Audi reveals Ken Block S1 Hoonitron
Audi has unveiled the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron developed for American drift artist, Ken Block. The all-electric, one-of-a-kind car will feature in a new video Block and his team are producing, due for release in the next few months.
“The S1 Hoonitron combines a lot of what Audi was already famous for in the 1980s,” 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.”
Two electric motors, all-wheel drive, power galore, a carbon fibre chassis, and the full safety standards as prescribed by motorsport’s top governing body, the FIA – are among the S1 Hoonitron’s statistics.
In November, Block got to know the car for the first time.
“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, including the technology, of S1 Hoonitron was conducted by Audi Sport at the Neckarsulm location where the Audi RS e-tron GT1 is produced. Audi Design in Ingolstadt was responsible for the styling, which was anything but a run-of-the-mill job for Audi’s Chief Designer, Marc Lichte and his team.
“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 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.”
Under the working title, Elektrikhana, Block and his team will produce the next video of his famous gymkhana series featuring S1 Hoonitron. “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.”
Lichte said it’s a future everyone at Audi is also looking forward to. “Knowing that we’re developing a car for a video with Ken Block that millions of people around the world are going to watch has provided our team with additional motivation,” he said. “These new inspirations are also immensely important for our daily work. The development of this car will encourage us to approach future projects with an even more open and progressive mindset.”