Best Super Bowl prizes 04/29/2011
Every year, millions of people from around the country watch one team win the Super Bowl and celebrate by raising the Vince Lombardi trophy. Yet while a trophy shared by a team is nice, a brand-new car is better.
For the past several Super Bowls, the MVP of the game has been awarded with a brand-new car by General Motors. The model varies from year to year, and sometimes the company even lets the winner pick their new ride. However, one thing's for certain - it's always a sweet car. We compiled some of the top picks to be awarded in a Super Bowl, along with a little bit of history behind each model.
Cadillac Escalade
No surprise here, as the Escalade is frequently cited as the epitome of luxury. Sometimes, General Motors has thrown in an extra package to promote one of their new initiatives. Tom Brady got the pickup-truck inspired Escalade EXT when he was named Super Bowl MVP in 2002, while Santonio Holmes got the hybrid version of the car in 2009.
Cadillac XLR-V
Cadillac has sponsored the prize for several years, but the XLR-V couldn't be more different from the Escalade. While the SUV is all about being large and in charge, the XLR-V is a sleek and sporty hardtop convertible with plenty of power. It's a rare and expensive model - just a few thousand were made each year that it was in production and they all retailed for around $100,000. Brady was allowed to select this car when he won MVP for a second time in 2004, and his teammate Deion Branch got to follow in his footsteps the very next year.
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible
This year, Cadillac passed on prize duties to its fellow General Motors brand, Chevrolet. That was good news for Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers, who got to drive off the field in a brand-new 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible. The car, painted in "Victory Red," may not be the most practical choice for Green Bay's cold winters, but we doubt Rodgers minds too much.