After years with Ford, Ken Block and Audi have quite a partnership. The famed tire buster recently unveiled a video of his latest gymkhana driving his insane Audi S1 Hoonitron EV, but he’s more than just a driver and spokesperson in this automotive relationship.
That’s broken down in greater detail in a new video from Audi, which prominently features Block talking about his new ride. He explains how the Hoonigan and Audi teams worked together to create this one-off racing machine, starting from scratch and developing the build to meet Block’s non-traditional racing needs. For example, the weight distribution requires a slight forward tilt, resulting in a 52:48 balance. It also required a short wheelbase, which posed a problem for engineers trying to fit the bulky battery on the platform. There are actually four batteries, producing a combined 57.6 kWh of electricity.
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Obviously, the engineers got it right. The Hoonitron S1 produces 671 horsepower (500 kW) and 472 pound-feet (640 Newton-meters) of torque, and that power can flow to the front or rear motor as needed. The instantaneous torque and lack of a gearbox gave the S1 Hoonitron’s flywheel speed to seriously kill tires, reaching 125 mph as demonstrated during Block’s Electrichana driving in Las Vegas.
By the way, the video also offers a special behind the scenes look at filming the extravaganza. Someone didn’t just close some of the main streets in Las Vegas, let alone roll AWD donuts in a casino. We got a better look at some of the filming locations, got a look at the editing process, and there’s a lot of love for Hoonitron’s S1 action.
“Technologically this is the most advanced drift car I’ve ever driven,” Block says in the video. Considering previous vehicles including the all-wheel-drive Hoonicorn Mustang with 1,400 hp and the Ford Hoonitruck with a twin-turbocharged Ford GT racing engine, that says something about Audi’s push for the S1 Hoonitron.
Looking for more content on EV performance? See the latest debuts at the 2022 LA Auto Show (including the 2,000 hp Draco Dragon electric SUV) at Rambling About Cars podcast, available below.
