Jalopnik
According to GTSpirit, the forum all about the road rally, the Gumball 3000 is still planning on making a run into the heart of Communist North Korea for the 2008 running of the sticky balls of gum. If you'll remember we reported they were looking to take a jaunt through Korea back in June, but we really believed Maximillion Cooper, head of the rally, would come to his senses. Guess not. Oh, and the price for next year's rally has ballooned to £60,000 (£50,000 for Gumballers) — $120,000?? That's a lot of money for us to pay in order to meet "Dear Leader" and potentially forcing us to renounce our US citizenship while doing so — so, you know, count us out. Full release after the jump. [GTSpirit via Gumball144.com]
'Gumball 2008 Announcement!'To celebrate Gumball 3000's 10th Anniversary rally, in 2008 we are embarking upon creating the ultimate rally of the future from San Francisco to Beijing incorporating a true once in a lifetime (no cars) check point in North Korea !!!!!
The eight-day 3000-mile route will embrace the contrasting cultures of the east and west, whilst also uniting over 40 nationalities of participants taking part, and truly benchmarking itself at the forefront of partying, exploring, and the promotion of eco friendly transportation. 120 of the worlds most amazing vehicles will participate, and as well as the usual display of stunning supercars, the 2008 Gumball will also showcase and encourage vehicles pushing the technological boundaries to create an environmentally friendly and safer future.
Having pro actively supported the use of 'green' fuels for the past 4 years, highlighted by film star Daryl Hannah participating in 2005 using only 100% bio-diesel, and a Peterbilt Truck using only potato oil from San Francisco to Miami in 2003, along with numerous other bio-diesel, electric and hybrids taking part. In 2008 Gumball has made the decision to become completely carbon neutral, and will offset its complete carbon footprint made by the participating supercars and aeroplane transportation, as well as promoting and encouraging the use of as many environmentally friendly futuristic vehicles using fuel cells, hydrogen, batteries and other sustainable technologies.
This will be the ultimate adventure and clashes of culture, following partying in San Diego, the rally will set off in front of millions driving via Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas visiting several world renown race tracks along the way. Then after partying in Vegas all the cars will then be flown in our Russian cargo planes to Shanghai. Whilst the drivers make their journey to North Korea's undiscovered stunning capital, Pyongyang, to watch next years 'Mass Games' inside the insane May Day 'gold plated' 250,000 seater stadium as VIP guests of the North Korean Government. This will be a sight in itself. Though that is not all, once we get back in our drivers seats in Shanghai we will make a 2 day journey to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Following this years accident, we've had a long and hard think about how to positively amend and adapt the concept of the rally without stifling its unique freedom of spirit, concept and adventurous characteristics, whilst continuing to make it ground breaking in its cultural diversity, as well as keeping its multi national and diverse demographical appeal; and of course doing what we can to make it as safe as possible, exploring numerous ways of setting up precautions that can offer both participants, sponsors and the public confidence that the odds against such an accident happening again are decreased, whilst also trying to assure that the Gumballers and fans can enjoy the individual spirit, eccentricity, glamour, fun and adventure that has become integral with Gumball over its successful nine year history.
With that in mind, I believe that we have come up with a route and concept that will be both politically, geographically and environmentally ground breaking; and as well as incorporating some of the most influential and culturally diverse cities of the world, with shorter drives and even better parties, the event will also be 100% carbon neutral, and a platform for automotive manufacturers to showcase their futuristic environmentally friendly vehicles.
Unfortunately with only 100 limited exclusive places on the grid, its going to be inevitable that many people wont be able to take part - so please inform us as soon as possible if you'd like to, so we can cater to past 'Gumballer alumni' before we let newcomers onto the grid. As you can imagine, this route will appeal to people all over the world that would perhaps have never thought to do a rally previously, as this will be the first time in history that members of all nations will be allowed to visit and party in North Korea!
I hope this has wet your appetite for adventure - and as mentioned more details will follow at the end of this month. The date is still tbc - although it's scheduled to take place later than normal in the late summer (mid August) to coincide with the 'Mass Games' and the Beijing Olympic Games.
The cost of the 2008 Tenth Anniversary Rally is £60,000 (£50,000 for Gumballers) which includes all flights (for both you and your vehicle), 5 star Accomodation, Food and Incredible parties during the period of the Rally.
Comments
Well, if they accidentally kill off a North Korean, nobody's going to think it's gonna matter either, right?
@bzr: well, north korea is pretty isolated from the rest of the world, so i guess they hope things like that won't make it to the rest of the world's media...
im also guessing the price hike is to cover their legal fees...
just watch out for Porsches
Lookin forward to Senior Roy's commentary.
@smokyburnout: That's clearly what they're counting on.
How could I have missed that line in this beautifully written press release? "carbon neutral!" I fell off my chair laughing, literally.
To tell you the truth, if an NK death squad decided to ensure that the majority of the rich prick participants in this race never left the North Korean checkpoint, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Excluding Roy.
But then again, I'd be lying if I said this wasn't exactly what I'd do if I was young and obscenely rich.
@bzr: ive got a joke forming in my head about how the carbon dioxide a person doesn't produce because they are run down by a rally car offsets the carbon dioxide the cars produce, but thats just wrong...
Maybe thats why this is a no cars stage, King Jon Im or whatever the little fools name is doesnt want to be killed by flying cars?
I guess being "carbon neutral" somehow justifies hooning-related deaths in the byways along the route. omglaff
How come Maximillion Cooper isn't concerned about the fact that he and his merry band of powder-snorting thrillseekers will be, at best, making Kim Jong-Il look good (or at least normal) and doing absolutely nothing but generate this stupid "contest" more headlines.
North Korea is more than human rights abuses on an epic scale, it's possibly the worst place on earth to live right now. People are live and die under the most oppressive regime on earth, they starve to death while their southern neighbours live comfortably with every convenience and opportunity they could ask for.
No-one outside NK seems to care until - wait - Mr Cooper decides to tear through in a Bentley with his friends, leaving some confused farmers standing at the side of the road. "Terribly sorry about your awful lives, guys, but mind if I floor my Koenigsegg past your emaciated cow?"
What message does this send out? This is about as distasteful as running the Mille Miglia through Krakow in the early 40s (if it were possible at the time). And it's a valid comparison; the NK regime has concentration camps and carries out Nazi-style human experimentation in 2007.
But no, Mr Cooper, you have your fun........
Of course these people will be carbon neutral. Once into North Korea they will stop consuming meat, fish, chicken or any kind of protein whatsoever. Their cars will be hitched to teams of oxen overseen by starving peasants, as they take three months to get to the finish line.
Once at their hotel, they will then be held hostage for several years.
So the Darryl Hannah thing was in 03 and 05? Or did it take her that long to finish . . . I'm confused.
Me thinks Kim Jong-il will have a stable of really nice cars at the end of this...
I bet Kim Jong Il plans to expand his car collection.
@JohnnyWagon:
Damn. You beat me to it!
@Miscellanea: At least I'm not the only one thinking about the possibilities of this occurring.
So they're not serious about being carbon-neutral? Let the hooning commence.
@JohnnyWagon: Did nobody read the actual press release where they mention that the NK stage will not include the cars and that the cars will instead be flown direct from Las Vegas to Shanghai?
"Russian cargo planes"?
Ekranoplan!
@respawn: I know I didn't!
Reading comprehension was never my strong suit.
Occurences of the words "party", "parties", or "partying" in the press release: 6
Occurences of the words "drive", "drives", "driver" or drivers" in the press release: 3
Curiously, however, the word "asshat" does not appear in the press release at all.
Hooning all around the world: $120,000
An audience with Kim Il Jong: Priceless
Leaving North Korea alive: Impossible
So, let me get this straight - Gumball 3000 is a rally that spans multiple continents promoting the message of carbon gas reduction and visiting sadistic dictators? The whole fifth paragraph is quite amusing, talking about fun and freedom of spirit.
"VIP guests of the North Korean government?" Are you effing kidding me?
Gumball 3000 in North Korea?
NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG!
Their "carbon-neutral" thing appears to be the whole "we'll give money to some windmills somewhere". In other words, paying someone else to be carbon-neutral for them.
@Retiree: Oh no. NK will turn this into a media coup like they always "try" to do.
@TurboBrick: The 5th paragraph should also win the William Faulkner award for the longest run-on sentance in any press-release this week. Who the f**k writes their copy anyway?
@respawn: s/sentance/sentence. We need an edit button.
@respawn:
Ok, I didn't actualy read the press release so my earlier comment isn't entirely correct. I shouldn't compare it to running the Mille Miglia through Krakow in the early 40's; it's more like taking all the drivers to Nuremberg to watch lots of loyal little Nazis wave flags.
@JoeRenault: Haha! A much more accurate description. I didn't mean my comment to imply that I don't think going to NK is a stupid idea. I think that anybody foolish enough to attend this year's Gumball deserves to be fleeced for all they're worth once they get to North Korea. Maybe Kim Yung won't be so ronery anymore.
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