We knew this was coming, and never simply from latest teasers saying as a lot. When rally racer and Gymkhana guru Ken Block introduced he was teaming up with Audi for future enjoyable, a brand new Gymkhana-focused race automotive was inevitable. Whether or not anybody anticipated it to be a legit Audi idea automotive, nonetheless, is a special story.
That is precisely what we now have right here. The official title for this one-off creation is the – deep breath – Audi S1 E-Tron Quattro Hoonitron. And sure, because the title suggests, it attracts inspiration straight from the legendary Sport Quattro S1 Pikes Peak racer. It isn’t a modified model of that automotive, nonetheless – that is a completely new machine designed from the bottom as much as be a contemporary all-wheel-drive monster, and as such, you will not hear a screaming turbocharged inline-five engine beneath the hood. That is an all-electric affair, although sadly at this level, no info is offered concerning simply how a lot energy it makes.
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We will inform you it went from design to actuality in an astounding 4 weeks. This can be a course of that usually takes a 12 months or extra, however in response to the video featured on the high of this text, Audi designers have been extremely excited to be a part of the venture. A number of designs have been sketched, all utilizing the unique S1 as a foundation. The successful sketch was then rendered in a pc, and as a substitute of constructing a scale mannequin, it went straight to a full-scale mannequin. That is primarily what we see within the video, together with footage of the Hoonitron in its ultimate type.
Apparently, Block has already pushed it, too. It is unclear if any live-action video will comply with this debut, however in an interview posted on the Audi Progress web site, Block says that he is “thrilled” after the preliminary check drives. That is good, as a result of that is the automotive by which he’ll sort out his subsequent Gymkhana venture, appropriately referred to as Electrikhana.
Whether or not he goes all-out on this efficiency can be attention-grabbing, as this time round he is not driving a modified rally automotive with roots in manufacturing autos. This can be a one-off idea designed and constructed by Audi, and we suspect it is fairly invaluable.
