Corvette and Silverado win North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year

Chevrolet kicked off the first press day of the 2014 Detroit Auto Show by taking home awards for the North American Car and Truck/Utility of the Year. The Bowtie brand swept both awards with the new 2014 Corvette Stingray and the Chevrolet Silverado.

If the news sounds familiar, it's because the same two vehicles won our Best of the Best/Car and /Truck award just last month.

This year's list of nominees included 12 vehicles in each category and was voted on by a panel comprised mostly of North American-based journalists. In order to qualify for the awards, the cars and trucks had to be significantly changed from the previous model and must go on sale shortly after the announcement of the award.

The latest version of the Corvette is lighter, mixing aluminum and carbon-fiber materials. Under the hood, it sports an all-new fifth generation 6.2-liter V8 with 455-hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Other competitors in the car category included the Cadillac CTS and the Mazda3 compact.

The Chevrolet Silverado was also up against some stiff competition, going against the likes of the new Jeep Cherokee and the Acura MDX. GM's most popular truck received a makeover inside and out, incorporating a more refined interior including an available touchscreen entertainment system, heated and cooled seats and an improved powertrain lineup.

By Natalie Sejnost