You may be surprised who's behind the wheel…
The Hoonicorn is back, and it's facing down its most fearsome challenge yet in a drag race against a 4,000-horsepower NHRA Pro Stock C6 Chevy Corvette. Ruh-roh.
In case you missed it, the Hoonicorn was designed for one very specific purpose - to slay tires in dramatic sideways all-wheel drifts. Built from carbon fiber and fashioned to look like a 1965 Ford Mustang, this one-off racing machine isn't your typical V8 muscle car. The motor in question is a twin-turbo 6.7-liter racing engine from Roush Yates. Force-fed methanol, the 'eight spits thunder through the hood and throws down with a substantial 1,400 horsepower. All that giddy-up turns into tire smoke via a Sadev SC90-24 six-speed sequential transmission, feeding four slabs of rubber through a high-spec all-wheel drive system. Curb weight is under 3,000 pounds.
Craziness, any way you look at it. Indeed, few machines can compete with the Hoonicorn. That much was made obvious the last time the Hoonigan crew brought it out for the first "Hoonicorn vs. The World" video series, during which the all-carbon smoke machine curb-stomped everything from 8-second Audis to tuned supercars. Now, however, it looks like the odds have been evened a bit.
Rolling up in the other lane is NHRA driver Alex Laughlin in his Pro Stock C6 Corvette missile. That absurd contraption popping out of the hood is a supercharger for the 526 cubic-inch (8.6-liter) Hemi V8, which is good for a pavement-churning 4,000 horsepower. Sending it to acres of rear rubber is a Lenco Racing three-speed transmission, while curb weight is a feathery 2,800 pounds.
Perhaps the Hoonicorn has met its match on this one. That said, there are a few wrinkles to consider, starting with the race track. This isn't some super-sticky drag strip - this is a dusty, uneven runway out in the middle of nowhere, likely sodden with oil from all the usual Hoonigan shenanigans. That means the all-wheel drive Hoonicorn could have the traction advantage.
Then there are the pilots. Although Laughlin is an established pro, the Hoonicorn will be wheeled by Ken Block's 14-year-old daughter, Lia. Don't be fooled - Lia knows what she's doing, taking after dear 'ole Dad by learning to drift in Ken's built Mk. 2 Ford Escort last year, as well as taking part in a rigorous driver training program over the last few months.
Which of these two beasts will come out on top? There's only one way to find out:
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