Reserve wasn’t met at auction, leaving the future uncertain.
Auctioning a car comes with a certain amount of risk. While you can set a reserve to ensure you’re not letting something valuable go for next to nothing, there’s the possibility nobody will bid enough to certify a purchase. That’s exactly what happened with the Chevrolet eCOPO Camaro when it crossed the auction block for Russo and Steele in Monterey last month.
When all was said and done, the highest bid was $250,000. That sounds pretty god for a modern Camaro, but when you consider estimates were between $425,000 and $525,000 it’s not difficult to guess why that didn’t meet reserve.
The all-electric drag racer is a serious competitor. With good conditions and a solid launch, the eCOPO Camaro can run a 9-second quarter mile, proving it’s no slouch. Two electric motors fed by four batteries are good for a total 700-horsepower and 600 lb.-ft. of torque. All that is channeled through a Turbo 400 automatic transmission to a solid rear axle, exactly what internal combustion COPO Camaros use.
While it’s true that an all-electric car might be intimidating for some people to own, this one came with extra training and supplies included. That perk should have overcome any trepidation bidders felt, so hopefully that wasn’t a factor in it not selling.
To be honest, quite a few cars didn’t sell in Monterey this year. It happens all the time, but it seemed like a number of high-rollers didn’t move as the highest bid didn’t meet reserve. This doesn’t mean nobody wants the eCOPO Camaro or that it’s a piece of junk, despite what owners of rival pony cars might say.
Considering GM is looking at pushing electric propulsion systems big time in the future, this Chevy eCOPO Camaro likely will become quite historically significant. Usually such a position makes a car a shoe-in for fetching a high price at auction. Perhaps the next time this electric drag racer is auctioned things will be different. For now, there’s zero confirmation when or if the mystery consigner will give bidders another crack at it.
