The S80 Rallyist

For those of you that don’t know, The 2904 is a real cross-country road race, inspired by the Cannonball Run. Participants start in New York City and must drive as fast as possible to San Francisco; a total distance of 2,904 miles. However, there’s a catch. Each team has a limit of 2,904 USD to spend on the car, modifications, repairs, speeding tickets (and bail), fuel, fluids, tolls, and food. If you go over the limit, you’re out of the race. Purchase prices must also be reasonable; you can’t have your grandma sell you her “used” Corvette for 100 bucks or something.

It was dark when the first of my seven alarms roused me from my bed. I honestly can’t remember what time I woke up. I didn’t care… too early for anything but going back to sleep, if it were any other occasion. Today is the day , I thought. I showered, brewed myself a pot of dark roast coffee, and started to poach an egg. I stepped out onto the porch and stared to the east; it would still be another hour before the first of the sun’s rays came into view. I still had a few things to do yet, and I needed to get going if I wanted to arrive at my destination on time.

Last night, Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard were nearing the end of the Entrevaux-Ubraye stage (SS1), when disaster struck. While turning in for a sweeping left-hander, the New Zealand native hit a patch of black ice, causing the Hyundai i20 WRC to violently oversteer. The car then went off on the outside and made contact with the cliffside, flipping it on its right side.

A while back, I had the pleasure of visiting the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa; something I’ve been meaning to do for years. There were hundreds upon hundreds of historic motorcycles, ranging from some of the first motorbikes ever built, to ludicrous choppers, and breathtakingly fast land speed bikes. However, one bike in particular captured my attention. It looked all the world like an old Harley-Davidson, but for some reason, had a Volkswagen badge plastered on the tank.

The shooting brake, or break de chasse, has long been the holy grail of petrolhead fantasies. Masterpieces like the Ferrari 250 Breadvan, the Volvo P1800ES, and the Radford Aston Martin DB5 are classic examples of the idea of the shooting brake; a sports coupe given the longer, more practical body of an estate car. More recently, manufacturers have noticed the appeal of the shooting brake, and have come through, producing cars with the likes of the Ferrari FF, and the BMW M-Coupe.

Let me just start out by clarifying something: This bag is NOT an official Takata/Bride product. The material is made by an independent source, and it is not licensed in any way. Had I known this when I was looking at purchasing it, I maybe would have made a different decision; I’m not for supporting illegal goods. I do not endorse the purchasing or use of this bag in any way, shape or form. Instead, I encourage you to buy licensed Takata/Bride merchandise at their respective official websites.