With the government shut down in full effect, Chevy has focused on benefitting our nation’s military. Yesterday, Chevy auctioned off two of the first retail production Corvettes to benefit military veterans. The two cars raised a total of $2.325 million.
First on the block was the Corvette Carbon 65 Edition Coupe signed by President George W. Bush. The Carbon 65 Edition Coupe celebrates the 65th anniversary of Corvette and features a new Ceramic Matrix Gray paint with visible carbon fiber exterior elements all over including the hood and rear spoiler. The Carbon 65 will be limited to a run of 650 cars available in Z06 and Grand Sport models. The delicious 3LZ interior is full of carbon fiber accents and Alcantara, giving it a very exotic feeling.
The car was won by John Staluppi of Atlantic Automotive Group for $1.4 million. Proceeds will benefit the Bush Center’s Military Service Initiative. The goal of the initiative is to ensure post-9/11 veterans and their families make “successful transitions to civilian life with a focus on gaining meaningful employment and overcoming the invisible wounds of war.”
Next on the block was the groundbreaking new Corvette ZR1. The fastest, most powerful production Corvette ever built was announced a few short months ago. The supercharged powerplant puts out 755 horsepower and features a carbon fiber heat exchanger which pops up through the hood. The winner here was Rick Hendrick, chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group. The gavel went down at $925,000 with proceeds going to benefit the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
Speaking at the auction, Steve Hill, GM Vice President of US Sales and Service, said, “GM and Chevrolet are proud to honor and support the brave men and women of our armed forces. Thanks to the generosity of two of our dealers, John Staluppi and Rick Hendrick, we will be able to offer additional support to some of our most severely wounded veterans through the Bush Center Military Service Initiative and the Siller Foundation Building for America’s Bravest effort – both extremely worthy organizations.”
The moral of the story here is, getting President George W Bush to sign your car is a major W.