The Gumball 3000 is fast approaching and this years rally is going to be nothing short of epic. Starting in London with stops in Paris, Barcelona, Monaco, Venice, Belgrade, Sofia, and with the final stop in Istanbul, participants can expect full VIP treatment, a seat at the Monaco Grand Prix and the adventure of a lifetime. I had one of the most memorable experiences in 2009 when I joined the rally while it was taking place here in the United States from Santa Monica, CA to Miami, FL. This eight day, eight country, 3000 mile adventure is a mixture of pure adrenaline and one hundred percent exhaustion. It’s also something I would recommend to any car enthusiast to add to their bucket list.

The opportunity to go to the Monaco Grand Prix is an experience in itself, but pulling up in style with 120 wrapped exotic cars is nothing short of spectacular. This year the Gumballer’s not only get to spend the weekend taking part in the Grand Prix, but they’ll also have the greatest view point from the famous hairpin bend!

The entry fee is a steep 25,000 Euro which amounts to a little under $35,000 U.S. dollars. That includes two people, all parties, food, hotels, events and what ever you can get your hands on at the gift suite. Just the swag alone is worth a few grand. Sponsors include Betsafe, Nixon, Top Trumps and Incipio, with collaborations from the past and present including: Puma, Rogue Status, Alpine Stars, Adidas, Playboy, Technomarine, Flip skateboards, DC, Birdhouse and Armani. Drivers can always expect a new pair of limited edition Puma driving shoes, a Nixon watch, as well as tons of Gumball gear.

*Photo Courtesy of: Supercars.net

Celebrity attendance is always in abundance. Stars that have made the 3000 mile journey include rock stars, to pro-athletes and reality TV celebrities. Tony Hawk, Ryan Dunn, Eve, Dennis Rodman, Buttsy Butler and Xzibit are all regulars at this point. Cypress Hill, Bucky Lasek, Carey Hart, Snoop Dogg, David Hasselhoff, Caprice, Bam Margera, Travis Barker, Adrien Brody and Big Black have all received at least one Gumball medal of honor as well.

In rallies like the Gumball 3000, the real stars are the cars. Past cars have included everything from a Bugatti Veyron and Pagani Zonda, to a rare 1993 Jaguar XJ220S and Charles Morgan in his Morgan 3 wheeler. Of course there are also Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, Aston Martin’s and Porsche’s, which, let’s face it, look like common cars when surrounded by the cream of the crop. Tony Hawk brought his modified Jeep the year I attended and Dennis Rodman showed up in a semi truck. It’s more about style and personality than anything else. Muscle cars, one-offs, vintage, exotics, and even regular automobiles all find their place on the Gumball 3000. A tip to those of you who expect to drive 3000 miles in such a short period of time: bring a comfortable car or you’ll be sorry.

As of yet there’s no word on who is attending the rally and or what cars to expect at this years starting line. My advice is to check out any stops that the Gumballer’s will be at if you can – you won’t be disappointed! The eight day adventure starts May 26-June 1.

Toyota's FT-86 G Sports Concept

The FT-86, in case you’ve forgotten, was to be an affordable entry level sports car developed in a joint venture between Toyota and Subaru. The original concept was a front engine, rear drive coupe with a 200 horsepower boxer motor and a $20,000 price tag. Originally set to hit the market in 2011, the project has been hit by a seemingly endless string of delays, and the latest speculation on a launch date has it hitting dealer showrooms some time next year. Left Lane News tells us that the FT-86 will make an appearance at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show in December, but it isn’t clear whether or not a prototype or production car will be exhibited.

It looks like the FT-86 will now get the same engine used in Subaru’s WRX STI, which is a turbocharged 2.5 liter boxer 4 good for 305 horsepower. As you’d expect, more horsepower brings with it a steeper price tag, with the price of admission now rumored to be around $25,000. Somehow, I suspect that will be revised upward prior to launch, since $25k would make the FT-86 the performance bargain of the decade.

Subaru will get their own version of the FT-86, which will send power down to all four wheels. Expect the Subaru to be more up-market than the Toyota version, and expect it to start at a significantly higher price. The Toyota is scheduled to hit the market first, with the Subaru coupe scheduled for launch sometime in 2013. Unless, of course, the project gets delayed again.

Recaro seats in the Cadillac CTS-V.

If you like Recaro seats in automobiles, I’ve got some good news for you: Autoblog is reporting that the automotive and specialty seating division of Recaro, specifically Keiper Recaro Group, has been sold to uber-conglomerate Johnson Controls. Even if you’ve never heard of Johnson Controls, chances are good you’ve done business with them in one way or another. The company makes everything from automotive seating through automotive batteries and interior headliners. The company also provides facility management to such big-league players as IBM and U.S. government facilities at Cape Canaveral.

So why, you ask, is this a good thing? Johnson Controls is currently the largest manufacturer of automobile seating in the world, operating manufacturing plants on five continents. It stands to reason that they will make the Recaro brand more accessible to manufacturers, who previously reserved Recaro seating for high end sports cars only. It may even result in less expensive Recaro aftermarket seating, since Johnson Controls has the ability to manufacture product on a much larger (hence, more affordable) scale. The sale is not expected to negatively impact Keiper Recaro’s 4,750 employees, and the sale does not affect Recaro’s aircraft, home or child safety seat division, which is separate from Keiper Recaro.

A Caterham 7. Image: sjmmarsh

No road-going car in the history of the automobile sums up the Colin Chapman philosophy of “adding lightness” better than the Lotus 7, which lives on to this day in the form of the Caterham Roadsport and Superlight series. The cars weigh next to nothing, since luxury amenities are limited to things like seats, a steering wheel and a windshield. They’re considered to be among the best track-day toys you can buy, but they’re less than pleasant to drive on the roads to and from the track. Worse, they’re ugly as sin, since aesthetics were never considered in the vehicle’s design. Headlights and turn signals are tacked-on afterthoughts, as are the front fenders. The nose of the car is a giant grille, which gives the Caterham the appearance of a shell-shocked amphibian. Sure it’s fast, but it’s as sexy as John Madden in a dress.

If you’re a fan of Caterham, but can’t bring yourself to buy one of their Lotus 7 based cars, there’s good news on the horizon. Motor Authority is reporting that Caterham will reveal an all new track car, not based on the Lotus 7, at the upcoming Autosport International Show in the UK. Details are sorely lacking (until next month, at least), but Catherham is saying the car will be powered by a “next generation” Caterham engine, and that it will be a “logical expansion to the company’s racing and track day portfolio”.

I can’t wait to see what it is, and whether or not it’ll be imported into the United States. I’m guilty of falling into the “too ugly to buy” camp when it comes to the current Caterham models (and their stratospheric price doesn’t help, either), but I’d certainly keep an open mind if the company launched an alternative track car. Keep it simple, keep it affordable, but make it about 50% less ugly.

It’s a pretty straight forward question really, and one that is targeted directly at the automotive enthusiast. Simply stated, which method of shifting gears do you prefer and why? If you grew up driving between 1950 and 1990, than odds are you’ve got some experience grinding the gears in a manual transmission. If however you began playing with high performance cars in the mid-90′s, then it’s very possible that you’ve never thrown a shift in your life. It’s not a bad thing, but a sign of the times that shows us how automotive technology is moving forward. In the past “true” driving enthusiasts drove stick shifts and wouldn’t be caught dead in automatics. The motion of depressing that clutch, throwing a shift and accelerating out of a corner was enough to get the juices of every petrol-head flowing.

As mentioned though, times are changing, and with the advent of new more durable dual-clutch paddle shifted transmissions, we’re finding the demand for the manual is starting to fade. As for me, I can see the appeal of both. Truth be told, there is nothing like nailing the throttle and rowing through the gears on a nice close-set manual. It makes the driver feel like they’re one with the car and provides a visceral driving sensation that is very hard to match. On the downside, manuals suck in traffic and if abused, tend to have more failures.

Nissan GT-R Dual Clutch Transmission

Paddles on the other hand also provide the driver with a visceral experience, but in a different way. If for instance, you’ve ever driven a car with a really good dual-clutch transmission, something like a Nissan GT-R for example, than you know how much fun it can be when you keep your foot nailed to the floor while you blip through the gears. Plus, you can do this while never taking your hands off the wheel, a big plus in my book.

Honestly, I like both styles of transmission, but for use in different applications. I’d take an nice manual transmission for a car that I drove as a semi-occasional daily driver and or on the weekends. For the track however, I’m all about the paddles. I think they provide you with quicker shift times and more balanced control when you’re driving at the limit. Plus with my size 14 foot, heal-toeing a manual tranny for me can be a total bitch. As always, I’m curious to hear what you think, so post up!

2009 Z06, delivery miles only, seeks loving home... Photo: © GM Corp.

GM recently published October sales data, and for the second month in a row, Corvette sales numbers are down. In September, Chevy delivered a total of 1,109 Corvettes, some 476 units (or 30%) less than in 2009. October’s unit sales were down to 1,011, but that was only a 12.4% loss to October sales in 2009. Year to date, Corvette sales are down 9.5% compared to 2009, and it doesn’t take an economist to figure out that 2009 sales were bleak compared to the pre-recession sales of 2008. In fact, 2009 sales were down over 48% compared to 2008.

So what do these numbers actually mean? If you’ve always wanted a Corvette, and you’re lucky enough to be in a secure financial position, there’s no time like the present to be shopping for one. Dealers with inventory on their lots should be more than happy to negotiate on price, especially since Corvette Blogger reports that some 71 model year 2009 Corvettes are still looking for a good home. In fact, 40 of those 71 cars are Z06 models, so you should even be able to find your desired mix of color and options if you look hard enough. Want a 2010? There are some 1,762 model year 2010 Corvettes in dealer inventory, including 82 Z06s and 237 ZR1s.

Source: Corvette Blogger, via AutoSpies

The Porsche Cayman S; look for the R to be lighter.

Given Porsche’s success with the Boxster Spyder, it’s no surprise that the Stuttgart automaker would roll out a lightweight, de-contented version of its popular Cayman sport coupe as well. Perhaps the worst-kept secret of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Cayman R is expected to makes it’s world debut in LA next week.

Details are sketchy, but you can expect more of less, just like the Boxster Spyder. I’d look for extensive use of carbon fiber (including seat backs), nylon loop door pulls (like the GT3 RS), Porsche’s Active Suspension Management (probably with a lowered ride height), stiffer sways and a bit more horsepower than the Cayman S (which comes from the factory with 320 hp). You’ll probably have less sound deadening as well, which will make the Cayman R better suited to weekend track duty than to Friday night runs to your local sushi bar.

Auto Spies is predicting a price tag of around $65,000, which sounds about right for a less-is-more version of the Cayman. As with the Boxster Spyder, I’d expect the Cayman to be a limited availability model: if you want one, you’d best begin sucking up to your local Porsche dealer now.

Mazda brought a pair of sweet little Mazda2′s to SEMA this year. The duo, the Mazda2 Street, and its evil twin the Mazda2 Track, have been lowered over skateboard sized wheels and tires and given classy race-inspired livery. The Mazda2 Track is fitted with a full roll cage, and has had its guts ripped out in preparation for heavy duty track usage. The Mazda2 Street retains its refined interior, but hides it behind some seriously dark tinted windows. The two cars might just be the best-looking Mazda’s currently made, even if they are the size and shape of a big roller-skate.

The Mazda2 rocks a frugal, yet peppy 100-horse 1.5-liter four cylinder and tips the scales at a featherweight 2,300 pounds. This means that when set-up properly with some sticky rubber and a stiff suspension this little bugger should be an absolutely riot to drive fast.

When the Mazda Miata turned 10, Mazda gave fans and buyers a special edition of the car, called the 10th Anniversary Edition or 10AE for short. Now that the iconic roadster has turned 20, surely Mazda has something special planned, right?

Sadly, that’s not the case. Instead, SEMA attendees get to see the MX-5 Super20 concept, not slated for production. I guess you could buy all the components and bolt one together in your garage, but that hardly honors 20 years of teaching people how much fun open top motoring is, or how well small, light (and underpowered) cars can handle.

Aside from the Storm Gray paint and subdued trim (I’m loving the black wheels), the Super20 gets a Cosworth blower, a DPTune reflashed ECU, a custom built header and exhaust, Mazdaspeed coilovers, Racing Beat hollow sway bars, slotted rotors, stainless lines, high friction brake pads and SpeedSource front brake ducts. The driving lights are repositioned, which reduces the “stoned guppy” look of the front end but reduces airflow needed for cooling. Inside, the seats get what looks to be Alcantara inserts, and there’s a custom roll bar that I’d love to track down as an aftermarket item.

Source: Autoevolution

Mazda's original Renesis motor, used in the RX8

Despite Mazda’s recent claim that they’re going upscale across their product line, Motor Authority has information that would indicate this won’t apply to the replacement for the RX7, to be called the RX9. The car is still years away from production (and development of the next generation, 1.6 liter rotary motor is behind schedule), but the RX9 is said to be based on the Mazda MX-5 platform. Rather than going upmarket like the RX8 attempted to do, the RX9 will be an affordable pure sports car.

Early rumors have the next generation Renesis rotary engine making over 300 horsepower, thanks in part to an electrically powered supercharger. The new motor is said to have better fuel efficiency and cleaner emission than the Renesis in the current RX8. That’s a good thing, since driving the RX8 as the engineers intended yields fuel economy somewhere between “horrific” and “atrocious”. Perhaps Mazda’s most ambitious goal is weight reduction; the plan is to ensure the car goes to market at under 2,800 pounds. Let me see: 300 horsepower, 2,800 pounds and one of the world’s best handling platforms as a starting point? And you’re going to keep the car affordable? I say sign me up and let me know when I can place one on order.