Thursday, November 6, 2014

Ken Block turns a '65 Mustang into an 845-hp, all-wheel-drive drift car

YAHOO AUTOS

                  
Ken Block's Hoonicorn
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Ken Block and his 600-hp Ford Fiesta are marketing gold. His drifting exploits around city streets and various obstacle courses have been viewed tens of millions of times, and soon, Block and his Hoonigan team will be releasing their next hit, Gymkhana 7.
 
 But as is often the case with successful productions like this, simply making it happen year after year is far from the hardest part; that title lies with continuing to remain relevant and resisting going stale.
This is Block's answer: An 845-hp, all-wheel drive monster named "Hoonicorn," built around a 1965 Ford Mustang.
 
Staying relevant can often be as much about looking back as it is about moving forward. For Block, retro is the key theme here, mixed with a flourish of modern madness.
 
 Collaborating with fellow Monster athlete Vaughn Gittin Jr.'s tuning company RTR, Hoonicorn boasts a 410 cu-in Roush Yates V-8, good for 720 lb.-ft. of tire-melting torque, mated to a custom Sadev all-wheel drive system and a manual gearbox.
 
The tires, interestingly, are the same Pirelli P Zero Trofeo Rs used on the new Camaro Z/28, only featuring a "custom Ken Block compound." RTR designed the wide-body package along with Block and his Hoonigan crew, and ASD Motorsports were responsible for the various components, including roll cage and tubular chassis.
 
Revealed in time for this year's SEMA show, this '65 'Stang may seem familiar; it was spotted in L.A. last month doing donuts during filming. Let us know what you think: will Gymkhana 7 be Block's greatest hit yet? I know one thing, I can't wait to find out.
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
   
   

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