Factory-built drag cars are not always the most familiar type of vehicle with customers here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse: even though so many things about them are not meant for everyday use, their sense of raw power in excitement is amazing! Chevy's factory built drag car is the COPO Camaro, and it's returning for 2023 with a huge screaming addition as its new sidekick. Thanks to more displacement and ingenious engineering, it is going to give the car a massive bragging right in the horsepower department compared to its outgoing 572 V8.
First introduced in 1968, the COPO Camaro quickly became a longstanding icon of pure power. Fred Gibb was a GM dealer and experienced drag racer who immediately had the full attention of GM’s higher-ups with his amazing creation. The most drastic change from then until now is that the COPO releases are no longer limited to just 69 models with a lottery system to navigate to allow for a deposit. The exterior of the 2023 model is nearly identical to the original, with an ATI Racing Products TH400 SFI-approved “Super Case” connected to an aluminum driveshaft.
Inside the rear end is a very lightweight steel spool and wheelie bar setup in place to prevent the rear bumper from dragging on the ground during launch. Each COPO Camaro comes with a carbon fiber hood, with the supercharged version boasting a parachute as a preventative measure and standard equipment. There are also options for a trunk-mounted weight box and dual batteries, which also both aid during the all-important launch process. The ZZ632 is the COPO 572’s burly engine replacement and is capable of a startling 1,004 horsepower and 872 lb-ft of torque.
This engine can spin 50 more RPM, while also sporting a new first gear ratio of 2.10:1 and second gear to 1.40. All COPO models also still use the ATI Racing Products Treemaster MRT 8-inch torque converter attached to an ATI SFI-approved steel flex plate. It is fuel injected and uses a 4-barrel style throttle body. We were also in complete awe of the American Racing headers, on board to properly exhaust the quickly spent gasses during the dash.
The absence of a supercharger also does not mean that the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet and Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak owners should not worry, as this is a hellish amount of raw power at their immediate disposal. This is all quite thrilling, and is the stuff that many true track hounds’ dreams are made of. If you are looking for something a bit more conventional, you’ll still love the standard 2023 Camaro here at the Powerhouse.
One way to assure plenty of thrills is with the very worthy 1LE Track Package, adding black-painted 20-inch wheels and satin-black exterior accents along with microsuede trim and Recaro front seats on SS models. Even the base-level 275-horsepower 4-cylinder is by no means slow, and the very gutsy 6-cylinder has a fantastic soundtrack. The standard six-speed manual transmission is definitely one of the features that maintain the ideal spirit for the driver, along with what is widely known as the best pony car feel on the planet!
