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Chevy Silverado Midnight Edition, Custom ready to stand out in pickup line

Chevrolet spent its Chicago Auto Show introducing a pair of fullsize pickups that promise image-conscious buyers a truck experience that goes beyond the standard range, with the murdered-out Midnight Edition and the um, not murdered-out, Custom. Let's start with the Custom, which adds 20-inch alloys, as well as chrome bumpers, mirror caps and door handles to the Silverado LS. Available in both V6 and V8 varieties, and with the customer's choice of two- or four-wheel drive, the Silverado Custom is the decidedly mellower example of Chevy's special edition styling. The Midnight Edition, meanwhile, throws subtlety out the window with a menacing set of visual upgrades. Based on the Z71, the Midnight adds 18-inch wheels, a spray-in bedliner and unique Z71 and Bowtie badges, all in black, of course. The front and rear bumpers, headlamp bezels, tow hooks, mirror caps and door handles, are also finished in the stealthy shade. Check out our live images of both special edition trucks, and let us know what you think down in Comments.

GM global sales off slightly this year

General Motors saw a slight dip in global sales through the first nine months of the year. In that time, the automaker moved 7.2 million vehicles – down 1.3 percent from 2014. For the third quarter alone, the numbers were down 3.1 percent with a worldwide volume of 2.3 million. The automaker had a better performance in North America, as Chevrolet is showing strength with some of its best crossover sales ever, and pickup trucks were up 16 percent for the year. Volume on the continent advanced 4.9 percent through September to nearly 2.7 million vehicles. The third quarter improved that figure even further with a 5.2-percent jump and deliveries of about 931,000. Elsewhere in the world, things were more mixed in the third quarter. European deliveries jumped 1.1 percent, but the company was still down 6.3 percent there for the year so far. Volume in China also fell 4.2 percent, but the country showed 1.6-percent growth through the first nine months. South America took the biggest, hit with Q3 numbers dropping 30.8 percent. While GM is seeing a small sales drop globally, the company could still climb up the ranking of the world's largest automakers by the end of the year. Volkswagen had the top spot in the first half of 2015, but since then, the German company has been rocked by an international emissions scandal. GM Sold 7.2 Million Vehicles in the First Nine Months of 2015 DETROIT – General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) sold 7.2 million vehicles globally in the first nine months of 2015. The company posted sales increases in four of its five largest markets, with record sales in China and strong retail sales gains in the United States. Total sales were down 1 percent, due primarily to the company's previously announced decisions to strategically reduce its presence in certain markets, as well as difficult market conditions in South America. "Our unwavering focus on the customer is paying off in our largest and most important markets as we execute one successful launch after another in the right segments," said GM President Dan Ammann. "At the same time, we have reacted quickly to challenging macroeconomic environments in other markets and have shown the discipline to exit situations where we see no long-term path to acceptable returns." Examples of GM's recent success include: GM truck sales in North America were up 16 percent in the first nine months of 2015, driven by a 17 percent increase in Chevrolet truck deliveries in the United States.

Corvette racer Gavin confirms Grand Sport debut in Geneva

Need further proof that Chevrolet is trying to turn the Corvette into a truly globe-spanning sports car? Then check out this Instagram post from Corvette Racing's Oliver Gavin that shows a new Grand Sport model will debut not at Detroit, or Los Angeles, or even New York, but at Geneva. In Switzerland. That's in Europe, land of Bugatti, Porsche, Ferrari, and Aston Martin. Gavin hasn't deleted the image as of this writing, but is probably getting an earful from his Chevrolet handlers at this moment. His post shows a number of press materials, including a schedule for Chevrolet's press conference, slated for late tomorrow morning (Geneva time, of course). Gavin will be handling the introduction at the Palexpo, and he'll be joined by Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter, who according to the materials will be driving the new Grand Sport on stage. It's a bold move on the part of Chevrolet, showing its homespun Kentucky-built Corvette alongside debuts like the Bugatti Chiron and Aston Martin DB11. But while we now know that the Grand Sport is coming tomorrow, our next question moves on to how it will look and perform. Will Chevy revive the classic Grand Sport color scheme – a single wide, white stripe on an Admiral Blue body with two red accents on the driver's front fender – or follow the example set by the C6, which went for a subtler look with classic Cunningham-like stripes? Will there be any performance advantages over the standard model? Perhaps less weight and a smidge more power? Chevy's Geneva presser kicks off at 10:45 a.m. or 4:45 a.m. here on America's east coast. We'll be on hand both in Geneva and here at home to cover all the excitement, so check back then. And bring coffee. Related Video: