Ken Block has announced partnership with the German car manufacturer Audi to help the brand with the electric car developments; the news comes just under a year after he and his company Hooningan announced the split of their longtime partners Ford.
American rally driver Block has become known over the years not only for his athletic accomplishments, but also for his Gymkhana videos he has made as an ambassador for Ford.
The partnership of Block and Ford have included 19 wins and 17 other podium finishes in both rally and rallycross, two X Games medals and the first points taken by an American driver representing Ford in the FIA World Rally Championship.
Block and Ford’s Gymkhana videos, as well as various breath taking projects from the Ford Mustang “Hoonicorn” to the Ford F-150 “Hoonitruck”, have garnered well over a billion views on social media.
In January 2021, Block announced that the partnership with Ford would end after 10 years. The matter was not insignificant for Ford either, as the end of the partnership was announced in a video in which CEO of Ford, Jim Farley himself warmly thanked Block for his years together.
Electric cars are not unknown for Block, he has been racing various of different all-electric racing cars, at Dakar in 2020 he drove the Extreme E´s Odyssey 21 on the last stage where he managed to take a third fastest time and later same year he won the inaugural Projekt E rallycross series race at World RX of Sweden in Höljes.
“Audi is the brand that ignited my passion for motorsport. I am extremely excited to start this new chapter. Together, we will develop innovative projects and push the boundaries of electric mobility. The Audi RS e-tron GT really surprised me.” Block said in his statement.
“The design is exquisite with great attention to detail and a perfect finish. The driving experience is amazing: the car is incredibly fast and handles very well. The center of gravity is very low so you can change direction quickly. I see the electric car as a leap forward for us as a society in order to create something that can not only reduce emissions and hopefully make the planet a better place. But not only that: it’s also about performance. I love anything that makes me go faster. Electric cars can do that.”
It is still unsure what project Block and Audi are planning to work on together but considering as the American legend is involved, we could expect exciting things to come.
