First 555-HP COPO Camaro To Be Sold As Veterans’ Benefit

In a nod to heritage as much as business, Detroit still churns out a handful of readymade drag-strip race cars every year. This year, the first such 2015 Chevy Camaro will serve not just to cover a quarter mile in eight seconds and change, but help wounded veterans as well.

Chevy said today it would auction the first 2015 COPO Camaro at this weekend’s Barrett-Jackson sale to benefit Achilles Freedom Team of Wounded Veterans, which helps ailing and disabled vets with physical recovery, with a goal of eventually competing in a marathon.

The 555-hp COPO Camaro, one of only 69 General Motors will build before the arrival of the 2016 Camaro, combines a 5.7-liter supercharged V-8 with NHRA-quality hardware, from a three-speed racing transmission to a roll cage and solid rear axle, all designed to win in the NHRA’s Stock Eliminator class.

The COPO will cross the Barrett-Jackson block April 18 at 5 p.m. ET.