HOONIGAN LAUNCHES KEN BLOCK’S ELECTRIKHANA TWO: ONE MORE PLAYGROUND; MEXICO CITY IN THE AUDI S1 HOONITRON
Filmed in November 2022 in Mexico City – Hoonigan’s second installment in the Electrikhana series takes the audience for one more slide with Ken Block in the newly developed 680 horsepower Audi S1 Hoonitron
COMPTON, Calif., Dec. 6, 2023 – In November of 2022, Ken Block and the Hoonigan team headed to Mexico City, MX to film the next installment of the Electrikhana series with the Audi S1 Hoonitron. Just over one month later, the devastating loss of Ken Block meant that the project was shelved – until today – with the launch of Electrikhana TWO: The Mexico City Sessions on the Hoonigan YouTube channel.
Block, The Hoonigans, and Audi continue pushing the limits of what’s possible in the performance EV world with Electrikhana TWO, sliding through iconic areas of Mexico City in Block’s infamously aggressive, rally-inspired driving style. Improving the car immediately after the first film, Block and Audi built on important development lessons from their experience in Las Vegas.
The all-electric Audi S1 Hoonitron has seen a range of performance improvements, with the Audi Sport engineering team working with Block to modify the drivetrain to better serve his aggressive-yet-precise style of driving in the Gymkhana films. One of the biggest improvements comes from the ‘simulated gears’ feature: giving the car a sort of digital gearbox by programming multiple levels of wheel speed on the electric motors, controlled with a paddle shifter. Allowing for much more controlled slides and precise donuts, this was a major development over the car’s form in the previous Electrikhana film; where a small jab of the throttle meant a jump from 15mph to over 120mph of wheel speed. Instantly.
Additionally, Block wanted to explore all-new driving features made possible with an EV drivetrain: such as opposite-driven wheels for a standing AWD burnout, instant switching from all-wheel to rear-wheel drive, “differential” tuning to influence chassis balance, as well as the ability to shift into reverse at ANY speed. Each of these features are put to the test in the new film.
Shot in and around Mexico City, Block launches the Hoonitron out of the world’s largest bullring: Plaza de Toros. From there, it’s an all-access trip through iconic areas of the city, with tricks around the Museo Soumaya, a big clincher moment with a slide past JUCA (one of Mexico’s biggest automotive content creators), and ending with a session in and around the Benito Juárez International Airport. Capped off with a nostalgic Gymkhana tribute throughout the credits.
A big thank you goes out to the partners who helped make Electrikhana TWO possible: Audi, Spray Nine, Rotiform, Toyo Tires, Monster Energy, and Kubota.
About Ken Block
After co-founding DC Shoes in 1994 – a brand that changed the action sports world forever – Ken Block’s rally career began in 2005. His skill and car control became quickly apparent, and Block aptly nabbed Rookie of the Year that season in the Rally America Championship. Since then, Block won 30+ national level rallies around the globe, scored points in the World Rally Championship, and accumulated five X Games medals… including winning silver on three wheels at X Games in LA in 2012 (behind 9-time WRC champ Sebastien Loeb). In addition to his performance in the car, Block was a driving force in shedding light on the sport of rally within the United States. His keen branding and marketing acumen, combined with his talents and skills behind the wheel, allowed Block to achieve global fame as a rally driver through his wildly successful Gymkhana series of videos. The Gymkhana Franchise has garnered over 650 million views on Youtube alone, adding Climbkhana, Terrakhana, and Electrikhana to the series of videos in recent years. In January 2023, Ken Block tragically passed away in his home state of Utah – leaving behind a tremendous and unparalleled career, as well as a life that inspired millions of friends, fans, and co-workers across the world. In his memory, the 43 Institute was founded to carry on Block’s greatest legacy: creating paths of opportunity for the exceptionally driven who may lack the proper support system for growth and success.
About Hoonigan
Hoonigan, founded in 2011 by DC Shoes co-founder Ken Block and 0-60 Magazine Editor-in-Chief Brian Scotto, is much more than a brand. It’s an automotive subculture, fueled on the shared passion of going fast and breaking things… then rebuilding them better than before. The company’s signature brand of vehicular savagery is on full display across their network of YouTube channels, serving daily content to a subscription base numbering in the millions. In addition to daily videos and social media content, Hoonigan has long been the production and marketing outfit behind Ken Block’s award-winning series of viral videos such as Gymkhana, Climbkhana, and Terrakhana.
Hoonigan continues to serve the automotive enthusiast industry with entertaining content and a wide selection of vehicle enhancements from its portfolio of lifestyle brands, including Fuel Off-Road, American Racing, KMC, Morimoto, TeraFlex, Rotiform, and Black Rhino. Utilizing its expanding global network of distribution centers spanning North America, Australia, and Europe, Hoonigan serves over 16,500 retailers. It has a growing e-commerce presence to provide enthusiast consumers with access to a variety of aftermarket enhancements including wheels, suspension, lighting, and accessories. More information is available at www.hoonigan.com.
