Ken Block’s Electric Audi Quattro Thrashes Las Vegas

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After 10 successful “Gymhkana” films that racked up a billion total views on YouTube, Ken Block is back with an all-electric Audi racecar inspired by the classic Ur Quattro rally car. And it is an absolutely bonkers, tire-slaying debut for the Hoonitron (yeah, they’re really calling it that) in one of the most exciting cities in the world: Las Vegas!

“When Audi approached us with the idea of doing a film in a special electric vehicle, that they would construct solely for the film, we jumped at the challenge,” says Block. “While I may love the sound of a turbo engine, or the grunt of a V8, we have done that all before. The instant torque and shiftless nature of an electric motor allowed for us to push certain tricks to a whole new realm. From extremely exaggerated backward entries or flawless high speed 360s and four-wheel smoking launches, this Hoonitron is an all-new experience in our Gymkhana world. The final, tire-killing, center axis donuts reached wheel speed of over 140kph, and created G forces I have never experienced before in any racecar.”

The Hoonitron itself began its journey last March, when a team at Audi Sport in Germany, inspired by the legendary Audi Quattro S1 E2 Pikes Peak rally car (shown, below) and added e-tron technology developed for Formula E racing to create an all-wheel-drive, dual motor coupe capable of generating over 4,000 lb-ft of TQ at the wheels (according to Ken Block’s team, which might be using … let’s go with “dubious” measurements).

Do You See the Resemblence?

Image courtesy Audi Sport.

Regardless of the actual figures, there’s no question that the Hoonitron is putting down gobs of torque – torque that resulted in Block, “killing three times the number of Toyo Tires than typical during filming,” according to the official release. “Again, this beast does things others just can’t.”

And– sure, there is very little in the way of environmental benefit from this little stunt (read: zero), but these are the kind of things that make car enthusiasts look at EVs as something exciting and fun, and not as something that’s being “forced” upon them. And that, I think has value.

That’s my take, anyway. Check out the images, below, then let us know what you think of this Sin City stunt act in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Audi Hoonitron vs. Las Vegas

Source | Images: Hoonigan Media.


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