Just last week, we were behind the wheel of the bucking and barking Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. A huge 477kW directed from a supercharged V8 to the rear wheels, in a package that's ready to upset all manner of supercars.
But what happens when you remove that familiar LT heart and replace it with a near equal fully electric powertrain? Does the subsequent car carry the same soul and character as what came before it?
That hypothetical was one that Chevrolet fans the world over had to confront last October at SEMA, when the American marque unveiled the eCOPO Concept — a 700hp (522kW) electric dragster made to celebrate the Camaro's 50th anniversary.
Naturally that big power figure was backed by an equally impressive torque figure; 814Nm of twist sent to the rear wheels (both of which were inevitably wrapped with fat, beefy drag rubber).
Read more: Camaro ZL1 road test — Chevrolet's supercharged 6.2-litre monster hits NZ
The powertrain is made up of two BorgWarner HVH 250-150 motors linked to a conventional Turbo 400 automatic gearbox. Towards the rear of the car are four 200V battery modules, combining to provide 800V of electrical power.
At the time of release, Chevrolet claimed that the eCOPO concept was good for a quarter-mile pass of around nine seconds.
Perhaps most curiously, the high-tech powertrain is said to fit into the same bell house mounting pattern as the rest of the Camaro's V8 engines. An interesting thought for those who currently own a Camaro but might want to slot in an EV powertrain in the future.
“The eCOPO Concept is all about where we go in the future with electrification in the high performance space,” GM performance chief Russ O’Blenes said back in October. “The original COPO Camaro program was all about pushing the envelope, and this concept is an exploration with the very same spirit.”
Now normally, concept cars tend to be held on to by their manufacturers — especially when they're one-off examples like the eCOPO. But, that isn't the case for Chevrolet's silent drag-racing creation.
It's popped up for sale as one of the many unique big-ticket items at Monterey Car Week. Auctioneers Russo and Steele will be handling the auction, which will take place on Friday evening local time.
The auctioneers don't say much about the car in their listing (including price), but they do mention that training for servicing and running the unique vehicle can be provided to the buyer.