Hoon Master General, now battery-powered.
Ken Block has parted ways with Ford to ink a new deal with Audi. The partnership will lead to as-of-yet unspecified electric mobility projects.
Block initially rose to fame driving sideways in the viral Gymkhana video series, pushing the limits in a variety of high-strung internal combustion machines, including rally cars, as well as purpose-built, tire-killing monsters like the Hoonicorn, an all-carbon, all-wheel drive Ford Mustang making 1,400 horsepower. Now, however, Block is making a pivot towards the future with Audi and EVs.
"I see the electric car as a leap forward for us as a society in order to create something that can not only reduce emissions and hopefully make the planet a better place," Block said. "But not only that - it's also about performance. I love anything that makes me go faster. Electric cars can do that. And as far as sound goes, I have kids who don't care about that. They think that the sound of electric cars is just as cool as the sound of internal combustion engines."
Naturally, Audi has plenty of internal combustion go-fast good stuff on its resume - the brand's revolutionary Quattro rally car certainly comes to mind. As it turns out, Block professes that the Audi Quattro was the car that first sparked his passion for motorsport as a teenager.
These days, though, Audi is primarily focused on the EV side of things. Presumably, Block will be there to make sure performance and speed come along for the ride.
During a recent visit to Audi HQ, Block had a chance to climb behind the wheel of the Audi RS e-tron, the brand's new all-electric, 637-horsepower sports sedan, a vehicle that he says "surprised" him.
"The driving experience is amazing: the car is incredibly fast and handles very well," Block confesses. "The center of gravity is very low so you can change direction quickly."
As for the future projects the new partnership may spawn, well, we'll just have to wait and see. Either way, something tells us that whatever Block is cooking up, it won't skimp on the tire smoke.
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