Audi creates the S1 Hoonitron from scratch for Ken Block
Audi and Ken block announced their collaboration last September. We now discover the fruit of their association, Block’s first electric toy: the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron.
Not all entertainment drivers have the privilege of having a car built from the ground up. In reality, they are certainly very few, or there is only Ken block who has this great pleasure. Abandoning his usual Ford models, the high-flying pilot and king of drifting recently teamed up with Audi for the design of the first electric vehicle that would feature in his videos of driving prowess: theAudi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron.
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Inspired by the queen of Pikes Peak
We are talking about a vehicle directly inspired by another rally legend, the Audi Sport quattro S1 of the 1980s, the racing queen of Pikes Peak. It was at the wheel of this racing car that Walter Röhrl won the famous Colorado uphill race in 1987. The word inspiration is probably not strong enough to describe the affiliation between the version of 1987 and that of 2021, we speak rather a reincarnation.
Within 4 weeks
Drawing a car takes months, even years, to come up with a definitive design. In the case of the Hoonitron: 4 weeks. Audi chief stylist Marc Lichte testifies: “When we heard about the project, the whole team was immediately excited. The projection was extremely short: our design process normally takes between a year and a year and a half; we got only 4 weeks between drawing and final styling. We were in constant contact with Ken Block and his team and we made some tremendous changes. “
Everything is there
Everything starts with the strange proportions of the Hoonitron which copies those of Pikes Peak. The hood is low supported by a very large front spoiler in front of the bumper which exerts strong pressure on the nose to keep the front axle firmly on the ground. The wings are very wide to provide a good footprint on each axle, and we complete the whole with a gigantic rear spoiler. Just like at the front, it is used strictly to increase the negative pressure to stick the car on the pavement. To improve aerodynamics, the rims are fully closed. True to Audi Sport tradition, the Hoonitron is painted in white, black, red and gray.
” Cool “
Ken Block is certainly not indifferent to the racing car that Audi has just created for him: “The S1 Hoonitron recovers a lot of what made Audi famous in the 1980s. I think it’s ‘cool’ that the stylists are inspired by their own past and transfer the technologies and appearance of the vehicle to the present. The design was developed at Audi’s facilities in Ingolstadt, Germany. It was manufactured in the same facility where the Audi e-tron GT is assembled, Neckarsulm.
More than 600 electric horsepower
In the 1980s, the S1 came with a 2.1-liter 5-cylinder equipped with 3 turbochargers. Horsepower in 1987 was then 600 horsepower, and torque was 435 lb-ft. For 2021, we no longer find anything like this, but rather the engine that is used in another competition car, the RS Q e-tron intended for the Dakar rally. In his case, we are talking about 671 horsepower from two electric motors. Audi has yet to confirm official power, but it will be in those waters.
Relearn to “drift”
The S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron is built almost entirely from carbon fiber. In addition, with a view to possibly broadening its horizons in terms of competition, it already meets the strict safety standards imposed by the FIA. For Block, this heel-toe champion with manual gearboxes, there is a relearning to drive to be done in this electric vehicle. “Audi gave me the opportunity to drive it for a few days’ tests in Germany. I am familiar with a wide variety of vehicles using internal combustion engine and gearbox, but there is a lot to learn here. Doing a “donut” at 150 km / hour from neutral, just using my right foot is a whole new experience for me. ”Ken Block.
A new page
Ken Block goes electric in his next Gymkhana video adventure, Elektrikhana. By his own admission, he is entering the future of the automobile by making this 180 degree turn in electrification: “The Hoonitron is writing a new chapter and transporting the history of Gymkhana to the future. “
