The very first copy of the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 sold to the public for $250,000 at a Barrett-Jackson auction in Las Vegas last weekend.

The winning bid was placed by Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, a successful NASCAR team that employs star drivers including Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. All of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the YMCA of Southern Nevada. Hendrick should receive the Camaro in early 2012; it will be the only Camaro ZL1 painted in Carbon Flash Metallic.

The charity-winning car will be the 69th Camaro ZL1 assembled at Chevrolet’s Oshawa Assembly Plant, but is the first sold to the general public. Its production number pays homage to the original Camaro ZL1 of 1969 — of which just 69 copies were ever produced.

“Offering the 69th Camaro ZL1 at auction was a fitting tribute to the 1969 model, and a great way to benefit such a worthy cause as the YMCA,” said Chevrolet performance cars marketing director Russ Clark.

Whereas the 1969 Camaro ZL1 packed an all-aluminum, 427 cubic-inch V-8 rated for 430 hp, today’s ZL1 has a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 good for 580 hp and 556 lb-ft of torque. It also will have modern-day performance credentials like adaptive dampers, an active exhaust, and Brembo brakes.

Chevrolet has yet to announce an official retail price for the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, which goes on sale in spring 2012. But suffice it to say, we expect the MSRP will be far less than $250,000.

MotorTrend.com

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