During my highschool days, my friend's dad worked for Chevrolet. He got them to donate a prototype yellow Corvette that was going to be crushed for a pep rally... then students were charged a few bucks each to swing a huge sledgehammer at it a few times. It was pretty fun!

 

They do this all the time. In the aftermarket industry they are known as "dollar cars". Manufacturers will give new models of cars to well known tuners for a dollar so that they can develop parts and showcase the car before its launched. They are crushed within a year.