Specially-designed race car to be auctioned for charity; joins 2020 Corvette, new Silverado HD and more at annual automotive personalization and performance showcase
LAS VEGAS — Chevrolet will introduce the 2020 COPO Camaro John Force Edition at the 2019 SEMA Show, bringing together the legacies of Chevrolet’s factory race car and the 16-time NHRA champion driver in a distinctively styled, supercharged race car — and one that will deliver for charity, as well as low elapsed times on the drag strip.
“John Force is one of the most legendary drag racers in history – and his legend started with Chevrolet,” said Jim Campbell, GM U.S. vice president of Performance and Motorsports. “We are proud to partner with him on this one-of-a-kind COPO Camaro and are excited to see what it will do on the auction block for charity.”
Chevrolet will auction the COPO Camaro John Force Edition at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event in January, with the proceeds going to DonorsChoose.org. It carries a unique “2020COPO-FORCE” identification plaque and is considered a unique build in the COPO Camaro range – not part of the annual production run of 69 COPO Camaro race cars.
Since 2012, Chevrolet has produced 552 COPO Camaros (only 69 per year), making them incredibly rare factory race cars. During that time, five COPO Camaros have crossed the auction block for charity, raising nearly $2 million for a variety of important causes.
“This is a great-looking COPO Camaro, and I enjoyed helping design this car,” said John Force. “The COPO Camaro is already a formidable car, and hard to beat on the track. But this one is even more special, as it will help support a cause I firmly believe in.”
Additionally, a black-and-silver paint scheme inspired by the John Force Edition is an available option on 2020 COPO Camaros. In fact, there are more color choices than ever when it comes to ordering the factory-built race cars. Along with the John Force color scheme and four production colors — Black, Summit White, Satin Steel Gray and Red — there are seven heritage colors from the 1969 Camaro color palette: Hugger Orange, Butternut Yellow, Frost Green Poly, Olympic Gold Poly, Garnet Red, Fathom Green Poly and Azure Turquoise Poly.
The 2020 COPO Camaro’s available engine lineup includes a revised version of the supercharged, LSX-based 350 engine, featuring a 2.65L Magnuson supercharger and all-new LSX-SC cylinder heads, as well as an LSX-based naturally aspirated 427 engine. Also available is the Racer’s Package, which includes a carbon-fiber air inlet, dual batteries, weight box, parachute and a quick-change coupling (with the supercharged engine).
Customers can register for a chance to purchase a 2020 COPO Camaro at www.chevrolet.com/performance/copo-camaro.
Chevrolet concepts and personalized production vehicles
The 2020 COPO Camaro John Force Edition is the centerpiece of Chevrolet’s performance- and personalization-focused display, which also features the all-new, mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the all-new Camaro LT1, concept and production versions of the Silverado and Colorado, new crate engine systems and more.
Highlights:
- All-new Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible models, each showcasing Chevrolet accessories that help personalize the first-ever mid-engine production Corvette — and the first-ever convertible model with a retractable hardtop.
- Camaro LT1 Convertible Concept, which is the most affordable V8-powered model in the Camaro lineup, with a starting price of $34,9951 for the coupe model. This SEMA Show vehicle, in Summit White, is based on the LT1 convertible (starting at $40,9951) and features concept exterior features and a host of performance and styling accessories.
- Silverado Midnight Edition is based on the Trail Boss trim, including a 2-inch factory suspension lift and the Z71 Off Road Package. The all-black approach includes black badging, grille, Bowties, bumpers, exhaust tips and off-road assist steps.
- Silverado 2500HD Carhartt Special Edition. After the successful reception of the concept at the 2016 SEMA Show, Chevrolet and Carhartt have teamed up on a special edition based on a Silverado 2500HD LTZ, featuring exterior pinstripe detailing, Carhartt badging, a unique Carhartt tonneau cover and a Carhartt-themed interior.
- Silverado and Colorado ZR2 Race Trucks. Designed to compete in the Best in the Desert Racing series, these race trucks will be used as dynamic test beds to evaluate performance parts.
- 2021 Colorado ZR2. A preview of styling changes coming to the ZR2, this concept version also demonstrates the personalization possibilities offered with Chevrolet Accessories for the Colorado, including a sport bar with a 30-inch-wide light bar, bed-mounted spare tire carrier and more.
Chevrolet’s concepts, show vehicles, performance parts and accessories are on display at the SEMA Show, in Las Vegas, through Nov.8.
1MSRP excludes tax, title, license and dealer fees.
2Your actual range will vary based on several factors, including temperature, terrain, battery age and how you use and maintain your vehicle.
NEW SP383 EFI EXPANDS CHEVROLET PERFORMANCE’S CRATE ENGINE PORTFOLIO
2020 marks 65th anniversary of Small Block heritage
LAS VEGAS — At the SEMA Show, Chevrolet Performance is celebrating 65 years of Small Block innovation with a its all-new SP383 EFI. A contemporary twist on the classic 383 Small Block “stroker” combination, the SP383 EFI melds the big torque of the long-stroke 383 with the drivability of electronic fuel injection.
“Chevrolet Performance’s newest crate engine builds on a pioneering legacy of engine innovation,” said Kris Mayer, general director for Chevrolet Performance. “It also expands our unmatched crate engine portfolio, offering customers opportunities to build the project vehicle of their dreams.”
Since 1955, Chevrolet Performance’s Small Block engines have powered everything from vintage pickup trucks and muscle cars to motor homes and boats.
SP383 EFI
Chevrolet Performance’s new SP383 EFI is based on the ZZ6 EFI crate engine — including its high-flow, Fast Burn-type cylinder heads with modern valvetrain technology — but features a longer, 3.800-inch stroke to help build more torque.
Like the ZZ6 EFI, the SP383 EFI features a port-style injection system, with the injectors plumbed in the carburetor-style intake manifold. The throttle body is mounted in the conventional position of the carburetor, which supports a classic appearance that looks at home under the hood of vintage vehicles.
Chevrolet rates output for the new SP383 EFI at 450 horsepower and 436 lb-ft of torque.
Two versions are offered: the SP383 EFI Deluxe (P/N 19418640) and the SP383 EFI Turn Key (P/N 19419199). The Deluxe kit includes the throttle body, distributor, damper and flexplate, while the Turn Key assembly takes the content of the Deluxe and adds an air cleaner, front-end accessory drive, breather, PCV valve and starter.
Both crate engine kits include a “plug and play” engine controller and harness.
Legacy of engine innovation
Chevrolet began offering high-performance, factory-engineered crate engines to racers in the late-Sixties, including the all-aluminum ZL-1 Big Block engine that would become the focal feature of the 1969 COPO Camaro. In the late eighties, the “ZZ” series of Small Block engines was introduced, ushering in the modern era of ready-built performance crate engines developed for vintage vehicles.
Today, the Chevrolet Performance portfolio features the industry’s largest OEM crate engine lineup, including nearly 50 Small Block, Big Block, LS, LSX and LT crate engine packages, as well as LS- and LT-based E-ROD packages that carry CARB Executive Order numbers that make them legal for installation in millions of pre-1996 vehicles in California.
Chevrolet is the only manufacturer to offer 50-state street-legal crate E-ROD engine systems, while the range of LS, LSX and LT crate engines has grown in recent years to match customer demand. Additionally, Chevrolet Performance offers approximately a dozen performance four-, six- and eight-speed automatic transmission systems, as well as six-speed manual gearboxes, torque converters, installation and adaption kits, and the electronic controllers to match them with every offering in the crate engine portfolio.
In fact, the wide array of engine and transmission offerings inspired Chevrolet engineers to develop the groundbreaking and industry-exclusive Connect & Cruise systems, which pair crate engines with recommendations for complementing transmissions and all the necessary controller kits. A detailed chart in the Chevrolet Performance catalog outlines the matched components and their part numbers for at-a-glance comparisons and easier ordering.
“Connect & Cruise systems eliminate the guesswork in selecting the right engine-and-transmission combination for your project,” said Mayer. “Once you’ve selected the engine, our factory-matched combinations match it with a Chevrolet-recommended transmission and identify the necessary controllers, harnesses and other supporting components you need to help get it all installed and running quicker — and with the confidence it’s the right combo for your classic vehicle.”
All of Chevrolet Performance’s crate engine and transmission systems, including E-ROD and Connect & Cruise systems, are identified in the all-new 2020 Chevrolet Performance catalog, which is available from Chevrolet dealers and other Chevrolet Performance retailers. It is also available online at www.chevroletperformance.com.
More new products at SEMA
SuperMatic™ 6L80-E
The new SuperMatic™ 6L80-E six-speed automatic transmission offers a technologically advanced balance of performance and efficiency when matched with Chevrolet Performance’s LS and LSX crate engines.
It is based on the same robust transmission offered in a number of rear-wheel-drive production vehicles, including the Camaro and Chevy trucks, but enhanced with specific internal components that contribute to a higher output torque rating of 650 lb-ft – a 45-percent increase over the regular production six-speed transmission. A “deep” 4.02 first gear ratio helps deliver strong standing-start performance, while a 0.67 top gear helps reduce engine speed on the highway.
LSX-SC cylinder head
Inspired by the COPO Camaro, the all-new LSX-SC cylinder head is based on Chevrolet Performance’s proven, high-flow LSX-LS7 design, but optimized in key areas to enhance strength and cylinder sealing for supercharged and turbocharged engines. Like other LSX cylinder heads, it is made of tough T356 aluminum, but produced with a low-pressure casting process to improve density. Additionally, the head is treated to Hot Isostatic Pressing — commonly known as “HIPing” — to optimize the aluminum alloy’s mechanical properties and density.
