Audi has developed an all-electric car for Hoonigan and Ken Block, the German automaker announced. The Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron was exclusively and uniquely developed for Block and will be the protagonist in a new video that Block is producing together with his team for release in the next few months.
“The S1 Hoonitron combines a lot of what Audi was already famous for in the nineteen-eighties,” said Block, whose enthusiasm for Audi’s rally cars was sparked at an early age. “For instance, the car’s spectacular aerodynamics have now been translated into a totally modern form. I think it’s cool that the Audi designers have been inspired by their own past and uniquely transferred the car’s technologies and appearance into the present.”
The car is equipped with two electric motors, all-wheel drive, a carbon fiber chassis and the full safety standards as prescribed by the FIA.
“Audi gave me the opportunity to test it for a few days in Germany,” said Block. “I’m familiar with a wide variety of cars using internal combustion engines and transmissions, but there were a lot of new things for me to learn here. Spinning into a donut at 150 km/h directly from standstill – just using my right foot – is an all-new experience for me. Our work was focused on getting the car and I used to each other. My thanks go to the whole Audi Sport squad for their outstanding teamwork.”
The entire development of the S1 Hoonitron was conducted by Audi Sport at its Neckarsulm location, where the Audi RS e-tron GT is produced, the company said. Audi Design in Ingolstadt was responsible for the styling.
“When we first heard about this project, the whole team was thrilled immediately: we had the opportunity to develop a car that combines an icon of our brand with the future,” said Audi’s Chief Designer, Marc Lichte. “It was about creating a modern, all-electric interpretation of the S1 Pikes Peak. The timeline was extremely tight: while our design process normally takes one to one-and-a-half years, we only had four weeks from the first drawing to the final design. We were constantly in touch with Ken Block and his team and engaged in intensive exchanges.”
Fans will soon be able to see the S1 Hoonitron in the upcoming video, Elektrikhana, the next installment of Block’s Gymkhana series.
“The collaboration with Audi is a very special partnership for me. The brand and its passion for motorsport motivated me to get into rallying,” said Block. “That Audi has now developed this car for me and my team, and has joined us in our next project, has made a dream come true for me. The Hoonitron is writing the next chapter in our history and taking our Gymkhana story into the future.”
