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First-edition Detroit muscle raises millions for charity at Barrett-Jackson

Amidst all the classic metal crossing the auction block each year in Scottsdale, AZ, Detroit automakers have a tradition of donating the first examples of their most enticing new muscle cars, with the proceeds of their sales going towards worthwhile charities. This year, Barrett-Jackson handled three noteworthy examples. The highest price among them was the first Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang with the VIN #001, which raised $1 million for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. General Motors donated the first new Chevy Corvette Z06 Convertible, the first retail example of the droptop supercar garnering $800,000 for the United Way. Along with the Z06, GM also donated the first new 2016 Cadillac CTS-V sedan, which brought in $170,000 for Detroit's College for Creative Studies. Although these were the headline Motown muscle machines furnished by the automakers themselves, they weren't the only vehicles auctioned off for worthy causes. A 1950 GM Futurliner bus donated by collector Ron Pratte led the charge when it brought in $4.65 million for the Armed Forces Foundation. Other lots included a custom Jeep Wrangler donated by SEMA ($85k), a new M5 donated by BMW ($800k), a '79 Oldsmobile Cutlass Hurst ($140k), '39 Cadillac LaSalle C-Hawk ($410k), Jeff Gordon's 1999 NASCAR-spec Chevy Monte Carlo ($500k) and a Victory Cross Country 8-Ball motorcycle ($180k). All told, the charity lots raised over $8.7 million for local and national charities. BARRETT-JACKSON REACHES HISTORIC HIGHS FOR SALES, CROWDS AND CELEBRITY APPEARANCES IN SCOTTSDALE • Barrett-Jackson sold 1,611 vehicles, which went for more than $130 million (unaudited), smashing records in the company's 44-year history during the 10-day auction at WestWorld of Scottsdale • Automobilia sales nearly tripled world records, with 2,000 pieces selling for more than $6.55 million • Celebrity attendance and crowds, along with ratings on Discovery and Velocity, spike SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jan. 18, 2015 – Barrett-Jackson, The World's Greatest Collector Car AuctionsTM, reached historic highs during the Scottsdale auction at WestWorld from Jan. 10-18, 2015. During the 10-day auction, Barrett-Jackson recorded more than $130 million in vehicle sales (unaudited) and a world record $6.55 million in automobilia sales (unaudited), making it the highest auction in sales to date. The Ron Pratte Collection alone brought in over $40.44 million in vehicle and automobilia sales.

2020 Chevy and GMC HD truck spy shots reveal LED lighting

With Chevy and GMC's 1500 series pickups just starting to roll into dealerships, our attention naturally turns to the Heavy Duty 2500 and 3500 series trucks. We've seen these HD trucks testing already, but thes latest spy photos give us our first good glimpse of the two HD trucks' headlights through some translucent camouflage, and their designs appear very interesting and quite different from each other. The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado HD looks to be getting a striking set of LED lights that flank the grille. A previously released teaser image of the truck shows that the front lighting elements are split by a bulky wing that branches out from a big, upright chrome face, and both top and bottom units seem to incorporate LED slashes. If you look closely at the images, you can easily make out the Chevrolet script cut into the grille's top edge. Amidst a bevy of Chevy test trucks was one lone GMC model in a dually configuration, and the Sierra HD also appears to have some LED accent lighting up front. Unlike the boomerang-shaped Chevy LEDs, GMC's version sports a shoulder-like right angle of light bars. Assuming these are production-level lighting units, it seems the Sierra HD will stick pretty close to the face of GMC's latest light-duty pickup truck. We're still waiting for confirmation on what range of powertrains will be available in GM's next-gen HD trucks, but we're sure there will be both gasoline- and diesel-burning engines on the ordering sheet. We expect to hear official details on the trucks sometime soon. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2020 GM Heavy Duty Pickup Spy Photos View 18 Photos Image Credit: KGP Spy Photography Spy Photos Chevrolet GMC Truck gmc sierra hd chevy silverado hd

2016 Chevy Colorado grabs Motor Trend Truck of the Year award

It's not an easy feat to win Motor Trend Truck of the Year twice in a row, but the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado managed to do just that. Thanks to the introduction of the 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder diesel, the magazine decided to bring the pickup back to defend the title. In more good news for the Bowtie brand, the 2016 Camaro earned the magazine's Car of the Year award. The Colorado beat a tough group of finalists to earn the nod this year, including its GMC Canyon sibling. The Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra also made this year's list. The Nissan Titan XD and latest Toyota Tacoma rounded out the challengers. A model had to shine in six criteria to earn the title: advancement in design, engineering excellence, safety, efficiency, value, and performance of intended function. Like it did with the Camaro, Motor Trend posted a story online that explained the rationale for picking the Colorado again. They praised the diesel profusely and lauded the whole platform as quite a capable hauler. This year's Motor Trend SUV of the Year honor went to the Volvo XC90. The Swedish 'ute had to win against an initial group of 16 candidates that the magazine eventually whittled down to finalists that consisted of the Honda Pilot, Lincoln MKX, the combined Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class and GLE Coupe, and Nissan Murano. "Seven-passenger people movers aren't supposed to drive like this," senior features editor Jonny Lieberman said about the Volvo in the announcement of the champions. The Honda CR-V won last year. In the explanation online, the judges applauded the XC90's new modular platform, and they loved both the T6 twin-charged engine and T8 hybrid version. The SUV's key enamored the writers, too. Related Video: MOTOR TREND Announces 2016 "Of The Year" Winners Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year announced during live ceremony and webcast in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, for the first time in the brand's 66-year history, MOTOR TREND announced winners of the Golden Calipers for Car of the Year, Truck of the Year, SUV of the Year, and Person of the Year at a red-carpet gala in front of an audience of industry insiders and celebrity guests. The awards show was also streamed live on the MOTOR TREND Channel on YouTube, with 3.5 million subscribers the world's largest automotive video channel, and on MOTOR TREND OnDemand, the brand's new subscription video on demand (SVOD) channel.