Chevrolet COPO Camaro, Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary bound for SEMA
Chevrolet will use the 2017 SEMA show to unveil the Camaro Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary Edition, a full-sized Camaro inspired by, you guessed it, Hot Wheels cars, along with a drag racing-focused COPO Camaro.
The partnership between Chevrolet and Hot Wheels stretches back to 1968, when the original Camaro was recreated as a tiny die-cast model for pint-sized motoring enthusiasts.
According to Chevy, the Custom Camaro was the first Hot Wheels released in 1968. Available in 20 colour combinations, it was among the first batch tiny metal cars to roll forth from the toy maker’s factory.
Back in 2013, the Camaro SS was treated to a Hot Wheels makeover, but this is the first time the current model has been reworked with toys in mind.
From the outside, the is finished in a special shade of orange, offset by Satin Graphite stripes and bodykit elements. The car wears a unique grille, new dark brake lights, blacked-out badges, 21-inch wheels and Hot Wheels badges on the flanks.
Inside, there are orange highlights scattered around to offset the black leather, along with embossed front headrests. Sorry backseat passengers, no embossing for you.
The (illuminated) door sills wear Hot Wheels 50th Anniversary badging, as does the steering wheel. There are also orange-stitched floor mats, to keep the two-tone theme rolling.
Unlike most of the cars on show at SEMA, the Hot Wheels Edition will be on sale in the USA. It’s a US$4,995 ($6,519) option on the Camaro 2LT and 2SS in both coupe and convertible form, and will be in showrooms from Q1 2018.
If the Hot Wheels edition is a bit puerile, or you get your kicks on the drag strip, the COPO Camaro is likely to be more your style.
The COPO is serious drag car, set to built in extremely limited numbers. It’s designed to be raced in the NHRA Stock Eliminator drag class in the USA, and has been outfitted as such, with a racing chassis and solid rear axle.
A modified version of the 302 V8 in the road-going Camaro will be offered, but buyers can also spec a naturally-aspirated 7.0-litre V8 or a supercharged 5.7-litre bent-eight. The last engine listed will smash the quarter mile in around 8.5 seconds, clocking almost 257km/h in the process.
Regardless of engine spec, the car comes with a three-speed automatic transmission.
Rather than walking into a dealership and laying down a deposit, Chevrolet sells the COPO through a lottery. Owners register online, and 69 lucky entrants are selected.
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