First 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 goes for $250,000 at auction

The first 2012 Camaro ZL1 put up for sale brought $250,000 at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas on Sept. 24.

Fairway Chevrolet-Buick-GMC put the new ZL1 up for auction, with proceeds going toward the Southern Nevada YMCA. The car was bought by Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, who expects delivery in the first quarter of next year. His will be the only Chevy Camaro ZL1 coupe of the 2012 model year with a "carbon flash metallic" exterior. Also, it is the 69th ZL1 from the Oshawa Assembly Plant, in honor of the limited 69 production copies of the 1969 ZL1.

"Like the original, the 2012 Camaro ZL1 introduces a performance benchmark for the street and the track," Chevy spokesman Russ Clark said. "Offering the 69th Camaro ZL1 at auction was a fitting tribute to the 1969 model."

The 1969 ZL1 was the most elite Camaro ever produced, according to General Motors. The all-aluminum big-block engine used was originally developed for Corvette race cars in the late 1960s. It was similar to the Chevrolet L-88 427 engine, except the ZL1's aluminum block reduced the overall weight by more than 100 pounds. The 1969 ZL1 was rated at 430 hp, but GM says it was known to produce more than 500 hp.

The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is equipped with a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that delivers 580 hp and 556 lb-ft of torque.

By Michelle Koueiter