Audi S1 quattro Hoonitron is an electric drift car for Ken Block
Audi has built one-off electric S1 e-tron quattro drift car for Gymkhana star Ken Block
Audi has created a bespoke all-electric drift car in the mould of the legendary Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2, for rally and Gymkahana driver Ken Block. Called the S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron, the one-off creation is built from carbon fibre, and uses an electric motor on each axle to produce massive power - enough to spin the wheels at almost 100mph, according to Block.
Exact power specifications haven’t yet been revealed, but Block’s previous Gymkhana car of choice - the wild Mustang Hoonicorn - produced 1,400bhp, and high-performance EVs are more than able to produce in excess of 1,000bhp. The car will be seen in action for the first time, in the hands of Block, in an upcoming stunt video.
The S1 Hoonitron is compliant with FIA safety regulations, and was developed from the ground up by Audi Sport. The design was completed in just four weeks, and is very much a modern-day rendition of the iconic Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 Pikes Peak racer. The cabin area is set back behind a long bonnet, just as with the original, and a dramatic front splitter and towering rear spoiler pay tribute to the Pikes Peak car.
There are deep vents behind the front wheels and another aggressive cut-out ahead of the rear arches. Individual LED light units make up the tail light bar, which sits above a deep rear diffuser. A set of carbon fibre turbo-fan style wheels complete the package.
“The S1 Hoonitron combines a lot of what Audi was already famous for in the nineteen-eighties,” says Ken 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 doughnut at 150 km/h directly from a standstill – just using my right foot – is an all-new experience for me.”
In the hands of Block, the S1 Hoonitron aims to pioneer the transition to electric in the world of Gymkhana, where he has previously competed using a 650bhp Ford Fiesta, and a monstrous 950bhp Ford F-150 pick-up.
Let us know what you think of the Hoonitron in the comments...
