Imagine a wheels-up launch and heading down the strip to a 9-second quarter mile time…with the top down? Yep, that dream can be yours (though you do have to run with the top up per NHRA’s competition rules) if you manage to have the highest bid for Chevy Performance’s COPO Camaro 69 (the last COPO of 2012) at an up coming Barrett-Jackson auction in January. Also for those wondering, there will be another 69 COPOs again next year.

Do we ever think this ultra-rare COPO will see the dragstrip? We think not. It’s one of only two convertibles built and the only one painted Inferno Orange Metallic – the other being car number 68 (which has been set aside by Chevrolet and isn’t planned for public sale). Additionally it’s one of 20 cars built with the 327 engine and 4.0L supercharger. Lastly, it’s the only example built with a Turbo 400 three-speed automatic transmission.

 “The COPO Camaro program has been a special program  and there’s not a better way to close out the 2012 racing season than with the final – and most unique – one of the 2012 production run,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Chevrolet is proud to once again partner with the American Heart Association at Barrett-Jackson for the sale of this COPO Camaro convertible. It will make a great race car or collector vehicle for a lucky bidder, who will be buying a piece of history.

“I am also happy to announce that due to strong customer demand we will produce another run of 69 COPO Camaros for 2013. More than 3,000 hand-raisers expressed interest in buying a COPO after we introduced the car last year. We are excited to support these grassroots motorsports enthusiasts in their Stock Eliminator and Super Stock drag racing efforts,” said Campbell.

If you don’t have the money for a COPO, Chevy Performance’s new build book will show you how to build a COPO, starting from a body in White Camaro. More than 130 color pages and hundreds of photos depict the build process at the specialty COPO Build Center, near Detroit.

All COPO Camaro production models were built by hand starting with hardware from the Oshawa assembly plant that manufactures regular-production Camaros, including the same body in white body shells (part number 19243374) racers can purchase from Chevrolet Performance, along with other COPO-specific parts, to build their own dedicated race car.