Gumball 3000 set for 11th running with Los Angeles to Miami rally

The infamous Gumball Rally is scheduled to start this weekend, and participants have started to gather in the Los Angeles area for the start of the race tomorrow. We caught up with several of the cars in Santa Monica this afternoon, already prepped with their unique liveries and vinyl wraps. The rally will officially start at 1:00pm on Saturday at the Santa Monica pier, so if you are in the Southern California area you can head down to check out all the cars and celebrities. They eight day rally will also be stopping by Las Vegas, Sante Fe, Dallas, New Orleans, and Miami, so check the Gumball web site to see when they will be coming through your city. We've put together a small preview gallery from today, but check back for plenty more photos from the start of the rally tomorrow.

PRESS RELEASE:

Ladies, Gentlemen, prepare to start your engines... as the 11th annual Gumball 3000 Rally from Los Angeles to Miami is about to begin!

Attracting 'rock stars' to 'royalty', the entry grid of over 100 amazing cars and participants in this year's Gumball is nothing short of spectacular! From David 'The Hoff' Hasselhoff to Jackass's Bam Margera and Ryan Dunn in a custom BMW; next to action sports legends Tony Hawk, Danny Kass, and Dave Mirra in tricked out Jeeps, Chevy Trucks and Porsches; alongside Cypress Hill's DJ Muggs, British indie stars The Enemy, MTV's Dirty Sanchez, the hilarious Cuban Brothers and the fire-breathing Fuel Girls together with vintage rocker Lemmy from Motörhead and Avenged Sevenfold – Gumball has it all – showcasing Bugatti Veyrons, Lamborghini's to Low Riders and classic American muscle cars. With event sponsors including lifestyle sportswear brand Puma providing 'Gumball 3000 Edition' driving shoes, Nixon creating unique timepieces, and Monster Energy supplying the drinks – this eight-day 'road trip' is certain to live up to all expectations of being a stylish, adrenaline fuelled adventure. Think of Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett and Captain Chaos in the 70s Cannonball Run movies and you start to get the picture. Playmates, supermodels and an international cast of eccentrics come standard issue!

On Friday May 1st Gumball 3000 is hosting a 'free' music concert on Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade – With live performances from LA hipsters U-N-I, Cypress Hill's DJ Muggs and the Cuban Brothers – followed by a 'VIP' party at the Viceroy Hotel with guest DJs including DJ Spider, DJ Homicide and Beef Warehouse.

The amazing super, muscle, import and luxury cars will all be displayed next to Santa Monica Pier on parking Lot 1550 from midday on Friday May 1st - ready for the flag to drop at 1pm on Saturday 2nd May! From Santa Monica the 3000 mile route includes a spectacular sight-seeing tour of the good 'ole USA, peppered with overnight stops, parties and checkpoints in Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, Dallas, New Orleans and Orlando - before crossing the finish line on Miami's Ocean Drive on Friday 8th May.

In addition to experiencing a classic road trip adventure, racetrack stop-offs at the Lonestar Motorsports Park in Sealy, Texas, and at the Palm Beach International Raceway in Florida will allow drivers the chance to put pedal to the metal and test their supercars to their limits. One participant that will undoubtedly use these stops to show the other drivers "how to drive" is legendary champion ex-Ferrari Formula 1 racing driver Mika Salo, winner of last years '24 Hours of Le Mans'- taking his Ferrari F430 Risi Competizione Scuderia GT2 on the rally!

Gumball 3000 Rally are officially working with the Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organisation benefiting and raising awareness for the needs of severely injured United States Service men and women. Wounded Warrior representatives will be present throughout the event as well as partnering with Gumball 3000 at forthcoming events and fundraisers.

For daily updates go to www.gumball3000.com, and catch highlights of the action on YouTube, Pumamotorsport.com, Monsterenergy.com and on MTV - but if you live on route – then stop whatever you're doing, get out of the house - and come along to see your favorite stars and cars roll into a town near you!

ZR1 Sedan: Hennessey releases 600-800 hp packages for 2009 Cadillac CTS-V

As far as we can tell, John Hennessey and his crew have somehow warped time and space to create the 36-hour workday. With all the products the Texas-based tuner is coming out with, there's no other explanation. So in addition to creating the 705-hp Corvette ZR700, 715-hp GTR700 and a duo of force-fed Camaros, Hennessey has decided to tackle the 2009 Cadillac CTS-V – and in the process created a four-door ZR1.

The team is releasing four complete packages for Caddy's M5-fighter, ranging from a 610 hp version all the way to a twin-turbocharged 800 hp variant. You can check out each package, including horsepower, torque, mods and performance times, along with corresponding videos, after the jump. And we've also got a gallery of the fire-breathing CTS-V below.

V600 - 610 HP Upgrade

Power:

• 610 hp @ 6,000 rpm
• 605 lb-ft torque @ 4,400 rpm

Performance:

• 0-60: 3.7 sec.
• 1/4 mile: 11.8 @ 122 mph
• Top Speed: 195 mph (6-speed)

Includes:

• K&N Air Filter Element
• Supercharger Pulley Upgrade & Belt
• Engine Management Software Upgrade
• Supercharger Pulley (14 psi) & Snout Upgrade

V650 - 650 HP

Power:

• 650 hp @ 6,200 rpm
• 641 lb-ft torque @ 3,400 rpm

Includes:

• 4 inch Cold Air Induction System
• Supercharger Pulley & Snout Upgrade
• Engine Management Software Upgrade
• Long Tube 1 7/8 inch Stainless Steel Headers
• 3 inch Stainless Mid Pipes
• 3 inch Stainless X-Pipe
• High Flow Catalytic Converters
• Intercooler Heat Exchanger System Upgrade
• Hennessey Embroidered Head Rests
• Serial Numbered Dash Plaque
• Serial Numbered Plaque in Engine Compartment

V700 - 700 hp

Power:

• 700 hp @ 6,300 rpm
• 701 lb-ft torque @ 3,400 rpm

Performance:

• 0-60 mph: 3.1 sec. *
• 1/4 Mile: 10.9 @ 129 mph *
• Top Speed: 211 mph (with 6-speed transmission)

*with optional 20 inch HRE wheel upgrade & 305/45-20 Nitto drag radial tires.

Includes:

• 4 inch Cold Air Induction System
• Supercharger Pulley & Snout Upgrade
• Engine Management Software Upgrade
• Long Tube 1 7/8 inch Stainless Steel Headers
• 3 inch Stainless Mid Pipes
• High Flow Catalytic Converters
• Intercooler Heat Exchanger System Upgrade
• V700 Camshaft Upgrade
• V700 High Flow Cylinder Heads
• Hennessey Embroidered Head Rests
• Serial Numbered Dash Plaque
• Serial Numbered Plaque in Engine Compartment

V800 (Twin Turbo Upgrade) - 800 HP

Power:

• 800 hp @ 6,200 rpm @ 15 psi
• 780 lb-ft torque @ 4,400 rpm

Includes:

• Custom Twin Turbo System
• Twin Ball Bearing Turbos
• External Wastegates
• Blow-Off Valves
• Fuel System Upgrade
• Upgraded Injectors
• Engine Management Software Upgrade
• Corsa Stainless Steel Catback Exhaust System
• 3 inch Stainless Mid Pipes
• 3 inch Stainless X-Pipe
• High Flow Cylinder Heads
• Camshaft Upgrade

Survey: Ford's image gets a boost by nixing federal aid

In what has to be one of the least surprising developments related to the auto industry, a newly-released survey finds that Americans' favorable view of Ford Motor Company has increased substantially since it became the sole member of the Detroit Three to abstain from taking federal funds.

Before the Capitol Hill Bailout Bonanza got going in earnest late last year, just 41% of Americans held the Blue Oval in a positive light. Now, after billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent keeping now-bankrupt Chrysler and soon-to-be (in all likelihood) bankrupt General Motors in business, FoMoCo's positive number has jumped up to 63%, according to a survey conducted by the Aloft Group last week.

However, that's not to say that those surveyed believe Ford's out of the woods: a mere 24 percent of the respondents think Ford doesn't need Uncle Sam to come to the rescue. Still, Ford's decision to mortgage everything on its own in a bid to stay alive has been a big PR success, and you can bet that Alan Mulally will instruct staffers to burn all the office furniture in Dearborn this winter before he looks to Capitol Hill for a penny in bailout dollars. In Detroit right now, the Scarlet Letter is "B."

U.K.-based team develops hood-mounted airbag for pedestrian safety

Derek Jenkins to head up Mazda North America design

Mazda has a new leader for its North American design efforts courtesy of Volkswagen and Audi. Derek Jenkins is moving to Irvine, California to head up the studio that created concepts such as the Nagare and Furai as well as the latest 6 and 3 from Mazda. Jenkins had a 15 year tenure in design at the Volkswagen group, including most recently being the Chief of Design for Volkswagen Group North America.

His credits at VW included the Audi A8 and the Volkswagen Iroc concept that eventually became the new Scirocco.

At the Mazda studio Jenkins is charged with migrating the design language seen on recent concepts like the Nagare into production vehicles coming in the next several years. Check the press release after the jump for all the details.


Press Release

IRVINE, Calif., April 30, 2009 - Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) is pleased to announce the appointment of Derek Jenkins to the position of Design Director, Mazda Design Americas (MDA).

As the former Chief of Design for Volkswagen Group North America, Jenkins is credited with numerous concept and production vehicles including the Audi A2, A8 and Volkswagen Scirocco concept. Prior to joining VW in 2000, he held various design roles at both VW and Audi, both in North America and abroad.

"Derek's intimate knowledge and understanding of the North American market, combined with his wealth of experience after having spent 15 successful years at VW & Audi, are going to be a tremendous asset for the Mazda Design team," said Robert Davis, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Quality, MNAO. "He will help us transition our Nagare design philosophy from concept to reality."

In his new role as Design Director, Jenkins oversees a staff of about 25, which pushes creative boundaries by developing advanced ideas for Mazda's next generation of cars. The Irvine-based team is credited with the Kabura, Nagare and Furai concept cars, as well as the new 2009 MAZDA6 and 2010 MAZDA3.

A graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., Jenkins, 39, enjoys surfing, running and motorcycling, as well as restoring cars, remote control airplanes and exploring architectural and industrial design.



Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Mazda North American Operations oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico through more than 850 dealers. Operations in Canada are managed by Mazda Canada, Inc., located in Ontario, Canada, and in Mexico by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City.

REPORT: Chrysler products from Fiat could be here in 18 months

Will we see a new line of Fiats in America in just 18 months? According to Chrysler vice chairman and president Tom LaSorda, the answer is "yes." Responding to reports that some analysts predict it will take upwards of three years before the first Fiat is (once again) sold in America, LaSorda said:

"We've done a lot of pre-work in terms of homologations and emissions. Eighteen months is practical. Three years is fundamentally wrong. We can do it faster."

Of course, in light of Thursday's bankruptcy filing at Chrysler, perhaps a better question is whether we'll still see Chrysler vehicles in 18 months. Jim Press, another Chrysler VP, says the ailing automaker still plans to reduce the number of nameplates it currently sells and offer Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep dealers under one roof. It remains to be seen how Fiat fits in to the discussion, but CEO Sergio Marchionne says they are indeed coming.

So, what's up first? Hard to say, but LaSorda did suggest that the retrotastic Fiat 500 MINI-fighter is likely to be built somewhere in the United States, Canada or Mexico for sales in the U.S. market.

Ford sells more cars in April than Toyota

What's this? Somehow, the natural order of things in the automotive world has been upset to the point that Ford (129,898 total units) has outsold Toyota (126,540 total units) in the United States in the month of April. For those keeping track of such things, this is the first time in over a year that the Blue Oval (consisting of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury, but not including Volvo) has moved more machines than the mighty Toyota.

Normally, posting a 31% decline in sales compared to the same month a year earlier wouldn't be cause for celebration, but that drop is actually considerably smaller than at rival automakers, including Toyota, which saw sales fall by an almost unbelievable 42%. Not a single Toyota nameplate posted sales gains in April of '09.

Ford, on the other hand, found something to hang its hat on with the new 2010 Fusion. Ford moved 18,321 Fusions in April, which is a 21.7% improvement over last April and a record for any month. That success was offset somewhat by the 35.8% decline in F-Series truck sales, but a gain is a gain, and Ford will take anything it can get.

[Source: Ford, Toyota | Image: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty]

PRESS RELEASES:

FORD GAINS RETAIL SHARE AS FUSION SETS SALES RECORD

* Ford gains retail share – for the sixth time in last seven months
* Ford Fusion sets monthly sales record and grows strength in mid-size car segment
* Ford hybrids combine to eclipse year-ago sales; Kelley Blue Book names Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid to Top 10 Green Cars list
* Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 129,898

Download Full Sales Release

Soundbites: April 2009 Sales

DEARBORN, Mich., May 1, 2009 – New, fuel-efficient products and quality on par with the best in the industry helped Ford increase retail market share in April – the sixth time in the last seven months that Ford's share of the retail market was higher than a year ago.

In April, the Ford Fusion paced the share performance. Fusion sales totaled 18,321, a record for any month. April was the first full month of sales for the redesigned 2010 model and the new Fusion Hybrid version, and April is believed to be the first month that Fusion was among the top three-selling mid-size sedans. Recent independent studies rate Fusion and the Mercury Milan – the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans in America – as having the best predicted reliability among all mid-size sedans.

"We continue to operate in a very challenging economic and competitive environment," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, Sales and Marketing. "Especially given this external environment, we're very encouraged by the consumer response to our new mid-size sedans."

"Sales of the 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln MKZ and hybrid versions exceeded our plan and customers also are equipping our new products with levels of content and features that are higher than we expected," he added. "This suggests consumers view our high-quality, fuel-efficient new products as offering outstanding value."

The new Fusion Hybrid is one of four hybrid models offered by Ford. Hybrid models also are offered in the Mercury Milan mid-size sedan and the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner small utility vehicles. All Ford hybrid models are the most fuel-efficient vehicles in their class, and the Ford Escape and Ford Fusion recently were named to Kelley Blue Book's list of Top 10 Green Cars. In April, combined sales of all hybrid models totaled 2,299, up 21 percent versus a year ago.

Other new Ford products contributed to the retail share performance, including the new F-150 pickup, America's best-selling vehicle, and Ford Flex, the distinctively styled crossover utility that had its best sales month ever (3,190).

Growing awareness and consideration of Ford and its high-quality, fuel-efficient products are starting to take hold. Plus, through June 1, Ford is offering consumers additional reasons to "Drive one."

The Ford Advantage Plan offers payment protection up to 12 months for up to $700 per month on any new Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle if a customer loses his or her job. Plus, 0 percent financing from Ford Motor Credit is available on select vehicles.

On Tuesday, April 28, Ford launched a community engagement phase of the Ford Advantage Plan. Through June 1, Ford will donate $20 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure for every test drive taken at a participating Ford, Lincoln and Mercury dealership to Komen – up to $1 million. That amount could grow even higher as more than a thousand dealers around the country are joining in to match the company's donation. During the past 15 years, Ford has contributed more than $100 million to the fight against breast cancer.

Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 129,898, down 31 percent compared with April 2008. Retail sales were down 32 percent compared with a year ago and fleet sales were down 30 percent.

###

Note: The sales data included in this release and the accompanying tables are based largely on data reported by dealers representing their sales to retail and fleet customers.

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Toyota Reports April Sales

TOYOTA REPORTS APRIL SALES
TORRANCE, Calif. (May 1, 2009) – Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., today reported month-end sales of 126,540 vehicles, a decrease of 41.9 percent from last April, on a daily selling rate basis.

The Toyota Division posted April sales of 112,345 units, a decrease of 42.2 percent from the same period last year. The Lexus Division reported April sales of 14,195 units, a decrease of 39.2 percent from the year-ago month.

Toyota Division

Toyota Division passenger cars recorded April sales of 70,662 units, down 41.6 percent from the same period last year. Camry and Camry Hybrid remained Toyota's volume leader in April, posting combined monthly sales of 25,324 units. Corolla recorded sales of 18,534 units. Yaris reported sales of 8,118 units for the month. The Prius mid-size gas-electric hybrid posted April sales of 8,385 units.

Toyota Division light trucks posted April sales of 41,683 units, down 43.1 percent from the year-ago month. Light truck sales were led by the RAV4 compact SUV with sales of 11,126 units. The Tacoma mid-size pickup reported sales of 9,027 units for the month. The Tundra full-size pickup recorded April sales of 6,156 units. Highlander and Highlander Hybrid posted combined sales of 5,595 units.

Scion posted April sales of 4,442 units. The xB urban utility vehicle led the way with sales of 2,036 units. The tC sports coupe recorded sales of 1,526 units. The xD reported sales of 880 units for the month.

Lexus Division

Lexus passenger cars reported April sales of 7,189 units, a decrease of 47.8 percent from April 2008. Passenger car sales were led by the ES entry luxury sedan with April sales of 3,549 units. The IS entry luxury sport sedan posted combined sales of 2,324 units. The LS flagship luxury sedan recorded combined sales of 765 units. The GS luxury sport sedan reported combined April sales of 468 units.

Lexus Division light trucks recorded April sales of 7,006 units, down 26.9 percent from the year-ago month. Lexus sales were led by the RX and RX Hybrid luxury utility vehicle, which posted combined April sales of 6,237 units. Thanks to strong sales of the new 2010 RX 350, the RX was the industry's best-selling luxury vehicle for the month of April.

TMS Hybrids

TMS posted April sales of 12,223 hybrid vehicles. Toyota Division recorded sales of 11,516 hybrids for the month. Lexus Division reported April sales of 707 hybrids.

There were 26 selling days this month and last April.