Ken Block has become the face of the Gymkhana film franchise, so when he parted ways with Ford earlier this year, the future of the famed rally racer was up in the air. Earlier, Block announced a partnership with Audi, having us speculating what fruit would that partnership bear.
This time, however, Block indulges us with more information, announcing his return to the Gymkhana franchise… and more. Introducing an expansion of the series, Block will set a new installment called Electrikhana. And yes, the German automaker is building a “very special” Audi E-Tron build for this partnership.
Gallery: Ken Block Partnership With Audi
To hype up the announcement, Block released a video on his YouTube documenting his experience visiting Germany where he drove both Audi’s past and present. First, he had rounds with the Audi RS E-Tron GT. The Porsche Taycan cousin silently conquers the race track with its 590 horsepower (440 kilowatts) and 612 pound-feet (830 Newton-meter) power output, with an overboost to 637 hp.
Of course, a rally racing discussion isn’t complete without mentioning the 1984 Audi Sport Quattro, which Block also got a chance to drive in the circuit. According to Block, it’s the very vehicle that inspired him to go rally racing.
Now, for anyone asking about Block’s move to electric rally racing, he has an answer to that based on the description the accompanies the video above:
Why the switch to electrified vehicles? For me, it’s simple really: It’s new. It’s high-level performance. It’s the future. And new technology and forward-thinking – the things Audi is great at – can be used to have even more fun with cars, and I am all about that.
As mentioned, Block’s Electrikhana is scheduled for release in 2022. We’re expecting Audi to reveal the celebrity rally racer’s new toy in the next few months, so let’s keep our toes for announcements.
Source:
Ken Block via YouTube
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