-profit organization that helps disabled athletes, including veterans, gain access to races, equipment, and training dedicated to improve their physical abilities.

"This sale gives the highest bidder the opportunity to buy the first of only 69 factory-assembled 2015 COPO Camaro race cars, the final year of the fifth-generation Camaro," said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "Chevrolet is excited to offer this milestone Camaro to help a very worthy organization."

Chevrolet introduced 2015 COPO Camaro No. 001 last fall at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, and it has been featured in Chevrolet Performance advertising and other marketing initiatives. Its distinctive look includes an Abalone White exterior with matte gray and orange accents, and bold "15" graphics. Power comes from a 350-cubic-inch LSX-based racing engine topped with a Whipple 2.9L supercharger, which is NHRA-rated at 555 horsepower. The engine is backed by a three-speed automatic racing transmission – a powertrain combination good for reaching a quarter mile in the mid-eight seconds.

Each COPO Camaro is built by hand starting with production hardware, including the same body in white used for production models. They're designed to dominate NHRA Stock Eliminator drag racing. The COPO Camaro takes its name and production quota from Central Office Production Order, a process used in the 1960s for fleet managers to order unusual combinations of options.

The COPO Camaro race car is fitted with an NHRA-approved roll cage and other safety equipment, along with racing chassis and suspension components – including a unique solid rear axle system in place of a regular-production Camaro's independent rear axle.

COPO serial number 001, lot number 3003, will go across the block at approximately 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, April 18, 2015. Watch live coverage on Velocity Channel.

About Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans

A non-profit organization, with chapters and members in more 65 locations around the world, Achilles provides athletes with disabilities with support. Within this community, program participants gain measurable physical strength and build confidence. The Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans was created as an extension of the Achilles process - adapted to the specific needs of wounded members of the U.S. military. Program participants receive training and use of specialized adaptive devices, such as hand-crank wheelchairs with a goal to participate in mainstream marathons. Over the years, Achilles has also developed programs specifically for children.

About Chevrolet Performance

Driven by more than 100 years of motorsports heritage, Chevrolet Performance fuels the passions of automotive enthusiasts through high-performance vehicles, parts and racing. Performance cars include Camaro SS, SS 1LE, ZL1, Z/28 and the COPO Camaro. Chevrolet Performance parts include crate engines, transmissions, controllers and street-level components. Chevrolet competes in NASCAR, NHRA, IMSA, IndyCar and a variety of circle track racing series. More information can be found at: http://www.chevrolet.com/performance.

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