Highly-sought after vehicles can always be leveraged for big bucks, but automakers long ago learned that the marketing and corporate goodwill that comes from donating choice vehicles is worth a lot more than a marked-up MSRP. Brand new Ford Mustangs have been a staple of the charity auction circuit for some time now, and are often the most highly-prized models

For the 2016 Shelby GT350, Ford went all out by soliciting the help of funnyman Jay Leno last month at the Gooding & Co. auction at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. When the gavel fell, the first of the 2016 Shelby GT350s had sold for $700,000. By the end of the event, auction guests had donated another $185,000, bringing the grand total to $885,000 for the Track Pack-equipped Shelby.

The auction proceeds were earmarked to benefit the George W. Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative for post-911 veterans. As such, the former President signed the Shelby GT350, which Leno drove on stage at the auction to be joined by Henry Ford III and Retired U.S. Army Colonel Miguel Howe, who heads the Military Service Initiative.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with Jay Leno as a part of his efforts to increase awareness and raise funds for the Bush Institute’s Military Service Initiative,” said Henry Ford III, global marketing manager, Ford Performance. “We’re indebted to the courageous men and women who have fought to preserve our freedoms. Providing this Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang – which President Bush drove and signed – is a small token of our gratitude for their sacrifices.”