Dear Gumballers,
>
> The 2007 Gumball Rally route is now confirmed, and is set to be one of the
> most amazing experiences you can imagine in 7 days. Having secretly worked
> behind the scenes on making it even more ridiculous than this years around
> the world extravaganza, we can now reveal that in 2007 we're going from -
>
> London to Asia and back!!!
>
> Over the past few years we've decided to keep you somewhat in the dark
> regarding the exact route that the event will take, in order to keep a few
> elements of suprize and add to the 'magical mystery tour' ethos of the
> event. (When I started Gumball back in 1999 I didn't tell anyone the route
> whatsoever so each checkpoint was a suprize).
>
> However with the internet now shaping the world of chinese whispers, and
> forums taking on the roll of being judges and critics of the Gumball and
> every other rally - after reading numerous comments asking "why Gumball is
> doing such an easy 'european' rally next year, especially after this years
> enormous effort", and suggestions that maybe "its not going to be upto
> Gumballs usual ground breaking standards" of course it would appear that I
> have to reveal more about the route - information that I'd have preferred
> to have kept a suprise until the last minute.
>
> With so many new rallies following Gumballs road rally phenomenon, we
> wanted to keep our new routes as secret as possible, as it appears that
> nearly ever new route we do gets copied a year later.
>
> Anyway, keeping a few steps ahead of the game we have already confirmed
> the next 3 years Gumball routes around the world, and they will certainly
> continue to push the boundaries of adventure, undertaking to successfully
> perform cutting edge and groundbreaking routes throughout previously
> unchartered territories, previously thought unachieveable.
>
> So, to reveal some of the secret plans that have been concocted within the
> Gumball world, the 2007 route will certainly be ground breaking (yet
> another logistic nightmare for us), starting on Pall Mall in Central
> London on Sunday 29th April and finishing at Pall Mall just 7 days later on
> Saturday 5th May, followed by a Gumball public music concert that night,
> having gone all the way to Asia and back!
>
> Just how we do the impossible and travel 3000 miles to Asia and 3000 miles
> back to London in 7 days we had wanted to keep a suprize. But to satisfy
> inquisitive fans and reveal to particiants the extent of next years
> spectacle (as well as justifying the increased entry fee compared to our
> past European based events) we thought some more information would be
> welcomed. We are infact driving and "flying" all 120 cars across Europe
> all the way to Asia, and then driving all the way back with a 3000 mile
> route of driving that crosses 2 Continents and 16 different language
> speaking countries!
>
> Key checkpoints (in no particular oder - to keep you guessing) include
> Istanbul, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, Prague, Albania, Dubrovnik, Athens,
> Vienna, and several more suprize destinations! As well as F1 circuits,
> Palaces, cold war border crossings, glamorous parties and music concerts
> that will all shape the unique experience, not to mention that these cities
> will go Gumball crazy. If you thought the million people in Belgrade was
> NUTS this year - prepare to be treated like 'rock stars' by even more fans
> next time!
>
> So never fear, Gumball will always continue to redefine road rallying for
> the modern era... and with 52 cars already entered for 2007, we're on
> track to complete the entry grid before the year is out.
>
> On another note, with several of you already paying deposits for 2008, and
> many of you asking more and more about it, knowing that as its our "10th
> Anniversary" that's its likely to be pretty special. Special is not the
> word....its going to be insane, without going into detail, I'm just going
> to wet your appetite - London to Sydney here we come! Its not going to be
> cheap, but the experience you're going to have is priceless! (the official
> invitation to that one will go out in the new year, and with over 2200
> past participants you'd better sign up fast if you want to be part of that
> one!).
>
> If that's not enough insight to the behind the scenes world of Gumball -
> then I suggest you set the video player to record our new 6 part TV series
> on Channel 4 starting next month - and most importantly get the date
> Thursday 30th November in your diary - as its the "World Premiere" of
> '3000 Miles' - the film I directed following the adventures and jackass
> antics of Bam, Ryan Dunn, Tony Hawk, Mike V and Rooftop Escamilla on this
> years Gumball around the world. The film is released across the UK at
> cinemas in December, and worldwide on DVD next Spring.
>
> If you've got any questions about next years rally, please give me a
> call - as I'd rather keep the 'finer details' of the event personal to
> entrants rather than slapping them on the internet.
>
> If you thought London to LA was insane, then London to Asia and back will
> be even better - another truly 'one off' experience. So if you're up for
> it - nows the time to sign up!
>
> Best regards,
>
> M
>
>
> Maximillion Cooper
> Founder & CEO
> Gumball 3000

The route will be London, Venice, Dubrovnik, Thessaloniki, Istanbul, TBC, Beirut. The cost for previous Gumballers like your self is £24k (£28k for new Gumballers). A deposit of £12k will secure your space and the rest is payable in full by November"

Now lets have a look at the possible prices that G3K HQ would have to pay:

Hotels for 7 nights (max) = 200 Euros per room per night average.
Tunnel = 150 euros (max) per car.
Food = Free (Julie's Mum cooks all the buffets a week before the rally at her home).
Ferry (if used) = 1,000 euros per car (so far above the real price as to be unbelievable, but giving scope for G3K to get a decent boat for the night).

Total per car = 2,550 Euros.

OK, so Max and Julie still have to do several recce trips to organise things, pay their staff and office costs etc. 10,000 GBP per car would be acceptable, giving Max a huge profit margin per car (not even counting advertising revenue). 24,000 GBP per car? Fcuking insane! A classic case of someone over-valuing their brand and underestimating the intelligence of the market.

How many repeat Gumballers were there in 2006? A lot less than when I did my first in 2005. At this rate Max will run out of people silly enough to pay stupid prices within a few years. Max: if you are reading this, get real with the prices: there are more and better competitions every year and you are cutting your own throat!