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Optimus Prime and Bumblebee head for auction

This month at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ, the customized 1992 Peterbilt 379 of Optimus Prime from the Transformers series and director Michael Bay's own 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS for Bumblebee will cross the block. The company will sell both with no reserve, and they'll come with letters of authenticity. This specific Bumblebee is the mean-looking restomod from Transformers: Age of Extinction, the fourth installment in the franchise, and Bay apparently liked it enough to hang onto the aggressive coupe after filming. He even autographed the car for this sale. The Camaro would make a great star in a Hollywood chase scene with its LS3 V8, six-speed manual gearbox, Wilwood brakes, and custom suspension. Bumblebee also wears a menacing satin black body with yellow accents and custom carbon fiber fender flares. Optimus Prime's Peterbilt appeared on-screen in the first three Transformers films, the auction house's spokesperson Aaron Cook told Autoblog. An Autobot emblem sits proudly on top of the grille, and the truck wears a flame paintjob. Barrett-Jackson's description says that the semi is fully functioning but no longer street legal and is now for display only. It would likely be the ultimate piece in anyone's Transformers collection. CRAIG JACKSON'S BARRETT-JACKSON TEAMS UP WITH MICHAEL BAY, PARAMOUNT PICTURES TO AUCTION ICONIC TRANSFORMERS VEHICLES Paramount Pictures is auctioning Optimus Prime® (Lot #1325.1), the iconic truck featured in the first three Transformers™ films American filmmaker Michael Bay will auction his 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS (Lot #1325.2), which starred as Bumblebee™in the blockbuster movie, "Transformers: Age of Extinction" SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jan. 4, 2016 – Barrett-Jackson, The World's Greatest Collector Car Auctions®, announced today that Paramount Pictures and American filmmaker Michael Bay will auction two vehicles that starred in the Transformers movie franchise, during the company's nine-day 45th Anniversary Auction, from Jan. 23-31, 2016, at WestWorld of Scottsdale. Up for sale at No Reserve is the iconic truck, Optimus Prime (Lot #1325.1), featured in the first three science fiction action films. Bay has consigned a 1967 Chevrolet Camaro SS (Lot #1325.2), which was cast as Bumblebee in the latest film, "Transformers 4: Age of Extinction." "The hottest Hollywood stars at Barrett-Jackson come in all shapes and sizes," said Craig Jackson, chairman and CEO of Barrett-Jackson.

GM Halts Sale Of Most Chevy Cruze Models

General Motors has told dealers to stop selling some 2013 and 2014 Chevrolet Cruze compact cars. But the company won't say why. Dealers say stop-sale orders are routine and almost always made to fix a safety problem. They received the order in an e-mail Thursday, but no reason was given. The move comes as GM deals with fallout from a delayed recall of 1.6 million older small cars to fix an ignition switch problem. The company says the switches can slip out of the run position and shut down the engine. That causes loss of power steering and brakes and disables air bags. GM says the problem has been linked to 31 crashes and at least a dozen deaths. Spokesman Greg Martin says he has no details on the Cruze. Related Gallery Chevy Impala Earns Highest Accolades From Consumer Reports Recalls Chevrolet GM Cruze

2016 Chevrolet Spark lights up New York

The little Spark has been somewhat of a surprising entry in the modern Chevy lineup in the US. Given its diminutive stature, you might have expected the slightly larger Sonic to cannibalize the tiny sibling's sales, but that hasn't happened. The Bowtie moved 39,159 Sparks in the US in 2014, a 14.7 percent boost from the previous year. Now at the 2015 New York Auto Show, the latest generation is being unveiled with a new engine and much improved styling. Replacing the current 1.2-liter four-cylinder is an all-aluminum 1.4-liter unit making 98 horsepower. That still doesn't sound like much, but it's 16 percent more than the 2015 Spark. The new mill can be connected to either a five-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission with which Chevy estimates 40 miles per gallon highway fuel economy. The 2016 Spark also gets a longer wheelbase and 1.6-inch lower overall height. Combined with more elliptical headlights at the front, the changes make for a somewhat more sleek appearance than the current, boxy model. The platform underneath is more rigid as well, and Chevy claims the latest underpinnings mean better handling and lower NHV levels inside. The little hatch isn't growing up too much, though, and gets a trio of new colors that sound like jellybean flavors: Toasted Marshmallow, Kalamata and Splash. Chevy is packing the interior with better quality materials and improved tech. Chevy's latest seven-inch MyLink system sits in the center stack with a capacitive touchscreen, and it now comes with a physical volume control and other buttons for easier use. All models also get a rearview camera, and a LCD instrument cluster remains in front of the driver. The available suite of safety systems includes Forward Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning and Side Blind Spot Alert. The 2016 Spark goes on sale in the US in the fourth quarter of 2015 and is produced in South Korea. Expect a gallery showing off all its new styling from the New York show floor soon.